how to build a barbecue bench
From Habitat magazine - issue 17
Outdoor kitchens are all the rage. This one brings industrial chic – and practicality – to any garden.
Table frame: The table frame is made from mild steel tube (approx 16 metres of 25mm square tube was used) which was ordered cut to length. It was then mig welded together, grinding all external surfaces smooth, primed, then painted in Resene Super Gloss enamel tinted to Resene Black.
The frame can be made by a DIY enthusiast, or ordered readymade. Or, make a simple timber frame.
You will need:
- Welding materials (including a mig welder and compressor), or a pre-made frame, or build one out of timber
- Sheet of 25mm or 32mm plywood (we used 32mm) Sink – we used an Aquatica Mega 240
- Tap – we used an Aquatica Forte sink mixer (made for indoor use but fine if reasonably protected)
- Skill saw
- Measuring tape and square edge
- Jigsaw
- Drill with hole bit
- Screw driver and screws
- Electric planer
- Sander and sandpaper
- Sealant to secure sink
- One litre of Resene Woodsman Wood Oil Stain tinted to Resene Driftwood
- Safety gear
Supplies
Table frame
Step 1a
Step 1b: Cut the plywood to fit the frame leaving an overhang all around. We used the full length of 2.4m then cut it to 620mm wide. Use the remaining width of plywood for the bottom shelf, cutting the length to fit. We left a space for a cupboard or rubbish bin at the end. 
Step 2: Drill and screw the top to the frame. Attach the shelf.
Step 3: Measure and cut the hole for the sink, using the jigsaw. Measure and cut hole for the tap.
Step 4: Plane the edges if necessary, then sand with an electric sander and/or a sanding block.
Step 5: Before fitting the sink and tap, stain the plywood with Resene Woodsman Wood Oil Stain as directed on the tin. Silicon the sink into the benchtop, and fix the tap in place.
Finished barbecue bench
Top tip: Stain your deck with Resene Woodsman Decking Stain to protect the timber from the weather and keep it looking good for longer.
Credits: All equipment and materials from Hirepool. Visit www.hirepool.co.nz or call 0800 HIREPOOL. Aquatica sink and tap, and Meteor Deluxe six-burner hooded barbecue supplied by Mitre 10.
pictures: Frances Oliver