To stand up to the weather, most of the outdoor kitchens I build are made from masonry and steel studs. Typically, their storage is limited to open space behind stainless steel door units mounted in masonry openings; some also have prefabricated stainless drawer units. That has worked well for many jobs, but when compared with an average indoor kitchen, storage is almost nonexistent.

When a friend asked me to build his outdoor kitchen, I wanted to make the cabinetry as functional as that in his indoor kitchen—and with doors and drawers. Building cabinets for the outdoors involves many of the same processes I use for indoor work, but also requires attention to the effects of water and moisture. This means using water-resistant materials and stainless steel fasteners and hardware, as well as addressing water infiltration and drainage …

This article originally appeared in JLC. To read the complete version, click here.