Design Tip: Countertop Rain Management

There are a few small details that designers and installers can incorporate into the countertop specifications that will help with rain management in the outdoor kitchen. These little touches can go a long way in adding to the homeowner's satisfaction with the finished project:

• A drip edge cut under the counter can help keep the cabinets and other equipment below stay cleaner and drier. This is nothing more than a continuous, small groove cut into the bottom of the counter along the edge. Even if the kitchen uses Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet weather-tight cabinets, this detail is another demonstration that you, as a professional designer, truly understand outdoor kitchen design parameters.
• When using a backsplash, the the counter can be angled slightly downward toward the front to prevent puddles from accumulating at the backsplash.
• An undermount sink will allow the homeowner to wipe rainwater into the sink instead of off the edge of the counter when they want to cook right after a spring shower.