DIY Outdoor Kitchen Part 3: The Finishing Touches and Copper


Our outdoor kitchen bases were built, and the concrete countertops were installed! All that was left were those final finishing touches of our project.

  • We decided to sand the redwood since they were just common redwood boards that were too rough for staining. 
  • We used the "Superdeck Transparent Stain" in the color "Valley". I liked the richness of the color and how it brought out all the colors of the redwood.
  • After the stain was applied, we needed to add the pipe through the back 4 X 4's of the kitchen. This was for aesthetics but also could be functional and used to hang cups, towels, etc. 
  • We decided to put the pipe across the entire length of the kitchen to give the whole piece a more cohesive look. 
  • Since I love copper and copper looks even better over time, I decided to use copper pipe instead of the silver pipe as shown in the plans.
  • Shopping Tip: We bought the thinner copper since it wasn't going to be used for actual plumbing so be sure to grab that instead of the more expensive thicker copper piping. 
  • While at Lowes getting the pipes, I saw 4 X 4 decking/fence post caps in... you guessed it, copper. 
  • It was a little pricey but it complimented the pipes so well we had to get it! Plus the solar light would lighten up the kitchen at night. 
  • After staining the redwood, adding the copper pipe and decking caps, all that was left was to stage the outdoor kitchen with all my outdoor entertaining items! This is my favorite part! 
  • I love that this outdoor kitchen serves as a cooking station, serving station, and storage for our outdoor items. It was certainly worth all the work! What do you think of the finished product? Would you try it?