An outdoor kitchen in South Louisiana has to cope with things an indoor one never sees: direct sun for months, humidity year round, and heavy rain. The material choice that is obvious indoors is often the wrong one out here.
We build outdoor kitchen countertops across Baton Rouge, Lafayette and Lake Charles.
Granite outdoors, not quartz
This is the single most important thing on this page, and it runs opposite to the advice for indoor kitchens.
Quartz is engineered — ground stone bound with resin and pigment. That resin is a polymer, and sustained ultraviolet light degrades it. On a Louisiana patio that means fading or yellowing over years, and it is not covered by most quartz warranties, which are written for interior use. Check the warranty of any quartz you are offered for outdoor use; the exclusion is usually there in writing.
Granite came out of a volcano. UV does nothing to it, heat does nothing to it, and a hot pan straight off the grill is a non-event. It is porous, so it needs sealing — more often outdoors than in, because sun and rain wear sealer faster.
Quartzite is the other natural option: harder than granite, unaffected by UV, and it also needs sealing. From $70 per square foot installed for 3cm Tier 2.
Marble and dolomite we would steer you away from outdoors. Both are soft and acid-sensitive, and rain in an industrial area is mildly acidic.
Practical detail for a Louisiana patio
Go 3cm. Outdoor runs often have less cabinet support beneath them than indoor ones, and an overhang for bar seating is common. The extra rigidity matters.
Plan for drainage. Water needs somewhere to go. A slight fall away from the house, and no detail that traps standing water against the stone.
Color holds heat. A dark granite in full Louisiana sun in July gets genuinely hot to the touch. Lighter stone stays usable. Worth thinking about if the counter is in unshaded afternoon sun.
Seal on schedule. Outdoors, check it more often than you would inside. The water test is simple: leave a tablespoon of water fifteen minutes, wipe it off, and if the stone darkened it is time to reseal.
Cabinetry outdoors
We supply cabinetry for covered outdoor kitchens. Be realistic about exposure: timber cabinetry belongs under a roof. For a fully exposed installation, a masonry or steel base with a stone top on it is the durable answer, and we will fabricate and fit the top to whatever base your builder puts in.
What we cover
Countertops and cabinetry for outdoor kitchens, summer kitchens and patio bars — fabrication and installation, with free on-site measurement within about an hour of Baton Rouge or Lake Charles.
We do not do the masonry, gas, plumbing or electrical work an outdoor kitchen needs. Most outdoor kitchens involve a builder for the structure and us for the surface, and that works well.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use quartz outdoors if it is under a covered patio?
Deep shade reduces the risk but does not remove it, and most quartz warranties still exclude outdoor use regardless of cover. For anything outdoors we recommend granite or quartzite.
How often should an outdoor countertop be sealed?
More often than indoors. Use the water test every couple of months rather than working to a fixed calendar — sun, rain and use all change the interval.
Will an outdoor granite countertop crack in a freeze?
Properly installed granite handles Baton Rouge winters. What causes damage is water sitting in a seam or an unsealed edge and then freezing, which is why drainage and sealing matter more outdoors.
Do you build the whole outdoor kitchen?
We do the countertops and cabinetry. The structure, gas, plumbing and electrical are for your builder, and we will fit our work to their base.
What does an outdoor countertop cost?
The same per-square-foot tiers as indoors — see the Baton Rouge countertop price guide. Outdoor runs are often smaller than a full kitchen, so the total is frequently lower than people expect.
Book a free measurement
Call (225) 239-5816 or come to 5251 S Sherwood Forest Blvd, Baton Rouge, LA 70816. Lake Charles: 115 W College St, (337) 429-5389. Or tell us about your patio.
Get a free measurement and quote
On-site measurement at no charge within about an hour of Baton Rouge or Lake Charles. Installation typically within two to three weeks.
15 years in South Louisiana · Rated 4.6 from 91 Google reviews
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