Pond Boss
Posted By: Kris B Outdoor Kitchen - Bulkhead, Dock, or Slab - 08/28/19 05:34 AM
Anybody have experience with putting an outdoor kitchen near or over their BOW?

A question that I'm looking at now with my pond renovation is how to get a good outdoor kitchen at/near or over the water on my 3/4 acre pond. I originally had plans put together for a 8-10ft deep timber bulkhead (rectangular, about 100 linear feet total) to give a swimming/diving area, and allow the pouring of a slab and building of a conventional structure over it. This is EXPENSIVE, as in $360/linear foot.

I've always liked a dock over the water, but with the small size of my pond, not sure that I'd be able to get too much distance and size without getting close to the other side. That and I'd be leery of running an outdoor kitchen sink sewer drain back ashore to tie in. No idea on cost yet, but presumably much cheaper (plumbing concerns aside).

My father-in-law is convinced I can just pour a slab with helical pilings at the water's edge as the cheapest option, but I'm not sure whether that would be strong enough or a smart move. Plus, then I lose that deeper entry spot for swimming, paddleboat, etc.
How far is the distance across the width of your pond? And what is the depth of the water where you want to put the dock?
The cost of your pipe running very far wont be very expensive. Paying someone to do it is where your cost will be. Just my thought here. That if you make it way out in the center of the pond! Even better then you are surround by water. I would play that up to calling 360* views. If you need more depth for diving just have a backhoe make you a deep hole.
This is just my personal opinion and it's driven by what I would afford for such a kitchen/dock layout...

I would pour a slab at the bank for a kitchen/picnic shelter and then add the dock nearby for swimming. This would keep expenses to a minimum for any electric and sink drains AND would give some separation of the cooking/picnicking activities from the swimming/horseplay.

This sounds like something I could do myself and save more money.

I do like the idea of "out in the middle", but I imagine that would require post sunk into the bed of the pond or concrete piers. I would still envision wood decking...the whole elevated concrete pouring thing would have to be left to those more experienced.
Posted By: Zep Re: Outdoor Kitchen - Bulkhead, Dock, or Slab - 08/28/19 04:03 PM
Originally Posted By: Quarter Acre
I would pour a slab at the bank for a kitchen/picnic shelter and then add the dock nearby

Quarter Acre that's exactly what we did.

Right along the shore we combined a fire-pit & "kitchen" although our does not have plumbing....and the dock is a few feet away.

Posted By: Augie Re: Outdoor Kitchen - Bulkhead, Dock, or Slab - 08/28/19 04:10 PM
Check this thread:

http://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=500499&page=1
Posted By: Kris B Re: Outdoor Kitchen - Bulkhead, Dock, or Slab - 08/28/19 06:38 PM
QA & Zep - that looks and sounds great. And might be a much more practical option. I guess I just had visions of the slab and all sliding into the pond one day - I'm working in a more constrained space that ya'll seem to be!

Attached picture Bulkhead.PNG
Posted By: Kris B Re: Outdoor Kitchen - Bulkhead, Dock, or Slab - 08/28/19 06:40 PM
WOW. That is a thing of beauty.
Once its built you wont think about it sliding in.

Attached picture Screenshot_20190828-141315_Gallery.jpg
Posted By: Kris B Re: Outdoor Kitchen - Bulkhead, Dock, or Slab - 09/04/19 05:39 AM
How IS that one built? On pilings? Or a peninsula?
Look up concrete docks on google. That's where I got that picture at. I have seen it on here before.
Posted By: Zep Re: Outdoor Kitchen - Bulkhead, Dock, or Slab - 09/04/19 01:58 PM
Originally Posted By: Kris B
How IS that one built? On pilings? Or a peninsula?


Posted By: Kris B Re: Outdoor Kitchen - Bulkhead, Dock, or Slab - 09/04/19 05:27 PM
There goes the budget!
Posted By: Kris B Re: Outdoor Kitchen - Bulkhead, Dock, or Slab - 11/21/19 05:45 PM
We've ruled out the bulkhead - cost was prohibitive and I didn't want to deal with the eventual (even if 20-30yr from now) need to replace it down the road, especially if deadmen were beneath the poured slab.

Looked at a concrete wall and slab all-in-one, but the "great" contractor we spoke and met with went repeatedly MIA.

So now, based on recommendations here, we're just making a 20ft wide by 50ft long soil/clay peninsula and will save that money for the important stuff - what's going on top!

Thanks to everyone for the suggestions.
Originally Posted By: Kris B
So now, based on recommendations here, we're just making a 20ft wide by 50ft long soil/clay peninsula and will save that money for the important stuff - what's going on top!

Thanks to everyone for the suggestions.


Something to consider is if this area can be underwater during high water events.
Posted By: Kris B Re: Outdoor Kitchen - Bulkhead, Dock, or Slab - 11/22/19 10:30 AM
We’ll have a 12” overflow pipe tied into the city storm drain (only 8in recommended by NRCS) and a shallow swale going out to the road sign for any apocalyptic rain events. And if that peninsula ends up underwater, so will my house!
If you have any wave action your clay will wash down. Make sure you rock it all the way around. When I put mine in, in just 2 years it was 15 feet narrower at the top than when it first was put in. Depending on rock price it maybe cheaper to go with a wood structure.
Posted By: Kris B Re: Outdoor Kitchen - Bulkhead, Dock, or Slab - 11/25/19 06:54 AM
We don't get a whole lot of wind in my area, and the pond is only ~3/4 acre. That's something I'll have to think about. The first quote I got for a bulkhead was $36k, the second was for $16k. That's - I imagine - a LOT of rock! smile
© Pond Boss Forum