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Protecting Patios & Wooden Decks |
Originally
posted: 07/01/2004
Last updated:
01/11/2012 |
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This article offers some ideas on how to protect your patio or wooden deck
while using the Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker.
As
always...click on any of the pictures to
view a larger image.
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Undercar Oil Drip Pan
A large-sized automobile oil
drip pan—the kind you place on the garage floor to catch oil drips
under your car—does a great job catching drips or spills from the cooker. It's
also large enough to provide space for you to set down the lid and charcoal
chimney without messing up your patio. In fact, you can light a charcoal chimney
on the metal pan without scorching a concrete patio.
Made from galvanized steel,
these pans resist rusting, clean up easily with soap and water, and can be
stored away between uses.
Some people use a pan like this
directly on a wooden deck. They report that there is enough air circulation
around the bottom of the cooker that the wooden deck does not become scorched.
About $10 at auto parts stores.
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Hot Water Heater Drip Pan
These aluminum pans are placed under a hot water heater to prevent leaks from
damaging your home. They measure 24" in diameter and 1-3/4" deep, just the right
size to hold a WSM.
Like the undercar oil drip pan,
a hot water heater drip pan will not rust, can be cleaned easily with soap and
water, and can be stored away after use.
David Ward sent in this photo of
such a pan in use.
About $20 at home improvement
stores.
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Grilling Pad
Made of fiber cement, these
pads will protect your wooden deck from radiated heat or sparks. They come in a
variety of colors, shapes, and sizes; most are about 1/4" thick.
About $30-40 at barbecue
specialty stores, home improvement stores, and
Amazon.com.
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Patio Paver
An 18" square cement patio
paver will do a fine job of protecting a wooden deck from heat or sparks.
About $5 at home improvement
centers.
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Chimney Starter Safety Tips
Never place a
chimney starter on or near flammable materials like a wooden deck or
dry grass.
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Important: Never light a chimney starter directly on a concrete
surface. Heat from the chimney may cause the concrete to
explode, damaging the concrete surface and possibly causing physical
injury. |
Photos
1-2 from Greg Caesar of Houston, TX, show the damage caused
by a chimney starter on his concrete
driveway.
Safe
locations to light a chimney include:
- On the WSM
charcoal grate
- On the grate of another grill
- On fire-safe
bricks placed on your deck or patio (Photo 3)
- On a
terra cotta flower pot saucer without a drain hole (Photos 4-5)
Photo of WSM on hot water
heater drip pan: 2005 by David Ward
Photo of WSM on patio
paver: 2004 by Larry Davis
Photos of exploding concrete driveway: 2007 by Greg Caesar |
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