Cooking in the shade and staying dry in a summer shower. How to plan a FREILUFT kitchen on a lanai, in a loggia or under a pergola.
01 Why a roof
A covered patio outdoor kitchen keeps the cook in the shade at midday and dry when an afternoon shower passes. In South Florida, that place is often the lanai, the covered space between the house and the pool.
The roof is for the people, not for the kitchen. The kitchen does not need to be covered. FREILUFT does not make roofs, so we plan the kitchen together with your architect or with partners for roofs, and both fit from the start.
02 The roof
Each type changes how light, air and smoke move, so we plan kitchen and roof together. See the modules and dimensions.
03 Fire
The grill-and-fire element and the wood-fired oven vent through a draw tube. Under a roof, the manufacturer specifies a roof duct for the draw tube and a flue height of at least 8 ft 2 3/8 in (2.5 m), installed by a certified local professional. The manufacturer specifies a minimum clearance of 11 13/16 in (30 cm) to adjacent building elements; local fire codes in Florida are reviewed during planning.
Whether and how the fire can burn under your roof depends on the roof, the clearances and the local fire code. We check it with licensed partners before you approve the layout. More on outdoor fire.
04 Light
Under a roof, the kitchen often stands against a wall. That suits a top-mounted element: a design back panel, a solid oak shelf, outlets and two LED spotlights. For the worktop and the plinth, add warm-white 2700 K LED lighting for the plinth and the worktop.
Outlets and lighting are planned with the order, so power under the roof sits where you need it. See our outdoor kitchen lighting ideas. Colors and stone: see the PureAlu Cabinetry System.
Example image · FREILUFT kitchen
05 Example
An L-shape for a lanai: one run with drawers, the sink and log storage turns at the corner grill-and-fire element into a second run with the refrigerator module and a top-mounted element. The draw tube leads up through the lanai roof with a roof duct, subject to the fire code check.
Every FREILUFT kitchen is planned and made to order. This is a starting point.
Yes. A pergola gives shade while heat can still rise. With a closed or louvered roof, the fire needs a draw tube with a roof duct, and the requirements of the pergola maker and the local fire code apply. We plan it with partners for roofs.
Yes. Smoke and heat have to leave the space. The fire vents through a draw tube and a roof duct, and gas appliances follow their manufacturers' instructions and the local code. We check both during planning.
No. FREILUFT does not make roofs. We plan the kitchen with your architect or with partners for roofs, so kitchen and roof fit together.
No. The kitchen does not need to be covered. The cabinets are 5/16 in (8 mm) marine-grade aluminum, finished with Off-Shore powder coating with a chromate-free, nano-ceramic pre-treatment.
It depends on the roof, the clearances and the local fire code. Under a roof, the manufacturer specifies a roof duct for the draw tube and a flue height of at least 8 ft 2 3/8 in (2.5 m), installed by a certified local professional. We check the details with licensed partners before you approve the layout.
Pricing depends on the layout, the modules, the stone, the appliances, the roof connection and your site. We give you a fixed quote after the design.
Tell us about your lanai, loggia or pergola, and send photos if you have them. We reply personally within one business day. Currently planning kitchens in Florida (where we work); for projects in other states, we offer a video consultation.