Hello all. I am building a custom outdoor grill and I need to know what I can use for the cooking surface. I know that it would be best to use stainless but can I get away with using something cheaper like some of the round bar they sell at Lowes? Is it safe to cook on, eat off of? Any input would be much appreciated.

I don't know if this is in the right place. If it needs to be somewhere else like Chit-Chat let me know and I will move it.

Thanks

Rush

I think mild steel would be just fine, many of the cheaper grills use that. However I would cook them for a while before throwing any food on it to let the oil and crap burn off.

expanded metal, lattered grate can be had for grills...

JOSH

expanded metal, lattered grate can be had for grills...

JOSH

What I was going to say... the big grilles and smokers all use expanded metal.

I know you want to avoid stainless, but design the grill around reaily available stailnless replacement grates (like the CharBroil untis available at HD) Cheap & Easy

I know you want to avoid stainless, but design the grill around reaily available stailnless replacement grates (like the CharBroil untis available at HD) Cheap & Easy

Exactly what I was going to say. Stainless or not - design it after off-the-shelf replacement grates to saves yourself a lot of work now, and down the road (assuming you are building a grill you intend to keep for a long time).

head to your local commercial kitchen equipment place and get some charbroiler replacement grates ... usually cast iron

head to your local commercial kitchen equipment place and get some charbroiler replacement grates ... usually cast iron

You can get the cast iron ones at HD and probably Lowes now too. I know the char-broil ones fit my kenmore.

I've used stainless and porcelain covered grills, I prefer cast iron.

You can get the cast iron ones at HD and probably Lowes now too.

Yeah, but you can get BIGGER ones at a commercial supply store :D

exactly...:D why screw around

are you near any place that mine coal? I have seen some nice ones fabed out of the screens from a shaker or a scrubber. Usually had in my area for cheap.

sounds like he's trying to build on the cheap.... nothing wrong with that at all.

but, it sure is easy to build around something readily available and easy like

the suggested grates for replacement grills at HD/lowes...

I'd go and also say how about surplus floor grates? as long as they're not

galvanized........

--Sherpa

Thanks for all the input. I like the idea of using the replacements from HD/Lowes. That will save time now and in the future if they get worn out or damaged. This grill will probably stay with the house when we sell in a couple of years so that will also be better for the next owners. Again, thanks.

Rush

We always use expanded metal for ours, cheap, easy to replace, and will hold anything you put on it.