How many brew on a wood deck?

[quincy07]

So after my latest fopah during my last brew day (cracked my glass cook top), my wife has forbidden me from brewing in the kitchen any more. I have a large wood covered deck that I want to brew on. I'm thinking it should be fine on the deck since I'll just be boiling wort and not frying a turkey. I could go on the driveway, don't have a garage, but don't want my nosey bible thumper neighbors coming over and getting all preachy.

Who else brew on a deck w a propane burner w no issue?

 

[bamamckay]

I use a propane burner on my wooden deck. I've probably done 50 batches and no problems. The deck does not come even close to getting hot.

 

[Bill837]

Same here, only two batches so far, but no issues, the heat all goes up.

 

[Calder]

I want to know how you cracked the ceramic cook top.

 

[bad67z]

I brew on my deck as well. Heat rises and boil over messes come of with a warm water discharge from the immersion chiller.

 

[quincy07]

I want to know how you cracked the ceramic cook top.

I had an 8 gallon pot w 5+ gallons of wort in it w the burner on high for a couple hours just to get it up to and maintain my boil. The appliance repair guy I had over said it was probably the glass flexing from heat+weight and then flexing back as it cooled that caused it to crack.

 

[RM-MN]

Go to the local big box lumber store and get a half sheet of 1/4 inch plywood. Lay that on the deck and quit worrying about the deck. If there is any scorching it won't be the deck that scorches, it will be that inexpensive piece of plywood and you can use it over and over even if it is scorched a bit. Any boil over should be contained on the plywood too and it can be cleaned up easily too.

 

[taoisilent]

Go to the local big box lumber store and get a half sheet of 1/4 inch plywood. Lay that on the deck and quit worrying about the deck. If there is any scorching it won't be the deck that scorches, it will be that inexpensive piece of plywood and you can use it over and over even if it is scorched a bit. Any boil over should be contained on the plywood too and it can be cleaned up easily too.

Easy, cheap, brilliant solution

 

[geouy0523]

I don't know where he got it, but my dad has a 3 x 4 fireproof hearth mat that would work great for something like this. I think it's made of fiberglass or some similar composite material. Check your local home improvement store and there fireplace section.

 

[milldoggy]

In the bbq section at lowes, they sell mats for grills. They work great under your bk. Keeps sticky wort off the deck if there is a boil over

 

[atom]

I put a few pavers under my burner.

Sent from my HTC One using Home Brew mobile app

 

[philjohnwilliams]

I keep the area under my burner wet, any heat that makes it to ground level evaporates water, doesn't burn wood. Just make sure the water doesn't spread far enough to become a slipping hazard.

 

[quincy07]

Those are all very good suggestions. Thanks everyone.

 

[andvari7]

I would like to brew on my deck, because it's closer to the door, but because my deck faces a road, the fire department, who patrol the area fairly regularly, would issue all sorts of tickets if I were to even think of doing it. Nope.

 

[rolewiii]

We're buying a house right now with very large 15x30 deck off of the kitchen/dining room. I feel like I should convert to deck brewing just for convenience, keep moisture in the house down, and to just be outside in the few months that aren't death winter up here.

Thanks for the info, all.

 

[b-boy]

I used to use a piece of cement board under my burner. Now I have a silicone mat. Both deflect the heat well.

 

[RM-MN]

I would like to brew on my deck, because it's closer to the door, but because my deck faces a road, the fire department, who patrol the area fairly regularly, would issue all sorts of tickets if I were to even think of doing it. Nope.

My deck faces the road too but I don't think I'd have to worry about the fire dept since I spent 6 years as chief of that department. You might drop by the firehouse and ask about it before you make too many assumptions. There may not be any problem, especially if you give them a heads-up on what you are doing.

 

[ktblunden]

As long as the propane burner doesn't tip over I'd be more worried about splashing wort on the deck than scorching or burning.

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[quincy07]

We're buying a house right now with very large 15x30 deck off of the kitchen/dining room. I feel like I should convert to deck brewing just for convenience, keep moisture in the house down, and to just be outside in the few months that aren't death winter up here.

Thanks for the info, all.

I'm in a similar situation. I just bought my house in December and it has a large 18'x18' deck off the kitchen that's completely covered so it'll make for a nice outside living/brewing area in the warmer months. I'm actually planning to build a bar on my deck eventually.

 

[shelly_belly]

As long as your burner has a heat shield under it there should be no problems. Mine is a turkey fryer with a simple sheet metal heat shield and directly under the burner is where my cat likes to nap!