Advice for those cooking on wood decks

[JimK]

Not directly on them, of course.

Wifey and I bought a new house and we're going to settlement next week. Probably not moving until next month, when we are settling on the sale of our current house. Anyway, the good news is we'll be in a bigger house that is closer to work, family and pretty much everything else. And it has an enormous deck. The bad news is, there is no hardscape area and I've been spoiled with my small flagstone patio these last several years. Hot chimney? Just set it down on the flagstone. I won't be doing that on the deck. My current arsenal consists of an 18" WSM, a Q, and a Performer. The performer is the everyday driver for the most part. I'm just curious what you guys and gals are doing that are grilling on wood decks. I know some put their smokers in a metal water heater tray, but what about something larger like a Performer. What do you do with that screaming hot chimney after you dump the coals? Thanks for the advice!

Jim

 

[Jim Lampe]

Jim, place next to your Performer a 12" x 12" x 1½" patio stone.

 

[Steve Cleveland]

I put some patio blocks down on top of my deck where my grill sets, that way I have a nice layer of protection for the wood. I was lighing my coals on my side burner until I saw where a small piece fell thru and burnt a spot between two deck boards, I stopped doing that.

 

[Bob H.]

Place more stone or bricks than you think you will need. I know a guy who lost his home to embers from an Egg about 10 years ago.

 

[Cliff Bartlett]

I have a wooden deck and had the same concern. Home Depot carries Grill Mats that are approximately 3 x 3 and are rugged but look nice. I picked up one of those for the occasions I cook on the deck. Also, I don't light my chimney on the ground. I place it in the grill/smoker on the charcoal grate. I also keep the 12 x 12 stepping stone nearby as Jim mentioned to place the hot chimney on after dumping coals in grill.

 

[Rich Dahl]

I have 5'x3' outdoor mats under my grills on the patio, my new patio is concrete but I used the mats on my previous wood patio to protect the wood from stains. I got those at Home Depot. I did what Jim did except I put 1/8" felt pads on the bottom of a 12 x 12 paver to keep the rough cement from scratching the wood finish on my deck and to prevent moisture from building up underneath it.

 

[Tommy B]

I typically light my chimney on an extra smokey joe. When I dump the coals I set it back on the smokey joe to cool. I have a flag stone patio and don't put the hot chimney on it.... I guess it does not hurt.

 

[JimK]

Thanks for the input! I always light the chimney using the burner on the Performer. My biggest issue is simply what to do with it after dumping the coals. So the paver idea solves the problem, but I was worried about trapping moisture under there. Looks like Rich solved that problem. I was devising a scheme to drive 4 srews into the deck surface leaving them not quite fully sunk - all at precisely the same height, then resting the paver on them. Rich's idea is easier and faster and will likely lead to less cursing. And I will most certainly be investing in a fire extinguisher. Should have done that long ago anyway. I'll be looking into grill mats, but the good ones I've seen present the same issue of trapping moisture.