New 18.5 WSM owner looking for advice about protecting my patio


 
B

Barry Holland

New member
My WSM has been ordered and will be here soon! I've wanted one for a long time so I'm really excited. Currently own a 22" MT and a Smokey Joe. This is going to be a major addition to my Weber family. Its new home will be on my paver block patio. My 22" sits beside the patio on gravel but it's a less than ideal location. I'd like to have both on the patio side by side. I'm wondering what forum members are using to protect their patio from inevitable spills, drips and stains? I've seen grill mats online and wonder how well they work and how durable they are. Some reviews say the mats themselves create stains. Are there other effective options besides mats? This forum is a wealth of information and I hope you all will have some good info for me.
 
The water heater drip pan seems like a very good idea.

My idea was a square of additional paver blocks simply resting between the grill and the existing patio.
 
Right off the bat 2 good suggestions. Thanks. BTW, I think I put this in the wrong place. New owner section would probably have been better. Oh well, I'm new to this. I'll learn.
 
I can honestly say half my cooks over the last 2 years with my WSM or 22 performer happen on my concrete patio, and there has not been a single spill that has made any stain.

And if there was, and it really bothered me, a little cleaner and my pressure washer would make quick work of it. I just don't think I would want to deal with a large metal drip pan living on the floor under my grills.
 
Have somewhere to place your lid and midsection.
You don't want to leave oily circles on your pavers.
 
Well, that is certainly a definitive answer!

Seen you posted about keeping the patio free of stains, I would also add that the paver block patio is a very repairable patio. As it gets older, you can chemical treat it and power wash it. You can seal it. You can replace blocks. You can flip blocks. You can swap blocks. You can shrink it. or grow it. You can relay it.

It you have some extra blocks, you might want to hold onto them for such purposes as well.
 
Buy 2 or 3 or 4 stainless steel oil drip pans. Size 24x36. Will cost you maybe $10 per.

They nest into each other and so can be stored in basically zero space when the grill is not in use.

Can also be used to turn a patio tabletop into a fire resistant grill table.

Easy to scrub or hose off.
 
Barry Holland said:
My WSM has been ordered and will be here soon! I've wanted one for a long time so I'm really excited. Currently own a 22" MT and a Smokey Joe. This is going to be a major addition to my Weber family. Its new home will be on my paver block patio. My 22" sits beside the patio on gravel but it's a less than ideal location. I'd like to have both on the patio side by side. I'm wondering what forum members are using to protect their patio from inevitable spills, drips and stains? I've seen grill mats online and wonder how well they work and how durable they are. Some reviews say the mats themselves create stains. Are there other effective options besides mats? This forum is a wealth of information and I hope you all will have some good info for me.
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Best wishes to you, and hope you enjoy it Barry.

A word on mats.. it's not so much that they produce stains, it's that the prevent weathering and sun bleaching from affecting the area underneath and leaving a section discolored compared to the rest. A stain might occur if you spill and let it get under the mat, but it shouldn't happen from a mat itself. As such, anything you put down might discolor or stain the stones it is on.
 
Thanks for all the suggestions. Good ideas and information which is what I expected from the people here. Now that I've entered my retirement years, I have plenty of time to learn how to use my new WSM. I am looking forward to having a lot of fun making some excellent smoked meats, hopefully without adding 50 pounds of extra weight to my body. Already have 5 racks of ribs, 2 pork butts and multiple chickens sitting in my freezer waiting for the new arrival. I got my 22" MT late last summer and I sure do like it but this feels like I'm moving up to the big leagues. My patio is already a good place to hang out to eat and drink with my friends and family but it's going to be even better.
 
I have not made more messes than most other folks but, all are good suggestions. As for the water heater pan, I use one for cleaning the grate more than for patio protection. I find the best thing for spill help is an extra pair of hands to “Catch” things coming off the grills.
And, welcome aboard the most helpful forum I’ve ever found!
 
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