?s for those with egg tables

WileECoyote

I am almost done making a table for my large egg. I have read many of the posts, looked at several sets of plans, and looked at all TNW's photos at least twice. I am using a slightly different design and materials than most people so I have a few questions which I am hoping someone can help with:
[ol]
[li]I am enclosing the shelf which the egg sits on. When the egg is in use I can open the front door or open a side vent to let it breathe. I am wondering if the egg generates enough exterior heat to fill up the inside of the enclosed table and possibly char the wood or supplies inside? I doubt that it will be a problem since the egg usually isn't hot enough to burn your hand but almost all the other tables use an open design on the egg side so I am wondering...[/li]
[li]How does the wood hold up in the sun, rain, snow, etc? The majority of the tables are made of stained wood and open to the elements year-round. Seems like this would create a maintenance nightmare with supplies blowing around during storms, wood stain faiding, wood needing resealed, dirt getting on the table and cutting areas, etc. A cover might help but I am not sure the standard covers would fit over some of those tables.[/li]
[li]I am using 4 wheels on my table because it will be a bit heavier than most and I am counting on the weight to hold it in place while in use. Has anyone done this?[/li]
[li]The bottom of the large egg is 16" from the ground when mounted in the nest, with the rim of the egg at 34" when open. In my table the bottom of the egg will be 22" off the ground, placing the rim of the egg when open at roughly 40". Has anyone used a higher egg height, and if so then does it interfere with fueling, cooking, or cleaning? Seems to me that it will improve access to the grill with no detriment.[/li]
[/ol]
Any feedback is appreciated. I should have my table done within a week and will post pics.

Minneggsotan

WileE,

Feedback for you on #1.

I have a friend who also happens to be my BGE dealer that builds outdoor kitchens for a living and has done several "enclosed" eggs. I'm looking at building an enclosed table for two this spring and asked him the same question. His experience has been that the heat isn't an issue as long as you have some air clearance with the surrounding wood and have your egg sitting on some kind of stone like most plans show. He's also done them enclosed to the point where only the draft door is exposed for access and this hasn't cause any performance issues. Go for it!

Michael B

You shouldn't have any problems with your design.
Wood maintenance is the same as for an exposed deck.

Frank from Houma

I put three coats of marine varnish on my table and it looks like the day I finished it. It's not very old but it is exposed to the weather all the time and I have no cover.

[Deleted User]

1- The Egg does get hot. Make sure you have clearance around it and it still needs to sit on a stone or paver. AND.. make sure you have a way to get your Egg out of your table once you finish it.

2 - Mine is made of mahogany decking with a sealer. I keep it covered and it still needs to be maintained annually. Sounds like spar urethane marine varnish works well. I would advise against regular polyurethane because I've had bad experience with the results on other wooden things finished with poly that were left exposed to the weather. Keeping it covered is the best way to protect your investment (ie the time and materials used to build your table)

3 - 4 wheels is good! I have (2) 8" wheels on the Egg end and (2) heavy duty (lockable) casters at the other end. My neighbor has an XL with the same. I seldom if ever use the locking feature, but I'm glad I have it as my driveway is sloping.

4 - I don't know. Countertops and cooking ranges are typically 36" high. If you're tall, I would think it makes more sense to go higher with it. The only drawback I am sure of is that it puts your face 6" closer to the fire and in a flashback (which are never planned) that could be more of a problem.

Spaceman Spiff

Yep - Four large wheels are good. I would use 5" wheels at a minimum.

Good quality urethane or epoxy paint.

I would be sure to leave an air space between the bottom of the egg and whatever it sits on. Don't put anything made of plastic near the egg under the table. It will get pretty warm in there.

Spacey

WileECoyote

Good comments from all. Here is a summary of the materials I am using:

Legs: pine 2"x6"
Shelf rails: pine 2"x4"
Shelves: oak 19/32" plywood
Counter top: 1/4" cement backerboard over plywood base, then 16"x16" ceramic tile with acrylic grout
Counter top side trim: 2"x6" cedar with brushed stainless steel fixtures
Sides, back, and front doors: 1/4" furniture-grade luan plywood, covered with vinyl siding
Front doors: 3 of them mounted on stainless sliding tracks and brushed stainless handles
Wheels: 4" hard rubber casters taken from a 1000 lb. moving dolly

It will be virtually weather proof and should require almost no maintenance. It will also have considerable storage room for eggcessories including lump and wood chips. I will post a new thred with pics once it is done. Trying to get as much feedback now as possible before I finish the construction.

Fidel

All I can give an informed answer on is the height.

If you are very tall then it won't be too much of a detriment. I am 6'1" and I built my table with the bottom shelf that the egg rests onat 19". With a 1" thick concrete paver that put the egg 4" higher than it was in the nest. My egg was in a nest prior to building the table. It took me quite a while to get used to the egg sitting a little higher. It isn't an obstruction, but I still wish I hadn't built it so high.

WileECoyote

I am about the same height as you Fidel, so if you find that the extra 4" of egg height is a problem then the extra 6" might be uncomfortable for me. If so then I can always lower my wheel mounts, lower my middle shelf, or cut out a section of the middle shelf to lower the stone base so the egg drops down a bit. It is hard for me to tell without the egg mounted but it seems like it will be just as accessible and I like having the counter top a bit higher for prep and finish work. It is big enough that we could use it as a small outdoor table with some patio bar chairs.

Another question for the group: there will be a slight gap between the hole in the counter top and the egg. I was thinking of making a flexible rubber or nomex gasket to fill this gap, similar to what you see on the hood, doors, or trunk of most vehicles. The intent would be to keep rain, snow, dirt, leaves, bugs, or other debris from getting inside the table. I could remove the seal while the egg is in use if necessary but I know that most automotive-grade materials should be able to withstand the exterior egg temps. Sort of like a scarf for the egg. Any comments?

RRP

This may be an off the wall idea - and it certainly dates me as many readers will be clueless as to what I'm talking about...but here goes. Back in my days when whitewall tires were fashionable on cars there was a white rubber like ring which you mounted under the rim on a cheaper blackwall tire. Iffin you could find one of those "falsies" as they were called that would make a terrific seal and easy to put on and take off your egg. In use that perfect white ring would look cool!

[Deleted User]

I'm making comments based on a material list so it's hard to be accurate. If these comments are not appropriate, just ignore them.
Not to be an old fart or anything, but the 1/4" furniture grade luan plywood doesn't sound good for exterior use. I would go with exterior grade products and 1/4" sounds light for an exterior cabinet door.

Your table is still subject to moisture, so plan for it. I have a nice BGE cover for my table and water still finds it's way in through the vent holes.

Your table sounds cool, but it also sounds heavy. I'd recommend 8" (pneumatic if you can get 'em) wheels for the heavy end with casters on the other. Though the 4" casters you describe will work, you'll find moving the table easier with a pair of big wheels. I move mine fairly often, even if it's just a few feet one way or the other.

Looking forward to seeing the pics!

[Deleted User]

If you lower the shelf the Egg sits on, remember to check the clearance for the hinges.
Some folks have had to make corrections after the fact in order to allow the dome to open correctly.

WileECoyote

RRP - interesting idea on the falsie. I will check around the local auto parts stores to see what they have that might work.

FB - I was hesitant to use the luan at first but it is totally covered by the vinyl siding on the exterior and it is supported by the 2x4 rails and shelves on the inside so it is pretty solid. I don't plan to put any stress on the sides or doors so I don't think the extra heavy wood is necessary. If I am wrong and it proves to be a problem then I can always replace it with a thicker wood or just add another layer on the inside. The advantage to using the luan was that it keeps the overall weight down and it looks great on the inside with a very decorative and perfectly smooth wood grain finish.

tjv

The handles on my xl and large are 42ish inches off the ground, but then I'm 6'1" and do most of the cooking.

I not so sure about enclosing the shelf, not because of heat but because enclosed will trap water, ash and such. Open sides allow air ciculation, so after a rain shower or quick hose down, the wood will dry faster. Plus an occassional pass with the gas lawn blower cleans ash and dust. Just a thought. T

Frank from Houma

I would be leary of using plywood anywhere in the table since it will live outdoors - just me.

The hinge issue FB brought up is something to pay attention to. Some cut a hole for the hinge to operate in on the top of the table and some make sure it clears the top of the table completely - just a matter of personal preferance. The hinge on my XL operates over the back of the table.

WileECoyote

Good points TJV. The front of my table will have wide sliding door panels so I can leave the egg side open while cooking to allow plenty of fresh air in there and I will have good access for ash removal. The exterior fixture will be virtually water proof including the tile and cement backerboard on top so moisture should not get inside, but I did leave a few small gaps at the corners of each shelf for air to circulate from the ground up into the table if needed. I also plan to install a side vent nearest the egg which can be opened at any time to allow venting, and if more venting is needed then I can add a vent through the bottom shelf which would allow air but still keep moisture out.

Frank - on the hinge: I have a large egg and I think it will stick up high enough above the table to prevent the hinge from bumping, but if not then I will either raise the egg, lower the shelfs, and/or make a cutout as needed. I hope to avoid the cutout since I want the table to be as weatherproof as possible. On the plywood: this is not exposed externally at all and should be fine since the fixture is weatherproof. If it turns out to be an issue then I can line it with vinyl, aluminum, or stainless steel or even replace it with cedar but I don't think it will be necessary. I specifically designed the shelfs so they could be removed and replaced easily if needed.

[Deleted User]

FWIW - when your table is done I know it's going to look great and work great.

But it's still going to be outdoors and the "interior" wood will not be out of the weather. When they put sheathing on a house that is to receive exterior siding, they don't use an interior grade building product. Whether it's plywood, densglas, gypsum or waferboard it's rated for exterior use.

You may be fine. I'm just sayin' so's you know.

WileECoyote

Thanks FB. I know what you mean and I agree with you. I have built many outdoor structures and nothing ruins them faster than using the wrong materials.

The top shelf is covered with waterproof cement backerboard, mortar, tile, and acrylic grout. The middle and bottom shelves can be removed and replaced in 10 minutes if needed. I will post pics soon when it is done, then report back in a few months after it has been out there in our rainy tornado season and hot summer days.

And here is a good tip for anyone with a tile top on their egg table: most people avoid installing tile around the egg because it is difficult to cut large round holes in tile. I had considered all sorts of options including a rental saw, diamond blades for my scroll saw and jigsaw, and buying some tile nippers for the slow and tedious approach. In the end I decided to just call a local tile store and see if their installer could help me out. He readily agreed and I met him at 6:30 am this morning behind their store. Took him and his son 45 minutes to setup their commercial tile saw on the loading dock, fill it with water, cut the 21" circle out of four of my 16x16 tiles, and clean up all the edges with nipper tools. He did the entire job with his hands submerged in the cold water the whole time and it was 36 degrees outside, just so he could elevate the tile and get the perfect angle on the edges. They had offered to do it free but I paid him $10 per tile since he did such an awesome job. I am heading up to the workshop to cement the tile in place tonight. It looks awesome on the table, can't wait to see it with the egg inside!

WileECoyote

Quick update on the table: I finally made time to screw the hardibacker board to the table top then apply thinset mortar and cement the tiles in place. I figured this would only take 30-60 minutes since I only had 8 tiles to stick but here it is 3 hours later and I just finished. The cement should be dry by tomorrow night and then I can attach the cedar rails to the sides of the table top which will frame the tile nicely.

My only question now is whether or not I should run the grout right up against the cedar rails on all sides, or should I leave a small 1/16" gap between the grout and cedar then fill it with silicone or something similar once the grout dries? I want to be able to remove and replace the cedar rails if necessary in the future, and I don't want water seeping down behind the cedar. I am thinking grout all the way around but I never did tile work before and the instructions that came with the materials amount to nothing more than stick figure drawings with no text at all other than Spanish. :unsure:

WileECoyote

Another table update:

I finished the tile work on the top and it was easier than I had first thought. I actually liked working with the thinset and grout, wouldn't mind doing more of that some time, although the epoxy grout was a little harder to work with than normal grout. So now I am just applying the final coats of stain and poly to the interior wood and then it should be all set for prime time.

Only question I have left: has anyone added a gasket around the outside of the egg to seal the space between the egg and the table? I am thinking of using some automotive grade EPDM rubber which is rated to approx. 300 degrees F and I doubt the exterior of the egg ever gets that hot. I want to seal the gap if possible to keep rain and dirt out of the table. Has anyone done this?