Deck Protection Mats

KiterTodd

First off, I understand that the safest place for my egg would be on a stone patio, away from the house.
That said, it's on my deck...

I want something to put under the egg that will stop the occasional fly-away lump ember from scorching my deck.  Bonus, of course, would be that if I had a ceramic failure, it would also buy me a little time before the deck caught.

There are a dizzying array of products out there, so I was wondering what some of you use.  My current top choices are these two items on Amazon;

(1) Pyro-Protect Fireproof Grill Mat, 40x60

Seems to fit the bill and it large enough to catch anything that has flown out of my egg, to date.   Wish it was thicker and I'm not crazy about the color, but it's certainly better than the black rubber one I have now. 

(fireproof fabric, made from fiberglass with a fiberlock Silicone coating, protects from sparks, grease or ember (2,000 degrees F melting temperature)

(2) The Original Grill Pad, 30x42

This gets mixed reviews for durability, but it's made of some kind of concrete dust and seems ideal to leave in place under the egg.  I thought I could get one, if it works good buy a second.  Then I'd have a 60x42 pad.

(Used to protect outdoor living areas from the damaging and unsightly stains and spills associated with outdoor grills, smokers, fire pits, and fryers.  Hand crafted in the U.S.A. from an exclusive fiber cement material.)


Anyway, open to other suggestions. 

Thanks!


Pyro-Protect Mat...


Grill Pad...

Jstroke

Well, how about pavers or the like, maybe thin fire brick "patio" use some thin molding or trim to keep in place. 

cortguitarman

You could paint up a sheet of hardibacker board

bgebrent

I've had the second one for about a year.  Seems adequate for me and portable.  I've had no durability issues thus far.

Carolina Q

Never could see how those tiny mats could help much. I guess they'll catch grease drippings. As I recall the story, @Nature Boy (Chris at Dizzy Pig) lost his house from grilling on his driveway about 10-15' away from his open garage door. A flying ember landed inside the garage. It was before my time here, but that's how I heard the story anyway. Regardless, when those embers pop, they don't just drop neatly onto a postage stamp.

SmokyBear

I have the Grill Mat and place it in front of either the Mini or the KJ when egging..

If I remember right, @Nature Boy had an earlier version of the BGE before they added the screen to the draft door.

Keep the screen on your draft closed and it "should" significantly reduce the risk of flying embers.  The mesh is pretty fine and short of a ceramic failure I wouldn't think there could be a way for an ember to get out - unless it's a freak occurrence when you open up the BGE to take your food out. 

It probably also goes without saying, but don't use a weedburner or something equally crazy that shoots sparks all over the place if you're not on a surface that can withstand that kind of abuse..I use starter cubes and watch the Kamados like a hawk until I close the dome..I still watch the damn things like crazy while they are on also..

THEBuckeye

I'd buy a mat more for the grease than a rogue ember, especially with a nest (no table). It's easier to replace a few pieces of pressure treated or cedar than brick or stone. I'm on brick - wish I would have started with a mat. 

blasting

Don't forget the accompanying book



Sorry, in a weird mood today.   

RRP

I use a Grill Matt at the front of my Medium which is in a nest. After I am through I pick it up and store it back in the garage. What has not been mentioned yet is leaving those mats down will cause mildew to form and discolor a wooden deck. They will also cause discoloration as your deck fades around them.

THEBuckeye

I'm talking grease (on porous brick). For some reason, I've never had a rogue ember from my egg. Perhaps tonight's the night. The Big One is overdue after all. 

blind99

@blasting great book!  i wish i had a mat on my paver patio, as well.  lots of grease drips there now.  figure i'll keep cooking and someday flip the bricks over.

onedbguru

For a cheap solution, use a 3'x5' piece of Hardi-Backer board (Lowes/HD for ~10.00) This is the stuff used as the base for attaching tile to walls. I used it before moving to my new house with a patio and my son uses it under his XL on his deck. 

DoubleEgger

I have a BGE branded mat. Do they still sell those? 

KiterTodd

I'll have to look up hardibacker board.  Could be a cheaper alternative.  What color is it stock?

Anyway, I do have an old rubber mat now which has worked great.  Certainly protected from grease and some close ember drops.  But I just treated my deck and figured it's time for an upgrade.  I have a few small burns on my deck very near the egg, but beyond the current mat.  I use a chimney to light my egg and they are flyaways from when I dump in the lit lump.  Granted, only a few burns over a lot of egg use for the couple years I've had it...but marks none the less.  

Good tips so far, thanks. 

If anyone has other suggestions, they're still welcome!

KiterTodd

@onedbguru I FINALLY got a 3' x 5' sheet of that Hardi-Backer cement board.  Looks like good stuff.   Throwing it down tomorrow.  Do you have to treat it or anything?  I wasn't sure if it'll break down in the rain, but I guess for $10 I can take that risk!

fence0407

I have 2 of the original grill pads down on my deck - one under the egg and another directly to the left where my foldable table comes out. They work great and have held up for a while. Even got one for my dad for Christmas.

Focker

KiterTodd said:

@onedbguru I FINALLY got a 3' x 5' sheet of that Hardi-Backer cement board.  Looks like good stuff.   Throwing it down tomorrow.  Do you have to treat it or anything?  I wasn't sure if it'll break down in the rain, but I guess for $10 I can take that risk!

We had a submerged piece of Hardibacker on display at the lumber desk, still going strong.  

You do not need to treat, but could paint if you wanted a different color.

SkinnyV

Watch out , rogue embers also put holes in clothing as ive found out.Those little sparks during startup.

DaveRichardson

I'll second the embers that come out.....  Got a nice little hole in my deck where an ember landed on the pressure treated decking and burned down to the concrete slab below.  Luckily it started raining and killed the fire. 

Now to replace a 12 and 8 foot board.....

KiterTodd

Thanks for the tips.  Yeah...I am not 100% comfortable with my Egg on a wooden deck.  I know, it shouldn't be an issue, but as we've seen before on here, things can go wrong and we do cook unattended for several hours.   So I do everything I can to mitigate the risks. 

This cement board will offer protection from embers that drop nearby (I know they can fly elsewhere) and I'd hope that if the bottom ever dropped out of my egg, nothing would go beyond the cement board.  But at a minimum, I'd have more time to get to it then if it dropped on the current rubber mat I have there.  Can't get 100% safe...just mitigating risks.

hondabbq

KiterTodd said:

Thanks for the tips.  Yeah...I am not 100% comfortable with my Egg on a wooden deck.  I know, it shouldn't be an issue, but as we've seen before on here, things can go wrong and we do cook unattended for several hours.   So I do everything I can to mitigate the risks. 

This is your issue then.

I never leave my eggs, or any of my smokers unattended for any amount of time. If I am in the house they are always in view. I would never leave any sort of fire or electric device unattended for any amount of time.

I wont even go to the corner store that is 2 minutes away with the fires going. I can go without instead of losing my house.

thetrim

I have one of these for my large and another for my XL.  I don't really care for how they look but it should keep the paver patio clean.

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B005EF71KS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Mr. Bar-B-Q, Inc. 40124X Large BBQ Grill Mat, 30-Inch by 60-Inch                              

RRP

KiterTodd said:

@onedbguru I FINALLY got a 3' x 5' sheet of that Hardi-Backer cement board.  Looks like good stuff.   Throwing it down tomorrow.  Do you have to treat it or anything?  I wasn't sure if it'll break down in the rain, but I guess for $10 I can take that risk!

I read what Focker said about Hardi-backer but a couple years ago I had some large dry rot panels replaced professionally with Hardi-Backer. Then underneath my front door the wood was also shot but they merely used cedar. When I asked why not use the seemingly permanent HB the reply was it is not recommended within 6 inches of soil. Even at that any raw cut edges had to be sealed and chalked, otherwise it wicks moisture and detoriates. But at $10 go for it. 

BTW I use one of those grill mats for under my medium. Just beware your wooden deck will discolor any time you leave any of that stuff down.