XL BGE Table - Heat Resistant Material Under Grill

jbarnes215

I don't have my BGE yet. I want to build the table first and then have dealer deliver and setup. Going to build a table for it this weekend based on the BGE website XL table plans with a few minor tweaks. Making the top and shelf from 2x6 cedar and I'm going to make it a solid top by gluing/joining it. I have a table nest already for the XL. It measures 27" square. I'm looking for something to put under the egg. I know that putting it on the  nest will give it the requisite air gap. However, I want to make sure the wood doesn't get overheated or charcoal falling out of the bottom vent making burn marks on the table. I've looked at Home Depot and Lowe's. Can't find something that's 27"+ in the paver stone area. Looked in floor tiles but I think they'd be too thin even if I set a tile on something solid. Weight of the egg would probably crush/crack it. I called a local granite place. They would sell me a 27"-32"  square remnant for $190 unpolished but that's a bit much for me. I found a 7"x7" paver stone that's 1 3/4" thick at Home Depot. Could use four of those for a 28" square under it. Looking for options that others have used. Any other suggestions??

Thanks!
Jamie.

DaveRichardson

Don't just call the granite place...... go there.  They've got pieces that have been cut off of larger slabs that are waste and scrap.  You can buy cheap off the guys in the yard.

Or get a metal shop to cut out a piece of the appropriate guage stainless steel and place that under the nest.  Maybe even get the front rolled over to match the table front.

Billy Grill Eggster

I use to get remnants (sink cut-outs) for nothing or very little at a marble/granite counter store.   

1move

You are fine with the nest, nothing else is really needed 

DoubleEgger

Go buy 4 12x12 granite tiles from Home Depot for five bucks a piece.

jbarnes215

@DoubleEgger - you don't think the weigt of the XL, plus plate setter, plus lump and meat would crack the tile? 

Dave in Florida

I got the 4 paver stones from Home Depot and the nest under my XL.  Works great with minimal heat under my egg.

jbarnes215

Dave - did you have to cut two to make it fit in your shelf? Trying to avoid that if I can. I don't have the tools to do that but could rent a saw I suppose. BTW - nice looking table.

DoubleEgger

jbarnes215 said:

@DoubleEgger - you don't think the weigt of the XL, plus plate setter, plus lump and meat would crack the tile? 

I doubt it. If it does, you're out $20

DaveRichardson

It does look like the pavers on the right side are cut.  A simple tile saw will do the job.  Ask around, someone has to have one in their garage or basement from them doing some tilework DIY.  I've even stopped at a construction site and asked the guys to cut them for me; $10 will go far; or a 6-pack of beer....

Abter

Go to a granite fabricator (not a slab vendor, but the folks who custom cut the slabs to fit the kitchen).  A 3 cm (~1 in) thick granite chunk that was a sink cutout might work.  Ask to look in their garbage bin.  Cutting a 3 cm granite piece requires a wet saw (not a stone saw blade in a dry circular saw).  A fabricator can rough cut a scrap pretty cheaply. I got a 24" x 24" piece cut when I had my kitchen redone.  

Granite is pretty heat resistant and not very conductive, but its not perfect nor (in my opinion) enough by itself..  I wanted to give my egg an air gap under it by lifting it up a bit. I went to my egg dealer and they gave me 3 of the green egg feet that used to come with a new egg.  BGE doesn't sell them anymore. but many dealers still have a lot left around in the back.  An alternative to official egg feet are "kiln posts" used in kilns to fire pottery.  "Kiln furniture" is VERY heat resistant...some firing needs temps near 3000 F.  Kiln furniture are things that go in the kiln to hold up and separate the clay pottery that is getting fired. They come in all sorts of shapes and sizes.  You can get straightforward for as a buck or two per post  Here are a couple of pics of posts.  first is a set of  1" x 1" x 1" posts, second is a package collection.

Another source for feet are glazed ceramic pot toes sold at gardening stores. Ordinary terra cotta clay is fired between 1200 and 2000 degrees, so they can stand the heat under your egg.  Don't get anything flimsy, but some are pretty solid but simple things. These are about 1.5" tall.