Welcome to the EGGhead Forum - a great place to visit and packed with tips and EGGspert advice! You can also join the conversation and get more information and amazing kamado recipes by following Big Green Egg to Experience our World of Flavor™ at:
Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Pinterest  |  Youtube  |  Vimeo
Share your photos by tagging us and using the hashtag #BigGreenEgg.

Want to see how the EGG is made? Click to Watch

Large Big Green Egg in Challenger Cart, Safe on Wood Deck or Not

dmourati
dmourati Posts: 1,295
edited June 2024 in EggHead Forum
Hi Friends,

Big changes for the dmourati family! 

We're in the process of buying a new home and trying to figure out how to set up the back yard. The kitchen connects to a wooden deck, then down a flight of stairs to the back yard. 

See photos here.


The kitchen is on the other side of the yellow exterior wall opposite the table and chairs on the deck.



Deck appears to be regular wood. The Egg is currently in a Challenger cart.

Question to this group:

Am I safe to put the Egg on this deck?

Yay or nay?

WWYD?

Fireproof mat?

Put it at the bottom of the stairs?

Build a concrete pad at the bottom of stairs to the left?

Thanks in advance.

Plymouth, MN
· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Comments

  • ColtsFan
    ColtsFan Posts: 6,607
    I have all 3 kamado’s and my PK sitting on a wood deck. Never had an issue but I am cognizant when lightning if it starts sparking and popping. FWIW 
    ~ John - https://www.instagram.com/hoosier_egger
    XL BGE, LG BGE, Med BGE, BGE Chiminea, KJ Jr, PK Original, Ardore Pizza Oven
    Bloomington, IN - Hoo Hoo Hoo Hoosiers!

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Ozzie_Isaac
    Ozzie_Isaac Posts: 20,857
    I know of two decks that burned down due to eggs being on them.

    Is it a risk I would personally take?  Probably especially with it being in a metal cart.  Would put a fire mat underneath and make sure it is closed down before I went to bed.

    May consider changing decking to composite.

    If there are not a ton of steps, I would put a pad on the ground and grill there.

    Don't tell your problems to people.  80% of people don't care and 20% are glad you have them.


    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • alaskanassasin
    alaskanassasin Posts: 8,345
    Nice spot!
    South of Columbus, Ohio.


    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Botch
    Botch Posts: 16,382
    Agreed, what a nice retreat!  
    It's just risk management; at the bottom would be statistically safer, a lot less convenient/enjoyable.  Dogs/kids/grandkids?  
    ___________

    "When small men begin to cast big shadows, it means that the sun is about to set."

    - Lin Yutang


    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • JohnInCarolina
    JohnInCarolina Posts: 32,975
    I think it can be managed on the wooden deck as others have indicated.  I would just caution against long overnight cooks unless you want to take that risk of a whole house fire.
    "I've made a note never to piss you two off." - Stike
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • dmourati
    dmourati Posts: 1,295
    Botch said:
    Agreed, what a nice retreat!  
    It's just risk management; at the bottom would be statistically safer, a lot less convenient/enjoyable.  Dogs/kids/grandkids?  
    One kid, 8yo boy. No dogs. No grandkids. One mom/grandma living with us in the near future.
    Plymouth, MN
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • GrateEggspectations
    GrateEggspectations Posts: 10,230
    I have two of my three on a wooden deck. That being said, I don’t leave them unattended. 
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • DoubleEgger
    DoubleEgger Posts: 18,262
    edited June 2024
    I’d put it on the deck and not worry about it. Swap your deck boards over to ipe if you are overly concerned. 

    I’d be more concerned about that propane tank bomb on the deck right now. 
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • dmourati
    dmourati Posts: 1,295
    DoubleEgger said:
    I’d put it on the deck and not worry about it. Swap your deck boards over to ipe if you are overly concerned. 

    I’d be more concerned about that propane tank bomb on the deck right now. 
    The propane grill and all the furniture/decor belong to the seller. We're under contract but not yet in the house and don't have the keys.
    Plymouth, MN
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Ozzie_Isaac
    Ozzie_Isaac Posts: 20,857
    Get two eggs.  Challenger cart egg for daytime cooks when you can be sure it is all shutdown.  Second egg on lower lever for overnight cooks?  Multiple eggs is always the solution.

    It is all about risk management/tolerance.  One egghead had garage fire too.  Due to embers blowing back into garage while cooking on driveway.

    Don't tell your problems to people.  80% of people don't care and 20% are glad you have them.


    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Tspud1
    Tspud1 Posts: 1,514
    edited June 2024
    If in cart, I dont see where the problem is. 
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • DoubleEgger
    DoubleEgger Posts: 18,262
    Ozzie_Isaac said:

    It is all about risk management/tolerance.  One egghead had garage fire too.  Due to embers blowing back into garage while cooking on driveway.
    Agreed. I know people that have been killed in auto accidents and yet I still drive nearly every day. 
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Teefus
    Teefus Posts: 1,238
    edited June 2024
    I had my Egg on a wood deck for years (standard nest). All my Egg cooks are low and slow with the vents just barely cracked. That said, no overnight cooks and no daytime cooks that were unattended. If I needed to step away for any period of time (run a quick errand or cut the grass) I'd just hose the deck down under the egg. Sparks don't have a chance against soaking wet lumber.

    There will be those who say "but what about a catastrophic failure where the egg breaks into a million pieces and scatters flaming debris all over the deck?"

    I like my odds.
    Michiana, South of the border.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • alaskanassasin
    alaskanassasin Posts: 8,345
    I was going to say that @Teefus whenever I weld on something that is guaranteed to catch on fire I just hose everything down with water before and after. Insurance 
    South of Columbus, Ohio.


    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • billt01
    billt01 Posts: 1,760
    Ozzie_Isaac said:
    I know of two decks that burned down due to eggs being on them.

    Is it a risk I would personally take?  Probably especially with it being in a metal cart.  Would put a fire mat underneath and make sure it is closed down before I went to bed.

    May consider changing decking to composite.

    If there are not a ton of steps, I would put a pad on the ground and grill there.
    I do see options for a fire-resistant coating you could roll/spray on the base of the deck to cover all bases?
    Have:
     XLBGE / Stumps Baby XL / Couple of Stokers (Gen 1 and Gen 3) / Blackstone 36 / Maxey 3x5 water pan hog cooker
    Had:
    LBGE / Lang 60D / Cookshack SM150 / Stumps Stretch / Stumps Baby

    Fat Willies BBQ
    Ola, Ga

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Corv
    Corv Posts: 464
    edited June 2024
    I would have said it's safe, but some of the other comments made me a bit more cautious. So now I think it'll be safe... but keep a fire extinguisher nearby just in case.
    I had my Medium in a wooden cart for a decade or more with no fire.
    Somewhere on the Colorado Front Range
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • WeberWho
    WeberWho Posts: 11,318
    Safe? Absolutely not. You're lighting a fire on top of a wood deck. BGE does a good job keeping things relatively contained so things don't get out of control. The table should help. Accidents do happen though as others have mentioned. 

    My next door neighbor when growing up house burnt down to the ground from their charcoal grill on their deck. They pretty much lost everything. A real eye opening experience. I would absolutely love my grill on my deck a few feet away from the kitchen. It's a burden to go down a flight of stairs and out through the garage to my driveway for my BGE. Then again that's all I have to do to take extra precaution. 
    "The pig is an amazing animal. You feed a pig an apple and it makes bacon. Let's see Michael Phelps do that" - Jim Gaffigan

    Minnesota
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 33,600
    had a fire on the deck one night and thankfully it went out on its own.  im either sleeping during an overnighter or out in the lake 10 or so miles away during a low and slow so knowing these habits of mine, the eggs are now off the deck.  had a 7000 dollar range catch fire in the house once reheating pulled pork in the oven, used the big red fire extinguisher thats mounted on the wall in the kitchen. its recharged for the next time theres a fire
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • alaskanassasin
    alaskanassasin Posts: 8,345
    I feel like someone posted a fire about a year ago? Melted the siding on their house. 
    South of Columbus, Ohio.


    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Gulfcoastguy
    Gulfcoastguy Posts: 6,845
    Sparks can also fly up through the soffit vents.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • OhioEgger
    OhioEgger Posts: 947
    At my last house I had a Large BGE in a Challenger cart on a wood deck for about three years. No problem as long as you're careful.
    Cincinnati, Ohio. Large BGE since 2011. Still learning.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Categories