Skip to content
Grow In Backyard
Grilling & BBQ

Where Should a Gas Grill Be Placed on a Patio?

Three feet clear of any wall, well away from the house and nothing overhead. Then think about wind, the door you carry food through, and the soffit.

By Zakaria 3 min read Save to Pinterest — opens Pinterest in a new tab
A closed stainless steel barbecue standing on paving against a plain rendered wall
Photo: Hans, Pixabay Content License, via Pixabay
On this page

Three feet clear of any wall, nothing combustible overhead, level ground. Ten feet from the house is the figure many insurers prefer. Then think about wind, the door you carry food through, and what is above it.

The clearances

This table answers the question on its own
FromClearance
Wall, fence, railing (sides)3 ft minimum
Rear, on a back-venting grillMore than 3 ft — check the manual
The house10 ft preferred
Anything overheadNon-combustible, high, ventilated — or none
Vinyl sidingFurther. It warps from radiant heat alone
Overhanging branches, shrubsClear entirely

Grease above the grill is the real covered-patio hazard

A grill used regularly deposits an aerosol of fat on whatever is above it. Over a season that film becomes genuinely flammable — sitting directly over an open flame. This, rather than a single flare-up, is behind most covered-patio fires. Height and cleanability above a grill matter as much as the clearance number.

Covered patios

  • Acceptable: a high, open-sided roof of non-combustible material with good air movement.
  • Not acceptable: a low ceiling, a timber soffit, a fabric awning, a vinyl panel.
  • Enclosed on more than two sides: treat it as indoors, which means no.

Then the things that are about living with it

  1. Wind. Upwind of the seats sends smoke over everyone all evening. In a walled courtyard the prevailing wind often eddies rather than flowing through — stand out there on a breezy day before committing.
  2. The door. Close enough that carrying food and tongs is easy; not directly beside it, where smoke goes straight in.
  3. The walking route. A grill in a thoroughfare gets knocked, and people walk past hot metal carrying drinks.
  4. Light. Cooking in the dark is the main cause of undercooked food. A wall light helps more than a built-in grill lamp.

The surface underneath

Hard, level and non-combustible — stone, concrete or porcelain. Avoid decking where you can; where you cannot, use a rated grill mat and check under it for scorching and grease. Level matters more than people expect: a grill on a slope drains fat unevenly, and a cart on castors rolls.

If you are building it in

Every decision above becomes permanent. Get the wind test done first, make the surface above the grill non-combustible and wipeable, and leave the manufacturer’s clearance around a built-in unit — the figures do not relax because it is in masonry.

Common questions

Where should a gas grill be placed on a patio?

At least three feet clear of any wall, fence or railing, with nothing combustible overhead, on level ground, and away from the main route people walk. Most manufacturers specify a minimum clearance in the manual and three feet is the common figure for the sides and back, with more at the rear on grills that vent backwards. Beyond the clearance, place it downwind of the seating area, close enough to a door that carrying food is easy but not directly beside it.

How far should a grill be from the house?

Three feet is the usual minimum from siding, and ten feet is the figure often quoted for safety and is what many insurers and local rules prefer. The distance matters most for vinyl siding, which softens and warps at temperatures well below ignition and can distort from radiant heat alone at surprising distances. Check your grill's manual, because clearances differ by model and a grill that vents heat to the rear needs more space behind it than one that does not.

Can you use a gas grill under a covered patio?

Sometimes, and it depends on the height and the material above. A high open-sided roof of non-combustible material with good air movement is usually acceptable, while a low ceiling, a timber soffit, a fabric awning or a vinyl panel is not. The risk is twofold — heat and grease accumulating on the surface above, and combustion products collecting under a ceiling with nowhere to go. If the structure is enclosed on more than two sides, treat it as indoors.

Why does grease on the ceiling matter?

Because it builds up invisibly and then ignites. A grill used regularly under a covered area deposits an aerosol of fat on whatever is above it, and that film accumulates over a season into something genuinely flammable sitting directly over an open flame. This is the mechanism behind many covered-patio fires rather than a single flare-up, and it is why height and cleanability above a grill matter as much as the clearance figure.

Does it matter which way the wind blows?

A great deal, for comfort rather than safety. A grill placed upwind of the seating area sends smoke over everyone all evening, and in a walled courtyard the prevailing wind often eddies rather than flowing straight through, so the obvious spot is not always the right one. Stand in the garden on a breezy day before you commit to a permanent position, particularly if you are building the grill into an outdoor kitchen.

What about the surface underneath?

Hard, level and non-combustible — stone, concrete or porcelain paving all work. Avoid timber decking where you can, and if there is no alternative use a grill mat rated for the purpose and check beneath it for scorching and grease. A level surface matters more than people expect, because a grill on a slope has uneven fat drainage and a cart-style unit on castors can roll.

Backyard Weekly

Know what to plant, week by week

Join the weekly email for seasonal jobs, fixes for what is going wrong, and gear worth buying.

Not ready to subscribe? The planting calendar is free and needs no email.

By subscribing you agree to our privacy policy. Grow In Backyard will never sell your address.

Keep reading