A freestanding Blackstone griddle is perfectly usable on its original cart, but once you start cooking on one regularly, you wish you had more counter space and somewhere to keep the spatulas and seasonings.
Or if you have a tabletop model like my Blackstone 22-Inch Tabletop Griddle, you have to buy or build some sort of stand for it.
That’s where a dedicated Blackstone grill station starts to make a lot of sense.
Here are eight ideas I picked to show you just how different a Blackstone station can be!
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1. Blackstone Grill Station With a Lake View
Recommended for this setup: Blackstone 22-Inch Tabletop Griddle
If your deck overlooks a lake, mountains, or even a nice stretch of backyard, think about the direction you’ll be facing when you cook.
This station puts the Blackstone right along the railing, so you’re looking out over the water instead of staring at the side of the house. The Blackstone and Kamado are simply worked into a substantial wooden cabinet with useful storage underneath.
Details worth thinking:
- Position the griddle so the cook gets a nice view.
- Keep the dining table within talking distance.
- Add enclosed storage for spatulas, seasonings, and griddle supplies.
- Use warm string lighting if you cook after sunset.
- Put a second cooker, like a Kamado grill, alongside the Blackstone if you have enough room.
2. Poolside Blackstone Grill Station Under a Covered Patio
Recommended for this setup: Blackstone 1517 Original 28″ Omnivore Griddle
This is the kind of location where a Blackstone really earns its keep!
With the griddle facing the pool and garden, you can cook burgers, tacos, breakfast, or fried rice without disappearing into a separate corner of the yard.
It’s a seriously good layout if your backyard is already where everyone tends to gather!
Good ideas for a poolside setup:
- Leave enough room around the Blackstone for people to walk past safely.
- Add counter space on both sides of the griddle.
- Use the cabinets for supplies you don’t want carrying back and forth from the kitchen.
- Consider a pergola or roof for shade.
- Face the station toward the entertaining area rather than away from it.
If you entertain often, this kind of Blackstone patio grill station is probably one of the most practical designs in the whole collection.
3. Compact Blackstone Griddle Station With a Mountain View
Recommended for this setup: Blackstone 22-Inch Tabletop Griddle
Not every Blackstone needs to be built into a six-foot run of cabinetry.
A smaller tabletop model on a good cart with wheels can be a much better fit for a balcony, deck, or compact patio. This one still manages to provide side storage, a shelf underneath, a paper towel holder, and space for the propane tank without taking over the outdoor area.
And with a mountain view like this, that’s exactly what I would want!
The useful part of this design:
- Works with smaller tabletop Blackstone models.
- Easy to move if the cart is fitted with casters.
- Gives you storage without a permanent outdoor kitchen.
- Leaves the view open.
- Can be built or modified without a huge budget.
This is also a good example of how an outdoor griddle station can be simple and still feel finished.
4. Easy DIY Blackstone Grill Station on a Deck
Recommended for this setup: Blackstone 22-Inch Tabletop Griddle
If I were looking for a straightforward weekend DIY project, this is probably where I’d start.
The construction is simple: a timber frame, two work surfaces beside the Blackstone, storage underneath, and casters at the bottom. There isn’t any complicated stonework or fancy cabinetry to deal with.
What you’d need for this idea:
- Weather-resistant lumber.
- A sturdy frame sized around your particular Blackstone.
- Prep surfaces on both sides.
- A lower shelf for propane and accessories.
- Locking casters if you want it movable.
5. Covered Blackstone Outdoor Kitchen With a Smoker and Sink
Recommended for this setup: Blackstone 22-Inch Tabletop Griddle
This setup goes quite a bit further than a simple grill cart.
The Blackstone is part of a long covered cooking area with a sink, countertop, cabinets, and a separate smoker at the other end.
There’s also seating close by, so it works more like an outdoor room than somewhere you just park a grill.
Features that make sense in a larger build:
- Running water and a small sink.
- A wide uninterrupted prep counter.
- Enclosed storage.
- A separate smoker or grill.
- Good task lighting over the cooking surface.
- Proper ventilation under the covered structure.
This is a good model to look at if you’re planning a covered Blackstone grill station that you want to use as a genuine outdoor kitchen.
6. Blackstone and Kamado Grill Station for Two-Way Cooking
Recommended for this setup: Blackstone 22-Inch Tabletop Griddle
I really like the Blackstone-and-kamado combination because the two cookers do completely different jobs.
The Blackstone handles smash burgers, breakfast, cheesesteaks, vegetables, fried rice, and anything else that benefits from a big flat cooking surface.
A kamado gives you charcoal grilling, smoking, roasting, and very high-temperature cooking.
Put them together and there isn’t much you can’t cook outside!
A Blackstone and kamado combo gives you:
- Flat-top griddle cooking.
- Charcoal grilling.
- Low-and-slow smoking.
- A large central food-prep area.
- Shared storage for both grills.
- One organized station instead of two separate carts.
7. Tropical Blackstone Flat-Top Grill Station With a Kamado
Recommended for this setup: Blackstone 22-Inch Tabletop Griddle Without Hood
This station uses the same basic Blackstone-and-kamado idea, but the surroundings completely change the feel of it.
The warm timber works beautifully with the tropical plants and wood decking. Stainless steel cabinets could easily feel a little too commercial here, while this looks like it actually belongs in the garden.
Use these ideas for a garden station:
- Match the materials to the surrounding deck or patio.
- Leave a real prep zone between different cookers.
- Add closed cabinets for tools and charcoal.
- Use wheels if the entire unit might need repositioning.
- Keep some space between hot equipment and nearby plants.
8. Freestanding Blackstone Backyard Grill Station
Recommended for this setup: Blackstone 36-Inch Griddle with Hood
One thing I like about this station is that it isn’t tucked against the house.
The Blackstone sits on its own island in the middle of the backyard cooking area, with countertops and open shelves on both sides.
That lets the grill become part of the entertaining space instead of something pushed into whichever corner happened to have room.
A freestanding station also gives you some flexibility when designing the rest of the yard. You can orient it toward the patio, dining table, pool, or lawn depending on where people usually spend their time.
This layout makes sense when:
- You have a larger backyard.
- There isn’t a convenient wall for a built-in kitchen.
- You want counter space on both sides.
- The cooking area needs to connect two parts of the yard.
- You prefer open shelves that are easy to reach while cooking.
What to Consider When Building a Blackstone Grill Station
Before you start cutting lumber or ordering countertops, decide how you actually use your Blackstone.
Essential Tools for DIY Blackstone Grill Station – Shop Before You Start!
Before you start building, it helps to have a few basic tools and supplies on hand.
Power Tools:
- Cordless Drill/Driver – For assembling frames, attaching brackets, and handling all those quick DIY jobs faster.
- Circular Saw – Great for cutting wood for counters, shelves, trim, and simple framing projects.
- Miter Saw – A big help for cleaner, faster cuts if you’re building with lumber and want a more polished result.
- Shop Vacuum – Makes cleanup much easier when you’re dealing with sawdust, dirt, and general project mess.
Build Essentials:
- 24-Inch Level – Helps keep counters, shelves, and prep stations straight and sturdy.
- Tape Measure – A must for planning your layout, checking clearances, and making sure everything fits.
- Heavy-Duty Clamps – Great for holding boards and parts in place while you build.
- Construction Adhesive – Handy for block, stone, and other projects where extra holding power helps.
- Exterior Screws – Better for outdoor builds since they hold up well to weather and moisture.
- Weatherproof Wood Sealer – A smart way to protect wood counters, carts, shelves, and DIY cabinets.
- Work Gloves & Safety Glasses – Absolutely worth having before you get started to improve safety.
1. Give Yourself More Counter Space Than You Think You Need
A Blackstone can use up counter space quickly.
You may have squeeze bottles, seasonings, bowls of raw ingredients, clean plates, spatulas, tongs, and food coming off the griddle at the same time. Even an extra foot or two beside the cooking surface can make the station much easier to use.
If space allows, having a work surface on both sides of the griddle is even better.
2. Think About Where the Propane Tank Will Go
Don’t design a beautiful cabinet and then realize you have nowhere sensible to put the propane bottle.
Keep the tank upright and make sure the hose isn’t kinked or squeezed against the cabinetry. Follow Blackstone’s instructions for your particular model, including requirements for propane placement and ventilation.
It should also be reasonably easy to remove when it’s time for a refill.
3. Don’t Forget Heat and Ventilation
This becomes especially important with a covered Blackstone grill station.
A roof can make the cooking area much more comfortable, but you don’t want to trap heat and combustion gases around the griddle. Avoid enclosing the Blackstone tightly, maintain the manufacturer’s required clearances, and use outdoor-rated, heat-appropriate materials around the cooking surface.
The same applies if you’re placing the station close to wood siding, railings, fences, or plants.
4. Decide Whether You Want It Permanent or Movable
A built-in station can look fantastic, but a cart on good locking casters has advantages too.
You can move it for cleaning, reposition it when the wind changes, or take it out from under a covered area when necessary. A movable setup also makes sense if you’re renting or expect to change the patio layout later.
5. Plan Your Storage Around What You Actually Use
You probably don’t need an enormous outdoor cabinet full of things that rarely leave the kitchen.
I’d prioritize storage for:
- Spatulas and scrapers
- Squeeze bottles
- Cooking oil
- Seasonings
- Paper towels
- Foil and disposable trays
- Cleaning tools
- Extra propane if it can be stored safely in an appropriate location
Keeping those items near the Blackstone is what makes the station genuinely convenient.
6. Consider Adding Another Grill
A Blackstone is incredibly versatile, but it doesn’t completely replace a traditional grill or smoker.
If you have the room, pairing the flat top with a kamado grill, pellet smoker, or gas grill gives you far more options. You could smoke pork shoulder while using the Blackstone for sides, or sear steaks over charcoal while sautéing onions and mushrooms on the griddle.
Several of the stations above demonstrate exactly why that combination works so well.
7. Put the Blackstone Where You Actually Want to Cook
This might sound obvious, but it’s easy to design the station around an empty piece of patio rather than around the experience of using it.
Consider where the sun hits in the afternoon. Think about prevailing wind, smoke, your route back to the kitchen, and where guests usually sit.
And if you’ve got a beautiful lake, mountain, garden, or pool in front of you, don’t build the Blackstone facing the wall.
A little thought about placement can make more difference than another cabinet or an expensive countertop!
I hope you like my Blackstone cooking station ideas! Drop a comment below and tell me which one is your favorite!
-Joonas
