Have you just purchased a cement barbecue? In that case, you are in the right place: follow our advice for perfect barbecue assembly!
Where you should install your barbecue
The first fundamental step is to choose where you want to install your new BBQ: you must have enough room to move around easily while you cook! For safety purposes and to allow the smoke to disperse, the barbecue must stand at a distance of at least 6 metres from trees, buildings or other vertical obstacles.
How to create a solid base
To be long-lasting, your barbecue must stand on a solid base, i.e. a sturdy supporting surface. The barbecue must stand on a large, compact base, preferably made of sag-proof concrete.
What can you do if you don’t have a suitable surface? You can make it yourself! Dig a 30-cm deep hole in the ground that is wide enough to comfortably contain your barbecue. Put a 15-cm layer of stones at the bottom and add 6/10-mm diameter reinforcement bars. Pour in the concrete, level it using a level staff and wait a few days until the concrete hardens properly.
Barbecue assembly phases
Let’s now move onto the actual assembly. The first thing to do is to read the instructions in our booklet and watch our video tutorials!
How to assemble a cement barbecue
How to assemble a cement barbecue with an oven
The whole structure of the barbecue must stand on the concrete base and it must be level. Great care must be taken though to avoid cementing or gluing the BBQ onto the base: this would stop the heat from expanding it, making it crack and break!
When assembling the various parts, make sure you use the right materials:
- mortar for the parts from the top down (i.e. those not in contact with the heat);
- Palazzetti’s Easy Fix glue for the parts from the top up (i.e. those that are in contact with the heat);
- Palazzetti’s transparent protective liquid for Marmotech or mass-coloured cement parts;
- Palazzetti’s quartz-based water-repellent paint that must be applied in a minimum 2-3 mm thick layer (not less than 2 coats).
If the firebox is made of various parts, place the grill between the 2 side panels before fixing them and wait for them to set completely before moving onto the other steps.
Since they are seriously affected by heat, the refractory barbecue floor slabs must be placed inside the firebox but not fixed to it so that they can expand without breaking.
Wait for the barbecue to dry (at least 4 days) before painting it (steps 3. and 4.)
What’s the last step? Apply the sticker supplied as prescribed by the UNI EN 1860-1 standard in force that all our barbecues comply with!
Maintenance
Now that you are ready to use your BBQ whenever you want, please remember that – to keep it functioning efficiently for as long as possible – you must clean it carefully each time you finish using it and after it has been left unused for a long time!
When spring arrives, follow our yearly maintenance advice: read the article How to repair any cracks in your barbecue.
