DIY RV Grill Mount: RV Slide Out Grill Mounting Guide
Some RV owners like the idea of having their BBQ grill slide out from the basement. It is convenient for them. Others do not like it as they feel too much grease gets on their RV during the grilling time.
You can adapt your RV’s under-the-bed storage into a nice pull-out and fold-down BBQ grill location. It takes a little ingenuity for the design to work and the confidence to cut a new hole in your RV’s exterior. But it can be done. It is a great way to use up that extra space.
To learn more about this topic, just continue to read our article. It has the information you want to know about so you can take one of the ideas and do it yourself. Or use the following ideas to inspire you to make your own design to fit your unique RV model.
Can you Mount a Grill on a Slideout Tray?
Technically, you can mount a BBQ grill on just about anything. As long as the fasteners work with the slideouts’ construction material, you have a place to mount your grill.
But the key questions are, is it practical? Is it the right thing to do? And does it look nice? This is mentioned because there are people out there that will push the boundaries of good taste, practicality and fail to use some common sense.
But in general, yes you can as long as it will work with your RV set up. As reported earlier, one RV owner cut a new hole in the side of his RV and placed the slideout in the storage area under his bed.
That option saved him from using his much needed exterior storage areas. He did buy the door separately and attached it so there would be no opening once he was done.
The grill he bought attached quite easily to his new slideout tray. If you have the talent to work with your hands, then you are not going to have a problem with this project. The key would be to select the right grill for the slideout tray you want to use.
The other key issue would be if the slideout tray is strong enough to hold the grill. That same owner had this problem and he had to create a support system to make sure the weight of the tray and grill did not collapse mid-barbecue.
You can see what he did at this link. The owner also installed a gas fitting so the grill was already hooked up and ready to go when he was ready to grill. But it is an idea for those who do not mind all the extra work.
RV Grill Slide Out Options
The following ideas are compatible with different RV types. For example, some would work best with a Class B RV while other ideas would work with Class Cs or As. You would have to do some adaption as well.
Since not all RV models, even in the same series, are the same, you will have to see which ones will work for you and which ones need to be adapted to fit your floor plan.
1. Pull out slide- wood
There are different construction materials you can use for this idea. The use of wood is just one of them. If you use 3/4-inch plywood, you should be able to make a strong pull out drawer that will hold your camp stove and BBQ grill.
The trick would be to pick the right exterior storage compartment to make it work. You can make the drawer smaller if you do not have much depth to it. Plus, you can make this pull out drawer simple without too much work involved.
The key would be to make sure the drawer is strong enough to support the weight you are going to put on it.
2. Slide out tray
This is a little different from the first idea. And you will notice that there will be variations to the same concept. In this design, you are making two boxes with the smaller one sliding out of the bigger one.
Both will have 4 sides to them with the smaller box having a hinged top so you can grill. To support the weight, the owner placed one wooden leg at the end to hold the slideout drawer keeping it from sagging.
The key to this design would be to have sliding rails strong enough to hold the weight and still work like a charm. Metal edges would cover the corners of the wood pieces once they are assembled.
3. Slide out boxes for Class B RVs
These boxes can be made of wood and would have to fit the dimensions of the area you have dedicated for their use. You can have them slide out from under one seat or you can build it inside your bed frame.
The latter would be parallel to the back of the RV and have a simple sliding floor that pulls out when you are ready to cook. You won’t get much space in this design so you would have to look for a grill and a stove that is not that deep in size.
Again, your key to this design would be the sliding arms. If they are not strong enough, then you are going to have problems. Plus, you can’t get away from using 3.4-inch plywood as 1/2-inch or less may be too weak. But that will be up to you to decide.
4. Square tubing and metal
The metal slideout tray material would be up to you. Aluminum is the best option as it is the lightest. Some people put the square metal tubing inside their pick-up bed to make sure they have plenty of room for everything they need when they are going to grill.
The same concept would work for a pass-through storage idea but on a smaller scale. You can weld the box for the slideout tray to the tubing and put good rollers in place to help the drawer slide out.
The aluminum should be strong enough to hold any cargo you would need to haul with you at the time. Good welding skills would come in handy with this option.
5. The simplest pull out tray
Some people do not want to put a lot of work into their pull out trays. They just want something simple that is easy to use and no fuss is needed. This is not hard to build.
All you will need will be sliding arms that will hold the weight of the plywood and the grill you place on it. One owner simply placed a small section of a sheet of plywood on the rollers and left it like that.
Takes about 20 minutes to put together and he has his tray for whatever he wants to put on it. Not only is it the simplest design, but it is also the cheapest as very little money went into the materials.
Since 3/4-inch plywood is very strong, this simple design can hold a variety of items like tools, etc., along with the BBQ grill.
DIY RV Grill Mount
Some of these designs can get very elaborate. Like the one owner we linked to earlier, his design was very detailed, and sophisticated and allowed him to add a gas nozzle to attach a hose from the nozzle to the grill.
It was also designed to fold down to fit the narrow storage space he carved out of his RV. If you want to know about commercially made grill mounts, then read our article on RV grill swing out bumper mounts.
Since every DIY grill mount will be different, you may not see an example that will work with your RV design. Some people classify commercially made grill mounts as DIY options.
Here are some tips to help you design your own grill mount.
1. Location- this is going to depend on the design of your RV. What works for one owner may not work for you even though you may have similar models. Wiring, plumbing, and other components hidden behind walls will influence your location.
The amount of space you have to work with will determine the actual positioning of the grill and its mount. On top of this decision-making, you have to decide where you would prefer to do your cooking.
Some owners do not want grease getting all over their RV. Their positioning will be different from yours, most likely.
2. Construction material- this will be determined more by your budget than anything else. Both metal and wood can be shaped to fit the space you have available.
But what you want here is material that is going to be strong. However, you also have to take into consideration the weight of the mount and grill.
3. Grill type- what type of grill do you want to use? Not every model is compatible with sitting on its side. Plus, gas or electric have connection needs that have to be met.
The grill’s dimensions will play a role in how you will construct the mount. Will the grill and mount fit in the same spot safely and comfortably? That is a key question to ask yourself.
4. Budget- how much money do you want or can invest in this project? Time is of no consequence but the financial side is. You will want to buy materials that will fit your budget and make the mount strong and safe to use.
How To Install RV Grill Mounting Rail
First off, the principles of construction remain the same no matter where you are doing it. Whether you are installing a grill mount in your traditional home or RV, you still need to use the right materials that will support the overall weight when you are done, the right fasteners made to work with the surfaces you are using, and so on.
That means picking out the bolts, screws, and anchors that will hold the grill mount rail in place securely. They have to be able to withstand road bumps and vibration. Plus, they need to be installed tight enough so they do not work themselves loose.
The installation will depend on where you are going to place the grill mount. The first thing you have to do is decide where you are going to put the mount. If it is in the exterior storage space, then check the wall material before buying your materials.
The type of materials you will need will depend on the wall construction material. If you are placing the rails on the floor of the storage compartment, the same step has to be done.
Then you will need to measure how long those rails will have to be to fit the space. Make accurate measurements and cut with precision. If you cut too short, you just wasted your money.
Depending on the type of rails you are using, you may have to drill some pilot holes in the rails. This just makes fastening them to the floor or the walls a lot easier to do.
Make sure to drill and fasten the rails in a straight line. You want everything to be level or even when you go to attach the tray to them. In general language that is the way to install pull out tray rails.
Some Additional Words
Having your BBQ grill on a slideout tray can be very convenient. Not only do you get a comfortable place to cook your meals but you also have a very secure storage solution.
However, doing it yourself takes a lot of skill and a lot of work, in most cases. The simple designs do not but if you want elaborate designs to fit unique spaces, then you will need a lot of expertise to complete the job.
The design, location, and the work involved are all up to you. Make careful choices when you take this project on.
