You've picked your island configuration, chosen a powder coat color, and selected your built-in grill. Now what? How does a finished outdoor kitchen get from a manufacturing facility to the corner of your patio?
This is what the process looks like, start to finish.
What you receive on delivery day
Stono kitchens typically ship via box truck, though the exact method can vary. The 77" Morris arrives fully assembled. The Sullivan (98"), Wando (119"), and Cooper (140") ship with the main section preassembled; add-on sections ship ready for installation and connect using a tab-and-slot (cleated hook-and-slot) system and provided hardware. The cabinetry is complete, the doors are mounted, and the hardware is pre-installed. You're connecting finished components, not building from flat panels.
Delivery is curbside. The truck brings the sections to your property line, and most homeowners arrange for a friend, contractor, or installer to help move them to the patio or back of the house. The Sullivan section runs roughly 200 pounds, manageable for two people. If your access requires more coordination (tight side gate, stairs down to a lower patio), plan for extra hands on delivery day.
The shipping carrier calls you directly to schedule the specific delivery day and time once your kitchen has shipped.
What needs to be in place before delivery
The site doesn't need to be finished, but it needs to be ready. Three things matter:
A finished surface. Concrete slab, pavers, Trex, tile: whatever you're mounting the kitchen on needs to be complete before delivery. The kitchen's adjustable feet provide about two inches of leveling adjustment, but they can't compensate for an unfinished patio edge or soft ground. If you're still finishing the patio, push the delivery date.
Utility rough-ins within reach. Gas, electrical, and water access points need to be stubbed out to within a few feet of the kitchen's planned position. These connections happen after placement, so they don't need to be perfectly positioned, but they need to be there. Installation documentation comes with the kitchen and outdoor appliances, covering the connection specifications your contractor needs.
Clear path from the street to the patio. Side gates, furniture, and low-hanging obstacles all slow a delivery down. A clear, level path makes placement go fast.
The placement sequence
Once the sections arrive at the patio, placement is direct. The sections interlock and connect to form your complete island.
First, the sections are moved to an approximate position. No final positioning happens until all sections are on the patio and you can see the full layout. This is also gives a chance to confirm orientation, ideally already settled during your design consultation: which direction the grill faces, where the refrigerator door opens, what side faces your seating area.
Second, the sections are leveled and connected. Leveling happens with adjustable feet integrated into the vertical posts of each section, adjusted with a 9/16" socket. Connecting the sections requires a power drill, Phillips bit, and, sometimes, a rubber mallet. Most detail-oriented homeowners handle this themselves; a landscaper, contractor, or handyman does it in about an hour.
Third, the countertop is in place. Stono's countertops ship already placed on the kitchen sections, so there's no separate installation step.
Fourth, the appliance cutouts are confirmed. With the countertop in place, built-in appliances (grill, refrigerator, side burner) that shipped separately are dry-fit now to confirm clearances before utility connections are made.
For the grill installation, a rubber gasket is applied around the perimeter of the cutout before the grill is lowered into place. The gasket is included with your order.
Utility connections
Gas, electrical, and water connections happen after the kitchen is positioned and leveled. These require licensed trades: a plumber for water, a licensed gas line contractor for gas, an electrician for any hardwired power.
The scope is typically small. It's a final hookup to the rough-ins your contractor already installed, not a new run from scratch. Most gas connections take under two hours. Electrical is similar. If your kitchen includes a sink, water connection follows the same pattern.
Install instructions come with all appliances, giving your contractor what's needed for the utility connections.
What you can do yourself vs. what requires a licensed trade
You can connect the sections, level them, install the countertop, and seat the grill. The tools required are ones most homeowners have: a power drill, Phillips bit, rubber mallet, level, utility knife, and a 9/16" socket. You can dry-fit appliances and confirm the layout matches your design before anything is finalized. None of that requires a license.
Every Stono kitchen includes tie-down straps. Their use is optional and left to you and your installer. For elevated decks or properties in hurricane zones, they're worth considering. They attach to the leveling legs and anchor to your deck or hardscape using fasteners appropriate to your surface. Gas connections require a licensed gas line contractor in every state. Electrical hardwiring requires a licensed electrician. If your kitchen has a sink, water connection requires a plumber in most jurisdictions (some allow homeowner hookup, but verify locally before assuming).
None of the licensed work is complex. It's a connection, not a full installation. The rough-in your contractor did before delivery is the hard part. The final hookup is a short, focused visit.
Timeline from delivery to first cookout
Sections arrive on a scheduled morning, placed and leveled by early afternoon, and utilities connected by a licensed trade the same day in most cases (some schedules push it to a day or two out). Most homeowners are grilling within a few hours of that final connection.
There's no curing time. No mortar that needs to dry. No masonry crew coming back to finish something they left incomplete. The kitchen arrives finished; you're connecting it, not completing it.
For most homeowners, the total active time on installation is one afternoon plus a few hours from their licensed contractor. The six-week lead time from order to delivery is the longest part of the entire process.
What to expect from Stono's support during installation
You're not on your own. Stono's team is reachable throughout: if a section is harder to align than expected, if an appliance question comes up during dry-fit, or if something looks different from your line drawings, you call the same team that walked you through the design.
This is not a "figure it out from the manual" product. It was built by someone who wanted to grill in his own backyard without hiring a mason or waiting six months. The installation process reflects that: predictable steps, real support, a kitchen that arrives ready to use.
Schedule a design consultation at stonooutdoor.com to walk through your specific space, planned surface, and utility situation. The conversation is free, and it's the fastest way to know exactly what your installation looks like before you order.
Ready to see what installation looks like for your space? Schedule a design consultation to walk through your layout, surface, and utility situation before you order.
The kitchen arrives finished; you're connecting it, not completing it.
Schedule a Design ConsultationFrequently Asked Questions
Do I need a contractor to install a Stono outdoor kitchen?
For connecting the sections, installing the countertop, leveling, and seating the grill, no contractor is required. You'll need a power drill, Phillips bit, rubber mallet, level, utility knife, and a 9/16" socket. Most homeowners handle this with one extra set of hands. For utility connections (gas, electrical, and water), you need licensed trades for each. The scope of that work is typically a few hours total, not a full installation.
How heavy are the kitchen sections?
An 8-foot kitchen section (the Sullivan model) weighs approximately 200 pounds per Stono Outdoor Living product specifications. Two people can move it. Larger sections (the Cooper at 140 inches) are heavier and may benefit from additional help depending on your access path.
What surface can I put a Stono kitchen on?
Concrete slab, pavers, tile, and composite decking (like Trex) all work. The surface needs to be finished, load-bearing, and complete before delivery. The built-in adjustable feet handle minor surface variations and leveling, but they're not a substitute for a finished surface.
What are the utility rough-in requirements?
It depends on your configuration. A kitchen with a built-in grill requires a gas rough-in (unless you're using an LP tank) and a power connection for ignition. Add a refrigerator and you need a dedicated electrical circuit. Add a sink and you need water supply and drain. Installation documentation comes with the kitchen and outdoor appliances, covering connection specifications for your configuration; share it with your contractor before delivery.
How far in advance should I schedule my licensed contractor?
Before your delivery date, not after. Most homeowners schedule utility connections for the day of or the day after delivery. Wait until the sections are on the patio and you could add a week or two of wait time. Plan it concurrently with your delivery scheduling.
Can I install the kitchen on an elevated deck?
Yes. Marine-grade 3003 aluminum (per Stono Outdoor Living product specifications) is roughly one-third the weight of stainless steel alternatives from competitors, which makes it practical for elevated decks where structural load is a real concern. Confirm your deck's load rating with a structural engineer before installation if you're uncertain.