Frequently Asked Questions

Outdoor kitchens can be made of stone, wood or steel. Stone [blocks, bricks, rough cut stone] are slow to install, difficult to use to achieve exact dimensions and take up a lot of space. Wood rots, warps and burns. More and more buildings use metal stud partitioning today and Fresco Frames™ are a refinement on that technique. We use galvanized hot-dipped zinc-coatedsheet metal that it is cut precisely to length puchned folded & pre-drilled. The material is made by BlueScope Steel conforming to Australian Standards AS 1365 &AS 1397:2001. GALVABOND® is a registered trade mark of BlueScope Steel Limited.

All you need is a philips screw driver. If you are planning to assemble a large number of frames you might consider buying a cordless screwdriver which is available at most hardware stores.

Yes, all you need is to unscrew them. Fresco Frames™ are intended to be permanent. Once the cladding has been installed they will not come apart.

None. There is no welding, bending or cutting required.

The bridge and lance system aligns the frames. We provide the necessary screws to build your island. Depending on your configuration, you may need to drill the frame and insert a nut & bolt where a bridge and lance do not meet. This will allow easy dismantle should you want to relocate your island in the future.

There are three ways to attach Fresco Frames™ to the ground:

1. On wood or Trex type decks use a deck screw with washers. Drill directly through beams that lie flat on their backs. Drill next to beams that lie on edge and pin them with the washer.

2. On concrete slabs use half inch anchor bolts, washers and nuts. Drill as above.

3. Or with concrete use Hilti or Simpson powder charge bolts. Fire bolts through beams lying flat on their backs. The floor must be level prior to bolting them down

We recommend the use of 12 mm cement board or similar. This is the same product used in internal bathrooms. This can be attached directly to the steel frames with both Liquid Nails and sheet metal screws. We recommend you use both. The cementboard then readily accepts tiles, stucco, There are many brands most quality hardware stores can assist. Your options are only limited by your imagination. We also can assist in providing manufactured stone, granite and other man made materials if required.

Yes. We are surrounded by countless examples of galvanized steel structures. Traffic light poles, chainlink fences, barns, sheds, light poles, flag poles and antenna masts are all examples of outdoor steel structures protected with galvanizing. However, we recommend that a quality metal primer be used in areas of salt and high moisture to prolong the life of the material.

It is approximately 915mm as assembled. The actual working height when finished will be 915 mm plus the thickness of the cementboard and granite, or tile, minus the thickness of any stone or tile laid on the ground after the frames are installed. This is similar to an indoor kitchen.

YES. Electrical outlets can be added in three general locations: 1. On the splashback of the countertop. 2. Against the back wall under the counter [for appliances or recessed lighting]. 3. On any vertical cementboard face. ELECTRICAL WIRING SHOULD ONLY BE DONE BY A LICENSED ELECTRICIAN. OBEY ALL CODES FOR OUTDOOR ELECTRICAL WIRING. FOLLOW ALL APPLIANCE MANUFACTURER INSTRUCTIONS. DO NOT USE EXTENSION CORDS.

YES. If you have provided electrical power as above then it is possible to install standard low voltage halogen lighting below the bartop to wash the outer walls. Similarly it is possible to light counter interior storage space.

YES. All our countertops will house sink & tap and will accept a standard dishwasher. Any of these units will accommodate an electric water heater. FOLLOW ALL LOCAL AND NATIONAL CODES. ONLY A LICENSED PLUMBER IS PERMITTED TO CONNECT TO CITY DRAINS. DRAINAGE MUST BE PROPERLY VENTILATED. DISHWASHERS AND WATER HEATERS REQUIRE DEDICATED ELECTRICAL CIRCUITS. FOLLOW ALL MANUFACTURERS INSTRUCTIONS.

There are many brands of gas BBQ on the market today. We also sell Beefeater and Electrolux Australian made BBQs Our grill bases cater for practically any BBQ unit from 620 mm through to 1350 mm. Our grill bases cater for BBQ base heights of 254 mm. A 304mm base can be made as a special order at additional cost. Please call us for further enquiries for custom made questions.

We have developed quality Australian made door and drawer cabinets specifically to suit our framing system. You have a choice of either Compcraft® and Alicraft® Door and Drawer Fronts. All the internal exposed linings are powder coated to prolong the life of the cabinets and we use Hafele® soft close hinges and heavy duty drawer runners.

Simply drop in our 2 piece floor system and slide in your appliances. Its as simple as that! You will also need to add our appliance trim (fascia) to cover up the exposed metal frame which finishes your island professionally and beautifully. The facias can be ordered in 4 different colors to suit your preferences.

You need a philips screwdriver. This is the only tool you need to assemble the frames. You will need other tools, of course, for other parts of the project. For assembling multiple kitchen modules you may want to consider purchasing a cordless screwdriver.
NOTE: SAFETY FIRST! Being a metal product we recommend wearing suitable protective clothing, eye protection and gloves when assembling our frames.

YES. All of the beams and connectors can be replaced individually should they be damaged. Your assembly instructions, which are available as .pdf download files, contain numbered parts diagrams. Please contact customer service for more details.

YES. Fresco Frames is continuously developing other configurations for Fresco Frames™. Should you identify a specific need or wish to discuss an opportunity with us we would be glad to do so. Please contact us directly for more information.

You can easily undo any mistake by unscrewing the screw and aligning it with the appropriate hole.

Yes, this has been done and our technical staff can assist you. Please call us or e-mail us with your specific needs.