Enclosing an outdoor kitchen alfresco: a real job, step by step
A real Glassy Slide job in photos. An open alfresco with an outdoor kitchen, enclosed with white aluminium-framed sliding glass so it works in any weather.
By Glassy Slide teamPublished 2 min read
This alfresco already had what most people want: a solid roof, downlights, a tiled floor and a full outdoor kitchen with an oven and cooktop. What it didn't have was walls. On a cold or windy day, the best-equipped part of the house sat empty. Here's how we enclosed it.
Before: a great alfresco, open to the weather
The roof and posts were sound, which kept the job simple: no new roof, just glass and frames for the open sides. The open sides faced the garden and the side path. The kitchen sat against the back wall.
Measuring and the quote
We measured each opening between the posts. Alfresco posts are rarely evenly spaced, so every frame is made to fit its own gap. The written quote listed the glass and frames for each side, with sliding panels where people walk through and the frame colour matched to the house's white trim.
Installation
The frames were fixed to the existing posts and beam, then the glass went in and the sliding panels were hung and adjusted so they glide and lock.
After: a room you can cook in all year
The finished enclosure keeps everything the owners liked: the light, the view of the garden and the outdoor kitchen. It also keeps out the wind and rain. On warm days the sliding panels open and the space works as an open alfresco.
If you have an outdoor kitchen too
- Plan for cooking steam and smoke. A range hood, or a panel you can open beside the cooktop, stops the glass fogging. See will a glass alfresco get too hot or fog up?.
- Keep the services where they are. Glass is fitted around the existing kitchen, power and gas. Tell us where everything is when we measure.
- Check the permit path early. Enclosing a roofed alfresco is building work in Victoria. See do you need a permit to enclose an alfresco?.
For typical prices, see our alfresco enclosure cost guide, and for other layouts, our alfresco enclosure ideas. We measure on site, quote in writing and price the job before we start. See more of our alfresco enclosures or ask for a quote.
Questions
Can you enclose an alfresco that has an outdoor kitchen?
Yes. The glass fits around the kitchen as it stands. Plan ventilation for cooking, such as a range hood or a panel you can open, so the glass doesn't fog.
Did the roof need changing?
Not on this job. The alfresco already had a roof and posts, and the glass and frames were fitted to them.
How is a job like this priced?
By the openings. Aluminium-framed glass on an existing roofed alfresco is typically about $2,500 to $6,000 per bay in Melbourne. We measure on site and quote in writing before any work starts.
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We supply and install double-glazed aluminium windows and doors, alfresco enclosures and glass partitions, and repair timber windows across Melbourne from our base in Bundoora. 5.0 ★ on Google.
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