Barbecue Encyclopedia: How to Create a Cooker Hood

Device Requirements

The grill hood is a dome-shaped structure, the main task of which is to prevent combustion products from spreading through the air. This is especially suitable for those who have a barbecue located right in the gazebo. Most often, the hood resembles an umbrella in shape. A good smoke box will allow you and your guests to breathe in fresh air, rather than the smoke generated by frying meat.

There are three main requirements for the device:

1. For effective removal of combustion products, the area of ​​the smoke collector must be 30% larger than the area of ​​the barbecue itself. From a small hood, the effect will be zero.
2. The presence of a high chimney is another prerequisite that will allow you to draw out all the smoke. Such a chimney should taper and be slightly curved in order to increase draft and get rid of all unnecessary elements. And do not lower it too low, it should be at least 2.8 m above the ground.
3. A fan is needed to consolidate the effect and prevent smoke from spreading through the air.

DIY Forced BBQ Hood Video

This video will show you how to make a DIY forced draft barbecue hood.

Varieties

There are several main types of hoods.

Classification according to material:

1. Metallic. Its indisputable advantages are lightness and simplicity in manufacturing. However, a metal smoke box requires regular cleaning, otherwise rust and soot particles that collect on the hood will get into your food.
2. Brick. It turns out to be strong and durable, but it will cost much more than a metal counterpart.

By forms:

1. Dome. It has the shape of an umbrella, is installed directly above the barbecue, as if hanging over it.
2. Wall-mounted. It differs in that its entrance is shifted from the center to one of the sides. At the same time, one part is leaning against the wall, so this hood does not have the classic umbrella shape.

Based on the materials from which the brazier was built:

1. Only a metal hood is suitable for a metal barbecue.
2. A brick grill will look great with both metal and brick hoods.

Simple metal version

The simplest option is to make a metal (or iron) smoke collector. We will now show you how to do this.

The first step is to decide on the materials. You will need:

• metal sheets (2-3 mm thick);
• iron corners 20x20x20 cm;
• screws;
• rivets;
• heat-resistant paint;
• Bulgarian;
• welding machine;
• drill;
• riveter.

Next, draw a drawing. The optimal pipe diameter is 120 cm, and calculate the size of the sheets based on the area of ​​your barbecue. Now let's move on to practical steps:

1. We saw the sheets of metal to fit the dimensions.
2. First of all, we make a base for the hood. Both sides are welded using corners.
3. The corners for the back surface are welded to them, and then the last part is welded. The bottom of the frame is ready.
4. We weld the corners of the back of the dome to it.
5. Now we separately collect the "umbrella", and separately - the pipe for the barbecue.
6. Now the base needs to be coated with heat-resistant paint.
7. We cut out sheets for cladding from metal and sheathe the base with rivets. Don't forget about heat-resistant paint.
8. First, a base is installed on the grill, a dome is on top, and a pipe is already put on it.

Don't forget about additional elements:

1. Fan. Increases the rate at which smoke is drawn.
2. Spark arrester. Similar to a sieve, helps to attenuate sparks. Installed for barbecues that are indoors or in gazebos. Reduces the risk of fire.
3. Grease trap. All fat accumulates here, so the grease trap should be removable so that it can be easily removed and cleaned.

Brick model

You can install a brick smoke box. It is more expensive but will last you longer than a metal cooker hood. The procedure is as follows:

1. Take 4 pieces of metal corner, which will serve as a fastener for the hood. They are laid out on the walls of the barbecue very first.
2. Lay the bricks of the first row perpendicular to the wall.
3. The bricks of the second row are laid out in parallel.
4. In total, you should get about 10 rows, and the last one in width should be the same as the chimney.
5. The chimney is laid out two meters in height for effective smoke removal.

Decor options

There are various decor options for your hood. In principle, the main task of this design is to draw out smoke, but for many it is important to fit it into the interior. Therefore, we propose to consider the following options:

1. Wild stone. Sheathing with such material increases the decorative qualities of the hood, especially if it is installed in a gazebo.
2. Wooden panels. If your gazebo is made of wood, then wood panels will come in handy. Just don't forget about the thermal spacer between the materials.

You can also try to find a different cladding material or try painting your smoke box.

Crafting tips

To get it right the first time, pay attention to the following details:

1. The draft of the pipe depends on the section. For metal structures, the optimal section is at least 16 cm, and for brick structures - 26 cm.
2. The pipe must be long, otherwise all the smoke will accumulate in the room and will not come out.
3. If your grill is in a gazebo, be sure to treat it with a heat-resistant coating. Otherwise, any spark can ignite it, and you will suffer losses.
4. Do not use thin metal in the manufacture of the hood. It does not have sufficient heat resistance and may melt. Because of this, the entire structure will have to be redone again.

So, we examined different types of smoke collectors, as well as the features of their manufacture. Now you can make your kebab trips even more enjoyable.