Mangalnaya zone at the cottage

Camping is usually accompanied by roasting fish, vegetables or meat over an open fire. No seasonings and original methods of cooking at home do not give the dishes that unique flavor with hints of smoke from the fire. For away rest usually use compact portable braziers. The design is easy to disassemble and throw in the trunk of the car. Owners of suburban areas have the opportunity to arrange a real mangal area right in the garden or near the house. A comfortable place to relax, where you can sit by a noisy company, while at the same time engaging in the preparation of an aromatic dish. Sounds good isn't it? Let us find out what are the mangal zones and how to choose the ideal option for a particular suburban area.

Ways of arranging the mangal zone

The mangal zone consists of a platform for rest and the hearth itself. Depending on the type of construction, it can be:

• Open Most often combined with a platform for recreation. Barbecue is not fenced. This option is suitable for those whose budget is very limited.
• Half open. The zone is equipped with a canopy on supports, or, on the contrary, it does not have a roof, but is fenced from all sides. Instead of full walls, hang curtains that protect from wind and weather. At the same time they act as a stylish decor.
• Closed. It is a complete, sometimes detached structure (like a gazebo). The main advantage of this type is the ability to hold gatherings even in winter, because the room is partially heated by a hearth, which means the company will not freeze in the cold.
  In total, there are three types of arbors, each of which corresponds to one of the above types of construction:
• Universal (portable). Mobile mangalny zone, which, if necessary, easily moves to another place of the summer cottage. The option is suitable as a temporary one for those estates that are still under construction.
• Patio. Enclosed patio area without a shed in the open. It is supplemented with a fence, a wall of a house, a lattice, green plantings (trees, bushes). Stylish patios with upholstered garden furniture look very tempting, but this type of arrangement is not suitable for regions with capricious weather conditions. Enough to rain and all the rest will be spoiled.
• Veranda. In it, the mangal zone is protected from all sides. In such an extension, a monumental hearth with a chimney, more like a stove, is being erected, massive furniture is being erected. The veranda is still considered part of the house, so its interior is in many respects in common with the residential part of the building.
  Mangalny zone can be combined. For example, it is often combined with a bath. The hearth is placed nearby, and the dining area is set up on a wide porch built.

Where to place - choose a place

The place for the mangal zone must meet a number of requirements:

• Fire safety. The source of open fire should not be located close to a residential building or outbuildings, therefore the mangalnaya zone should be located at a distance from buildings. It is necessary to keep a distance of at least 10 m from wooden buildings, and at least 5 m from brick ones.
• Wind protection If the suburban area has a pronounced relief, then for the mangal zone it is better to choose a hollow. It is not so much blown by the winds as the hill. If the plot is even, then the mangalny zone must be protected with a special fence. Not a pleasant bonfire or dinner at a table in a strong wind.
• Usability and functionality. The mangal zone should be located not very far from the house or the summer kitchen, so that you can always get to the source of water or kitchen utensils. At the same time, too close location is also undesirable, since the smell of smoke can penetrate into a residential building through open windows. Before the playground, wide garden paths and lighting should be equipped, since most of the gatherings around the fire begins after dark.
• Beautiful landscape. If the mangalnaya zone is also equipped with a dining area, then the surrounding landscape should deliver aesthetic pleasure. Therefore, it is better for her to find a cozy place on the border of the local area and the picturesque garden.

Deciding on a project

When choosing a project mangalnogo zone, you need to decide just one thing: decide on its type. From this it is already possible to make a start when calculating the consumption of materials and assessing the scale of work. For open areas it is enough to place the brazier on the ground or a special support. You must first choose an open area in the garden or on the lawn. This type of mangal zone is considered the most concise. Rest with kebabs is easy to combine with active games or childcare.

For the closed mangal zones, more time and effort will be required. Here we will have to lay the foundation, put up supports, secure the canopy, construct at least one wall as protection against the wind. Work pays for itself, because now the company is not terrible weather and plans for the weekend, nothing will spoil. As for the size of the site, they are chosen depending on the dimensions of the furnace, the capacity of the site and the number of people who will gather at the gatherings. For quiet family evenings, a zone of 5-6 square meters is enough. Lovers to invite guests and celebrate every holiday with a noisy crowd of such a venue are certainly not enough.

The foundation for the mangal zone

The weight of a conventional stove and overall stationary barbecue can reach a couple of hundred kilograms. Of course, such a structure on the open field will quickly slump, and cracks will appear in the brick hearth after wintering, therefore a solid, reliable foundation is necessary for it. Professionals recommend using the combined option. Separate foundation consists of a concrete slab (monolith) under the hearth and columnar or tape for the walls. This decision is due to two reasons:

• Saving. Monolithic foundation for the entire site will cost too much. Such expenses are simply inappropriate.
• Unequal loads during operation.

The dimensions of the concrete slab should be larger than the hearth itself. The monolith should protrude at least 5 cm beyond the edges of the furnace.

Choice of brazier

Mangals came to us from the Caucasus. Literally, the name translates as "box of coal", which accurately reflects the purpose of the structure. Inside the barbecue fire is kindled, and after burning down the wood they cook meat, vegetables or fish on the coals. Pieces of products strung on special needles - skewer. So that the dish does not stick, they are periodically rotated. For the original aftertaste and more juiciness, the meat is sprinkled with alcohol, lemon juice, soy sauce. Braziers are classified according to the mobility of the structure:

• Collapsible. Represent a metal box on the legs. Its walls can be removed (fixed on special grooves), folded into the cover and take with you to nature.
• Portable. These braziers do not understand, but they are light and compact, so the design can be transferred to any corner of the site.
• Stationary. Dimensional construction made of brick, stone, metal or combinations of these materials. Equipped with a solid foundation, as it has a lot of weight.

Separately, you can note electromangals. They are equipped with a special mechanism that automatically rotates the skewer, ensuring uniform roasting of the product without human intervention. Barbecue is more like a compact oven or grill. Of course, in it meat and vegetables do not acquire the same taste "with smoke". The design of the barbecue is somewhat different from the brazier. Inside the box there are two lattices: coals lie on the bottom, and meat and fish are laid on the top. Barbecues are classified into the following types:

• Portable (folding). The roaster is equipped with a removable grill. When assembled, the device is placed in a special case. Convenient for outings.
• Mobile. Represent a cart on wheels, which can be "rolled" on the site. The design does not understand. Below there is a tray on which you can put plates, pans or put firewood, and on top of four pillars mounted brazier.
• Boiler. Classic American version with a domed lid. Convenient because the heat is stored inside longer, so you can bake whole birds or large pieces of meat that are not baked on open charcoal in such braziers.
• Stationary It is made of stone or brick, equipped with a cooking area and a dining area.

Also there are disposable braziers and electric barbecue. For a permanent resting place on the site they are not suitable.

For barbecue fans who have only grills, the problem is easily solved by purchasing a special grill or “forceps” - tools with handles and two sheets of mesh, between which the products are clamped.

Site arrangement

Rest on the "bare ground" is attractive only for outing picnics. In addition to the foundation, the site must be covered with a protective material that will provide ease of use. For these purposes, brick, stone, paving slabs, "street" parquet or decking are used. You can cover from the same material that was used for laying garden paths.

Paving slabs or stone

Paving slabs, due to the variety of shapes, textures and shades, allows you to create an original design of the mangal zone and organically fit it into the landscape ensemble. The material is not afraid of frost, sun and even suitable for decorating patio or open areas, as the seams allow water to pass through, preventing the formation of puddles. They begin work with site preparation: remove a layer of sod, remove garbage, set pegs on each side of the zone, and pull a rope on them. The soil is carefully leveled. In the "pits" land is filled, and surplus is removed from the "mounds". Then the pad is carefully tamped. If the soil is too loose, then it should be moistened with water. The better the pad is rammed, the less tile shrinkage will be. Then from the rubble and sand create a drainage "pillow". To make the surface easier to level, pipes are laid in stacks inside the contour of the site. The gaps between them are covered with sand, the layer of which is carefully leveled. The tile itself can be laid both on crushed stone and sand-cement mortar.

Work needs to start from the edges. The first row spread on the tensioned cord "from myself." If the tile does not fit in with the edges of the adjacent site or curb, then it is trimmed with the help of the grinder. The laid material is leveled using a mallet and level. After completion of work, the seams are sprinkled with sand-cement mixture and poured with water. After the composition dries, they are overwritten with quartz sand. Laying stone is accompanied by the construction of drainage. Natural material has numerous surface irregularities in which water can accumulate. The tamped base on loose soils is covered with a concrete screed. Stones are fixed on the site with a special building glue or cement mortar.

Garden flooring or decking

Garden parquet or decking - wooden modules of square shape, consisting of small rails, which are laid on a flat surface. Material differs from a terrace board only in a form. It is used to decorate terraces, verandas, garden shivers, rest areas. Decking is strong and durable, not afraid of frost and contact with moisture. It is not recommended to use it as a floor covering in damp basements and baths. Decking is made of Siberian larch or tropical wood. The technology of material processing includes steam treatment in vacuum and impregnation with special protective compounds. After this procedure, moisture is removed from the boards and they acquire new properties.

Garden parquet does not crack, does not deform, does not swell after rains. Decking is not afraid of mold and mildew, has an aesthetically attractive appearance and is easy to mount / dismantle. Modules of garden parquet are laid on the prepared base of rubble, tamped soil, gravel or concrete. It is not recommended to use a sand pillow, as over time the coating will begin to subside. The base is carefully leveled. On the ground to lay a special fabric that will prevent the germination of grass and weeds. The modules are interconnected by means of lock fastenings. The terrace board keeps within differently. First, lags are set on a flat base, the frequency of placement of which depends on the length of the rails. Then they are mounted on top of the board. They are fastened to the logs with self-tapping screws, after which they are joined together by a joint-groove method.

Arrangement of a canopy and supports for it

The supports can be made of wooden beams, metal rods or they can be folded from brick or stone. The latest options are more suitable for monumental buildings that stand for more than one year. Sheds can be hard and soft. The first category includes slate, metal profiles, copper sheets, tiles. These materials are placed on a pre-prepared roof truss. The design of the roof has increased strength. Soft coatings include any material with flexibility. On the frame they are applied by fusing.

There are three types of soft coatings:

• Bitumen based;
• On bitumen-polymer base;
• Polymers.

In budget projects use a versatile and inexpensive material - polycarbonate. In the role of its main "competitor" are tarpaulin and other waterproof fabrics.

Zoning rules

The spacious mangalny zone needs to be divided into separate platforms. As a rule, there are only two of them:

• Cooking area. Includes work surface and hearth.
• Dining area and playground.

Most often they are delimited conditionally with the help of furniture. For example, it is enough to put a dining table with chairs or a wide sofa to divide the platform into two sectors. In other cases, you can use decorative "mesh" partitions, collected from wooden slats.

What furniture to choose

If the mangalny zone has no canopy and is located directly under the open sky, then it is better to equip it with light garden furniture. During bad weather, it can be quickly collected and hidden in the nearest farm building. For indoor platforms suitable massive wood furniture. The standard set must include a dining table, benches or chairs. For more comfort, you can complement the interior with a chaise longue or hammock.

Lighting

Since most kebab gatherings end well past midnight, the barbecue area must be provided with good lighting, which is obtained by combining the main light sources and decorative lighting. For the mangal zone, you can choose LED lamps in the form of spotlights or strip, lights (on poles or pendant), wall lights, fixed on the supports of a closed area. Ceiling lamps are fixed in monumental buildings with a strong canopy. To save electricity, you can choose lights or spotlights that run on solar batteries. At the same time, it is worthwhile to insure the usual devices that are connected to the power supply, as economical lamps have a limited period of operation and may not turn on at all during bad weather.

Stylistic design

Italian, Greek and Spanish ethnic styles are suitable for patio decoration. They are characterized by the presence of stone in decoration, light wooden partitions of slats, compact furniture, plain textiles and exotic flowers in pots. In the modern interior of the mangal zone, metal surfaces and glass prevail. If you add brickwork and spot decorative lighting to them, complete with simple but stylish furniture, you will get a loft. Mangal areas combined with a bath are made in the traditional Russian style with carved elements, dimensional tables and benches made of solid wood with rough surfaces. For country directions in the decoration and decoration using wood, forged items, checkered textiles with a themed ornament. The ease of decoration in the style of Provence is emphasized by the furniture that looked the way, painted in light colors, small sculpture, chaotic green plantings in pots and home textiles, which decorate a platform for rest.

Conclusion

Most city dwellers try to acquire at least a small piece of land outside the city for a summer pastime in the fresh air, away from the hustle and bustle. Caring for the garden and the garden eats up the lion's share of free time, but after a hard day, it is especially nice to reward yourself with a couple of hours of rest with family or friends at the burning hearth with goodies fried in the fire. The mangal zone is a pleasant addition to the summer cottage, which is also easy to build with your own hands, so you shouldn’t hesitate before setting it up.