Grilling is fun, and perhaps this is why grilling is one of our favorite activities and kinds of leisure in summer. It is a great way to both relax in the good company of friends or family members and also enjoy delicious grilled food!
However, if you are an active griller, one day you may notice that there are holes on the bottom of your BBQ! What shall you do to them? Does it mean that your grill has to be discarded?
Well, everything is not so bad in fact. First of all, even if there is a hole on the bottom of your grill, chances are still high that BBQ metal can be repaired! And in this article, you will find a detailed guide on how to do this.
We will provide you with a step-by-step description of the process, as well as a list of tools needed for that. Moreover, you are going to find out why holes may appear on the grill body, and what factors and nuances you should take into consideration before you start reviving your grill.
What Steps to Take to Fix Your Rusted BBQ Grill With Holes?
Some of you may think that in order to repair a rusted BBQ grill, one has to be an experienced person in that. However, this is not mandatory. Even if you have never repaired your grill before, fixing a hole is not something extremely complicated!
All you need to do is to follow the fixing guide precisely, and you can be sure that you will succeed.
Before you start fixing a hole in the body of your grill, you need to find an open area to work. That should definitely not be inside the house! It does not matter how much space you have in your home. Fixing a grill is literally a dirty business, and you hardly want to have all your furniture and floors dusted and covered with ashes.
This is why it is better to do it outdoors. You can select an area in your compound or the yard if it is available.
If you had used the grill recently and there are still ashes on it, you need to clean off the ashes and debris first. To do this, your grill needs to be cleaned with a brush. Ashes are very dusty most times, that is why it is recommended to repair the holes outside.
Like this, you will protect your interior, appliances, furniture, and the whole house from ashes flying onto them. It will also save you from cleaning the dirtied areas.
In order to clean off all the ashes and get your grill fixed, make sure you get all the tools ready in advance:
- Gloves
- A wire brush
- Blue Magic quick steel
- Paint/BBQ paint
- Oil
- Drill
Luckily, all of these are easily available for purchase in case you are missing a tool. Once you are ready and prepared with all the tools needed, you can proceed with the fixing process.
Remove Dirt From the Charcoal Grill
Before you start fixing the hole, you should make sure that the grill is clean. Obviously, it will be much easier for you to work on a dirt-free surface! So put on your gloves and, using your wire brush, start with the grates of your grill.
Brush off any stains that may be stuck on the grates. The wire brush is a good tool that can remove any food build-up on the grates that may be left when cooking. We would not recommend you press the brush too hard though! Use moderate force when brushing your grate.
If you use excessive force when brushing the grates, you might end up breaking them and negatively impact their performance.
Besides, too vigorous brushing may leave scratches on the surface of the grates, which can later lead to more quick development and spread of the rust!
Remove Dirt From the Grill’s Bottom
After you are done with the grates, move on to the bottom of your BBQ. Using your wire brush, clean out any bits that might be encrusted at the bottom of the charcoal grill. You need to end up with a clean and dust/debris/buildup-free surface!
See, fixing a hole on the grill that still has dirt on the surface will make the process very messy. This is why proper cleaning is mandatory.
Usually, how dirty your charcoal grill is depends on how frequently it is used. Dirt tends to accumulate over time, and if you forget to remove ashes in time and regularly, they will sooner or later cause rust.
Fixing the Hole In Your Charcoal Grill
So, you have cleaned your grill and you have also identified the hole. Congrats! Now it is time to fix it. You will require a solvent to grease or oil to do away with the rust. We recommend you make use of your charcoal grill user manual at this point.
Most of these user manuals have detailed instructions that are easy to understand and follow even if you have never had to fix the grill before.
To fix the hole, you will typically have to do the following:
- Take the magic quick steel
- Fill in into the hole
- Scrape off what is in excess before it dries up
- Wait until it becomes fully dry
- Leave it to cure for at least 20 to 30 minutes
As you know, epoxy is a hard material when it becomes dry. But once dry, you can easily paint on it when it has cured, thus making the repaired area almost invisible and hard to notice.
So there is no need to worry that the BBQ will have ugly patches. Your grill will look like new again!
If you want, you can choose to use BBQ paint, and the result will look like steel. You do not have to limit yourself to one as using a variety helps in withstanding temperatures of up to 2400 degrees. Of course, barbeque paints may appear to be a bit pricy, but they are worth the money!
Testing the Fixed Hole
This is a very imporеant step that must never be skipped! After you fixed the hole, you have to check how well the job is done and whether the fixed area will withstand high temperatures if your grill is turned on.
Typically, once the epoxy gets cured, you can freely test your charcoal grill if it’s working.
One way is to do it visually. As long as the hole is no longer visible, it is fixed. You can now reassemble the grill and fill it with charcoal. Check if there are any drops of charcoal falling off at this point. If there isn’t, you can be sure that you have done a great job. You can now start grilling your favorite meals again on your refurbished grill.
How to Fix a Rusty Grill Bottom?
Rust is the main reason behind holes in charcoal grills. Usually, most grills are made of stainless steel because it is strong, easy to clean, and easy to keep on the stovetop. However, this material also has one big downside: it is prone to rust and needs to be cleaned more frequently.
In addition, the level of damage caused by rust determines the measures that need to be taken in order to restore a barbecue grill. For example, fixing might include replacement parts, cleaning, or even replacing the whole unit!
Of course, if this is the case, you might want to hire a professional to do it for you. But If your grill is not damaged too much, then you can fix it with the following tricks.
Scrape Off the Rust
Before applying any grill brush, you need to dry the brush and wipe it down with detergent and water. Also, it is important to keep the surface of your grill clean and oil-free for optimal performance.
To remove the rust, scrub the surface of your grill using baking soda and water. You will get awesome results! You can also use rubbing alcohol or acetone to clean off the rust. Both methods will work the same efficiently.
Use Dishwashing Soap And Water
As an option, you can always count on some dishwashing soap and water to get rust from the bottom of your grill. So if you notice that your grilling tools become rusted or dull over time, with just a few simple tips and homemade cleaning solutions you can make them clean again.
Besides, this method is a good alternative for those who can’t use chemicals for any reason!
Using Vinegar And Baking Soda
This method may not be the best one in terms of smell (hello, vinegar!), but it works. To clean your grill with this solution, do the following:
- Pour some vinegar into the pan and place it on a stove
- Let it heat up and steam up until the glass gets rippled
- While it is heating up, add baking soda to the pan
- Mix white vinegar and baking soda in a ratio of 1:2 in a spray bottle
- Spray it generously on the surfaces and allow it to soak for a couple of minutes
- Use a soft bristle brush to scrub off any remaining rust stains
To finish the cleaning process, you can also spray the surface that was cleaned with some water, then wipe it dry with a clean, lint-free rag. Like that, you will remove both the residue of the cleaning solution and the vinegar scent.
Try Using Commercial Rust Removers
If you don’t feel like making your own DIY cleaning solutions to get rid of the rust, you can always opt for a commercial alternative. Spray the rust remover on the surface that is affected by the rust and let it soak for as long as the product manual advises.
Then wipe the product away with a clean, wet cloth.
Well, like this, you are now aware of not only how to fix a hole on the bottom of your grill, but also how you can remove the rust if there is any. With such a detailed guide, it will be easy to succeed for anyone, even if you have never had to do such kind of job before.
Why Are There Holes In the Bottom Of the Grill?
Fixing holes on the metal body of your grill is quite a time-consuming thing that also requires some effort. Plus, it is often dirty! No wonder people often become curious about the things that cause those holes.
See, the explanation is pretty simple and obvious. If you use your grill often enough and you forget to clean it regularly, low maintenance may lead to the damage caused by rust on the grill bottom.
Such rust corrosion may be too extensive, which will sooner or later require a replacement or repair of the unit.
This is why it is required to check your grill bottom regularly for any holes and replace or repair if needed. Sometimes, it can be enough to just fix a few things by repairing them like the small holes.
But if you neglect proper grill maintenance, don’t be surprised if the only way to solve the problem would be to replace the whole thing!
So, now you know everything that one might need to know about fixing a grill if it has any holes on the bottom. In addition, you learned how you can remove the rust from the unit safely and quickly.
And since you are now aware of the things that make those holes appear on your grill, you will surely pay more attention to the proper maintenance of the unit you have.
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