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About This Project
Save that beat-up old gas grill from the garbage dump and restore it to new condition for a fraction of the cost of a new grill. Virtually every part on the grill can be replaced at relatively low cost or easily restored, putting your grill back in use for many more seasons
Renovating a grill involves three steps. You clean grease and grime off the grill. Repaint oxidized and faded parts with high-temp paint, and replace worn-out parts (get replacement parts at most home centers). One good mail-order source for parts is The Grill Store & More (225-751-6007), and a good Web source is www.gasgrills.com.
Your grill may not look exactly like the one we show in the photos, but the components will be similar. Caution: Before doing any work, disconnect the gas supply or propane tank, and wear gloves to protect your hands from incredibly dirty grease stains.
Start by removing the cooking grate, warming rack and lava rocks as shown in Photo 1. If the lava rocks are more than a year old or saturated with grease, replace them with new lava rocks ($10) or ceramic briquettes ($20).
The rock grate holds the lava rocks or briquettes above the burner. Under the rock grate there will be either a vapor bar or flame spreader, which protects the burner from dripping grease. Remove the rock grate and expose the burner. The burner will be held in place with screws or retaining clips hooked into the venturi tubes.
Next, test the igniter electrode for a spark. When you push the igniter button, the electrode in the collector box sparks and ignites the gas. If the igniter wire sheathing has worn off, cover the exposed spots with electrical tape and retest. Most igniters fail because the spark never makes it to the electrode. If the igniter doesn’t work, replace the entire igniter assembly ($10).
Remove the igniter collector box from the burner and the igniter button from the control panel.
The burner assembly is the heart of the grill. Remove and clean it. If the burner or venturi tubes have excessive rust and the burner holes are rusted through, replace the burner assembly ($20 to $100).
Once you pull out all the parts, remove grease buildup from the body. Remove stubborn grease film with an oven or grill cleaner. Clean the viewing glass with a glass cleaner. Dislodge buildup from the cooking grate with a wire brush or the special grill-cleaning brush.
Scrub down the wooden slats with sandpaper, and recoat them with a matching stain. After the grill interior has been cleaned, remove grease from the exterior with soap and water or a degreaser. Sand any oxidation off the grill body with 220-grit sandpaper, and touch up the paint.
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