Now Selling Bull Gas Grills!

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We recently completed our visit to the Bull Grills factory. There, we got to see how these beautiful islands are built and assembled for our clients. These islands and grills are truly one-of-a-kind and built with superior quality!
We recently completed our visit to the Bull Grills factory. There, we got to see how these beautiful islands are built and assembled for our clients. These islands and grills are truly one-of-a-kind and built with superior quality!

We’ve all been there – the trips to Home Depot, Lowes or a local grill store. Comparing grill products and asking for the best prices. You just wanted to get a grill that wouldn’t break the bank and you needed it yesterday. Family is on the way over and you’ve been meaning to replace the dirty & dusty grill that you first bought when you got married. Time is pressing in and so you buy the one that you think looks good and hope will work for you.

The time then comes to bring it home and fire it up the first time. It doesn’t seem to work as well as the Home Depot associate said it would and you’ve got plenty of “Hot Spots” – areas that burn too hot compared to others. You’re making your adjustments and cooking as best you can. When family arrives, you’ve got a pile of well cooked patties and another pile of overly well-done. You’re slightly embarrassed but continue with the evening like normal.

Looking back on those experiences, wouldn’t it be nice to have a grill station in your backyard that looks both beautiful and works exceptional? Wouldn’t it be nice to have an actual outdoor kitchen that excels at hosting large parties and groups of people? If you had a space like that, would you spend more time outdoors enjoying that backyard that you just renovated?

Learning From the Best: Visiting the Factory

As Illiana Backyard Fun continues to grow, we’ve received numerous request from clients who’ve asked for Gas Grills. To continue our quest to find the newest, best and highest quality products – we paid a visit to the Bull Grills factory.

While there, we got to listen in on presentations from the Bull development team. They educated us on how these grills are sourced, designed and assembled (by hand) here in America. First started in 1993, Bull has grown from a 1,200 SQFT garage into one of the largest manufacturers of grill products around the globe. Now operating out of 3 facilities with a factory located in Athens, TN – Bull can ship any of their products to dealers within a 3 day window.

As far as Illiana Backyard Fun is concerned, we loved what we saw and can honestly state that this is a brand that supports our customers. With high quality materials and craftsmanship, this brand of Gas Grills offers exceptional value, customer service and warranty to our customers.

By aligning out product assortment with new and exciting brands, Illiana Backyard Fun is taking our concept of “Outdoor Living” to a whole new level. As with anything, it takes time to develop a brand and we’re constantly developing ours with amazing vendor relationships – like Bull Grills!

– Kristie Cheatum (Owner)

Offering Natural Gas & Propane Grills

So what all is offered to customers who shop with Illiana Backyard Fun? Well, for starters you now have access to a complete lineup of outdoor kitchen products, such as:

If you’ve been dreaming of living outdoors this summer and are looking for an excuse to hit “pause” on life – this is it! You can now enjoy amazing evenings right in your own backyard with family a friends. It’s your turn to cook, sear, chill, slice and dice your way to culinary perfection!

Constructed out of 304, 14 Gauge Stainless Steel – Bull produces Grills and Accessories are designed to last a lifetime. As they put it, “this is the last grill that you will ever need.” With the capabilities to cook directly or indirectly and with accessories like their rotisseries or infrared back burner – you can literally cook any meal you’ve dreamed of on these grills.

Customize a Complete Outdoor Island!

In addition to the amazing components and grill selection – you also have the option of having Bull construct a custom island (right in their factory)! They offer several island programs such as Custom Islands or Bull Best Buy Program. Both of these programs provide our clients with a wide array of options, but the best way to summarize both programs is listed below:

  • Custom Island – select any component or finishing material from a long lineup of Island Shapes. After Bull receives our order, they build your island right in their shop. Once complete, they deliver it to our retail store located in Watseka, IL. We then coordinate delivery of the island with you so you can enjoy bringing your new outdoor kitchen to its new home (in one easy step)!
  • Bull Best Buy Program – designed for our clients who prefer simpler options, this program offers a slimmer selection with faster lead times. This program offers you four island shapes with a Basic or Premium package. Choose from a Stucco or Rock finish and between Tan or Gray. We have all of this information and will be glad to show you the options!
These Bull grills are ready for you to take one of them home! Trust us, this truly is “the last grill you’ll ever need to buy.” It is efficient, beautiful, strong and fast cooking. You’ll enjoy the cooking experience these grills provide! Contact us today so we can get this in your home before summer kicks off!

Complete the Outdoor Living Experience

In essence, we have collaborated with this amazing brand of grill products to bring options and customization to our clients. We want you to be able to enjoy your outdoor living experience to the fullest. That means being able to sit outdoors with friends and family while cooking and sharing a delicious meal – right in your own backyard!

If you would like to receive some more information, we invite you to fill out our Contact Form or give us a call! We firmly believe in our mission of helping people to enjoy their homes to the fullest extent. That means constructing outdoor living spaces that helps us to get away from the hustle an bustle. We envision our clients turning on the gas grill, throwing on some steaks, grabbing a cold beer and sitting pool side on a warm summer afternoon. It’s these slow moments that mean the most in life and we need to enjoy them while we can!

27′ Nova – Above Ground Pool Installation

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27′ Nova – Above Ground Pool Installation

We are hard at work this week completing the installation on 4 new above ground swimming pools! We have been truly blessed this year with some tremendous growth and we are very grateful for our loyal customers and new business! Let's take a look at this new 27' Round Nova Above Ground Pool Installation!

We are hard at work this week completing the installation on 4 new above ground swimming pools! We have been truly blessed this year with some tremendous growth and we are very grateful for our loyal customers and new business! Let’s take a look at this new 27′ Round Nova Above Ground Pool Installation!

We’ve Been Hard At Work!

Illiana Backyard Fun is a company founded upon bringing people outside and restoring the concept of outdoor living. We strive to provide our clients with helpful information, trusted products and valuable services to make outdoor living fun! The purpose of all of our efforts is simple. We want to make outdoor living fun, easy and develop outdoor living spaces for everyone to enjoy!

This past week, we were blessed with multiple installations on Above Ground Pools in and around Iroquois County. Believe it or not, just this weekend we installed 4 new Above Ground Pools! It was certainly a busy weekend and we are very grateful to our customers for the increase in business!

Now that the 4th of July is here, we are approaching the second half of summer. Temperatures are still high and students still have over a month left of their summer breaks. There is still plenty of time to get into your backyard to enjoy the great outdoors and soak up the last few weeks of summer.

If you’re interested in purchasing an Above Ground Swimming Pool, Spa, Fiberglass Pool or In-Ground Swimming Pool, then you’ve come to the right place! We have the teams in place to build your new swimming pool with a few weeks to enjoy it before the onset of the Fall months.

We are lucky to have such a supportive network of suppliers and vendors. This image shows our delivery from our local supplier. They often meet us in the field and at job sites to provide us with on-time deliveries. Here you can see their driver delivering a new Above Ground Pool package they day of our installation.

We are lucky to have such a supportive network of suppliers and vendors. This image shows a delivery from our local supplier. They often meet us in the field and at job sites to provide us with on-time deliveries. Here you can see their driver delivering a new Above Ground Pool package they day of our installation.

Multiple Installations: AKA Project Management

As with any business growth, it’s paramount to place a large emphasis on project management and quality control. This is where Illiana Backyard Fun is very unique. If you’re new here or have been following our blog for some time you’ll notice the hard-working blonde in all of our pictures. No, she’s not our cheerleader or crew member; she is the owner of the company.

Kristie Cheatum is very connected to all of her customers and spends a large amount of time in the field! You’ll often find her:

In order for us to keep up with new installations, manage our retail store and deliver multiple services to our customers, we have to be hands on. Kristie spends so much time in the field working with her products because it keeps her sharp, in-tune with what’s happening and ensures quality installation every time. When you purchase a product or new swimming pool from Illiana Backyard Fun, you’re also purchasing a quality installation from a professional who really cares and does the job right!

Building an Above Ground Swimming Pool requires us to build from the ground up. We work first with the soil that will sit beneath our swimming pool structure. Here you can see our plot of 27' round soil that has been prepped. We work to remove the top layer of grass, spray a weed killer, lay a top layer of silica sand and spread it until level. This is the perimeter that we will use to build our swimming pool.

Building an Above Ground Swimming Pool requires us to build from the ground up. We work first with the soil that will sit beneath our swimming pool structure. Here you can see our plot of 27′ round soil that has been prepped. We work to remove the top layer of grass, spray a weed killer, lay a top layer of silica sand and spread it until level. It’s all up hill from here (literally). 

One Day Installations on Above Ground Pools

So what is our installation time frame for a new Above Ground Pool Installation? We are glad you asked! Currently a new above ground pool takes only 1 business day to install, from start to finish. Typically this is a consistent time frame and it’s due to our hard working crews and quality of product that we install. There may be circumstances where a larger pool, such as an Oval (15’x30′ or 18’x33′) requires two days but that is still lightning fast.

As you can see from our images, our Above Ground Pools follow a specific set of installation procedures. We follow these unique steps to ensure our pool is set level, walls are stable and ready for swimmers:

  • Clear the top layer of grass and spread our silica sand (pool base)
  • Set our bottom rail & concrete blocks – always double checking our elevations
  • Install our pool wall & uprights
  • Lay our hard bottom (prevents weeds from breaking through)
  • Hang our beaded liner within the liner track
  • Install our filtration equipment, plumbing lines, skimmer & returns
  • Fill with water & startup chemicals
  • Voila, you’re ready to swim!

Trust us, this process is very involved and requires close attention to detail. We have installed hundreds of Above Ground Pools in our company’s history. If you’re looking for a company that you can trust, then we invite you to give us a call!

Once our base coat is set, we run our bottom rail which connects in a 27' circle. Next we install the concrete blocks beneath each "foot" where our uprights will sit. We do not cut corners here; the entire structure of our pool rests on these concrete pads. It's paramount that we ensure each pad is level before moving on to construct our walls.

Once our base coat is set, we run our bottom rail which connects in a 27′ circle. Next we install the concrete blocks beneath each “foot” where our uprights will sit. We do not cut corners here; the entire structure of our pool rests on these concrete pads. It’s paramount that we ensure each pad is level before moving on to construct our walls.

The Benefits of The Nova Pool

The Nova Above Ground Pool is part of our Steel Pool Collection. These swimming pools offer a lot of really great benefits including:

  • Wide 9″ top ledge
  • Resin ledge cover
  • Corrugated wall & frame with Zinc Guard (for corrosive resistance)
  • Narrow risers to minimize taking up yard space

These swimming pools are a proven leader in the Above Ground Industry and is another reason to trust Illiana Backyard Fun! We bring you the very best in new products and services to ensure you are able to live your best life outside!

We Are Your Pool Partners!

Now that we’ve covered some information for these Above Ground Pools, we’d better get back to work and leave you to it. If you’d like to check out some other articles of things we’ve been up to, we’ve got some great content listed below. We work hard to put this information together and provide our customers with insights into our business. It’s part of our goal of becoming your Pool Partners.

We want you to have the best access to information and products and to turn to Illiana Backyard Fun anytime that you have a question. As always, feel free to reach out to us at anytime. After all, we are here to service your outdoor living lifestyle!

Backyard Pools & Grills – Cooking Up Some Summer Fun!

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Primo Charcoal Grills

You can find the complete Primo Grill line at Illiana Backyard Fun! We also stock a long list of grilling accessories that pair perfectly with your backyard cooking space! Stop by our store located in Watseka, IL to browse our collection of Primo grills and accessories!

You can find the complete Primo Grill line at Illiana Backyard Fun! We also stock a long list of grilling accessories that pair perfectly with your backyard cooking space! Stop by our store located in Watseka, IL to browse our collection of Primo grills and accessories!

The Charcoal Difference

Any backyard pool owner is bound to tell you about their love of outdoor grilling at some point in the conversation. Truth be told, if you’ve got a outdoor living area that you share with family and friends, then you need a grill to cook on!

At Illiana Backyard Fun, we are proud to supply the American Made Primo Charcoal Grill line. These charcoal grills are designed to outperform standard gas grills available on the market today. The premier oval design provides a broader cooking surface than the famed “round” design of the Green Eggs.

Charcoal cooking allows the food to naturally soak in the flavors of lump charcoal (a natural cooking method) while leaving out the fumes of natural gas and propane. The Primo Grill also retains majority of its heat and provides a safer cooker method that has less surface radiation than stainless steel grills.

The Primo Grill utilizes both Conventional and Conventional cooking methods. Direct heat is applied to the food from the charcoal beneath. Meanwhile, heat is circulated inside of the unit due to the vertical airflow that is created internally. Regulate the heat utilizing both the air intake and air outlet.

The Primo Grill utilizes both Conventional and Conventional cooking methods. Direct heat is applied to the food from the charcoal beneath. Meanwhile, heat is circulated inside of the unit due to the vertical airflow that is created internally. Regulate the heat utilizing both the air intake and air outlet.

It’s All About “How It Works”

The genius is in the design. Created to operate similar to an oven, the Primo Grill has the capability of cooking your food using 3 diverse cooking methods:

  • Grilling: Direct Cooking
  • Grilling & Roasting: Direct & Indirect Cooking
  • Baking, Roasting & Smoking: Indirect Cooking

Alter your cooking method depending on the type of dish you’d like to whip up! You have the freedom to choose what works best for you. One of our favorite aspects of this grill is the diversity and re-usability. Once you’ve finished your meal, you can leave the remaining lump charcoal in the cooker and re-light it for your next dish!

Controlling the temperature is fairly straight forward. You can regulate your temperature based upon the air flow that you allow into the unit. Utilize both the air intake (metal door located on the bottom) and the air vent (cast iron lid on top).

Both of these units regulate the amount of air allowed into the unit. The more open you leave the vents, the faster the temperature will rise. Secondly, once you’ve dialed in your desired temperature level, just close the grates halfway and allow your meal to cook!

Our oval design provides you with greater cooking surface than the conventional shape of the Green Egg. Using the same cooking technology, we can slap on some juicy t-bone steaks or sizzle up some crispy asparagus as the perfect pair to any dish!

Our oval design provides you with greater cooking surface than the conventional shape of the Green Egg. Using the same cooking technology, we can slap on some juicy t-bone steaks or sizzle up some crispy asparagus as the perfect pair to any dish!

Convection Versus Conventional Cooking

As we’ve already mentioned, the Primo grill utilizes the power of Convectional and Conventional cooking methods: all in the same design! Our oval design allows us to fit more food into the same grilling space compared to the widely appraised Green Egg units.

We dare you to take your next meal from your battle hardened gas grill to the Primo so you can see and tastes the difference! If you think your gas grill has more horse power, then you’ve got another thing coming! The superior engineering of the Primo grill allows you to hit a range of 150 – 850 degrees Fahrenheit! You’ll be melting your stainless steel grill while trying to keep up with our oven style cooking technology!

Lastly, the heat is circulated internally allowing your food to cook both internally and externally. Not only will it cook your food throughout but it will retain the moisture of your meat and hold flavors due to the gentle radiant heat. Your food will be tastier, healthier and and more flavorful than ever!

Stop by our store front to browse our collection of these amazing charcoal grills. Find your perfect size; ranging from smaller Kamado all the way to the grand Jack Daniels Edition! We got all the bells and whistles for your next outdoor adventure!

Stop by our store front to browse our collection of these amazing charcoal grills. Find your perfect size; ranging from smaller Kamado all the way to the grand Jack Daniels Edition! We got all the bells and whistles for your next outdoor adventure!

In Stock Now!

Now that we’ve bragged about these amazing grills, let’s get down to business! Illiana Backyard Fun provides a wide ride of Primo Grills to suite your personal needs:

  • Oval JR200 (Junior): 210 Square Inches
  • Kamado Round Grill: 280 Square Inches
  • Oval LG300 (Large): 300 Square Inches
  • Oval XL400 (X-Large): 400 Square Inches

Pair these grills with a custom built outdoor island, or utilize our very popular All-In-One Caddy System. We have the ability to sell both the “head only” or “all-in-one” system: paired with some grilling accessories.

Visit our store to browse all of the options in person! You’ll be delighted by our award winning customer service and desire to pair you with the perfect grill for your backyard!

Tastes The Difference

Lastly, our sole focus is helping each and every one of our customers match themselves with the perfect product, every time! Whether it’ an In-Ground Pool, an Outdoor Pergola, replacement Pool Equipment or anything else; we are here to become your 2018 Pool Partners!

As always, we’d love to meet you in person and discuss our large assortment of products and services. All of which is centered around providing you with the very best in outdoor living experiences! We only stock the best products and newest technology. It’s all designed to keep you, our customer, at the center of every decision we make!