A crawfish boil pavilion in Covington sounds simple: a roof over some tables and a spot for the pot. The part that trips people up is the burner. Outdoor propane burner manufacturers are blunt about keeping their equipment out from under any roof, so a well-planned boil pavilion is really two zones, a covered place to eat and an open-air place to cook.
This guide covers timing, burner placement, propane, boil water, and permits for a pavilion on the Northshore. It’s general information, not a substitute for your burner’s manual or your permit office, so follow the manufacturer’s instructions for your equipment and confirm local rules for your address.
Key takeaways
- LSU AgCenter says most Louisiana crawfish are harvested between December and June, with March through May as the peak months.
- Two outdoor burner manuals we reviewed say not to place the appliance under any overhead construction, and one calls for at least 10 feet of clearance to any construction.
- That points to a pavilion that shelters the tables and serving space, with the burner set out in the open.
- Covington’s code bars dumping trash or other material into ditches and canals that carry water, and St. Tammany Parish prohibits illicit discharges into its drainage system.
- Covington’s accessory building checklist asks for a drainage plan and a plot plan showing setbacks, among other items.
When is crawfish season, and when should you build?
LSU AgCenter’s guide “Enjoying Louisiana Crawfish” says “most crawfish are harvested between December and June, but March, April and May are the peak months when Louisiana supplies are greatest.” If you want a pavilion ready for spring boils, start the design and permit steps well ahead of that window, since permits and materials both take time.
Where does the burner go in a Covington crawfish boil pavilion?
Outside the roofline. Bayou Classic’s instruction manual for its BG12 burner says “do NOT locate a gas appliance under ANY overhead construction” and to “keep a minimum clearance of 10-ft from the sides, front and back of the appliance to ANY construction.” King Kooker’s manual for its CS29 and CS42 cookers gives the same overhead warning and adds, “There must be no combustibles or roof overhead.”
Those instructions shape the whole layout. The pavilion is the covered half of the party, with shade and rain cover for the tables and the serving spread. The burner sits in an open-air cooking zone at least as far from the pavilion as your manual requires, on a surface you can hose down. NFPA’s grilling safety tips point the same way for grills: “The grill should be placed well away from the home, deck railings and out from under eaves and overhanging branches.” Check your own burner’s manual for its clearances before you settle the layout.
When we plan an outdoor cooking space, a boil rig gets open flame clearance and a hose-down surface, as our Covington outdoor kitchens page describes. Our guide on choosing outdoor kitchen appliances covers the rest of the cooking setup.
How big should a Covington pavilion be for a boil crowd?
There’s no single right size, because your headcount and table layout decide it. Start from how many people sit at once and where the long peeling table goes. Then leave a clear walkway from the pavilion to the cooking zone that stays outside the burner’s clearance area. Our patio cover size guide walks through sizing by furniture, and the same thinking applies to a freestanding roof.
Covington lots often come with their shade already grown, and a freestanding pavilion lets you put the covered area where the yard works best instead of tying it to the house. Our Covington gazebos and pavilions page covers the styles we build, and our comparison of a pergola vs. a gazebo helps if you’re torn on roof type.
Propane storage around the pavilion
Plan where the propane lives before the pavilion goes up. The Bayou Classic manual says “LP cylinders must be stored outdoors out of the reach of children and must NOT be stored in a building, garage or any other enclosed area.” That rules out tucking spare tanks into a closed storage room built into the pavilion. Louisiana’s Liquefied Petroleum Gas Commission has adopted NFPA 58, the Liquefied Petroleum Gas Code, so ask your propane supplier about cylinder storage on your property as well.
Handling boil water and cleanup in Covington
A boil leaves behind a pot of seasoned water and a pile of shells, so plan for both before the first party. Covington’s code says “no person shall dump, deposit, or otherwise cause any trash, landscape debris, or other material to be placed in any river, creek, canal, ditch, or storage basin that regularly or periodically carries or stores water.” In unincorporated St. Tammany Parish, the development code prohibits introducing any illicit discharge into the parish’s drainage system or waterways.
Ask the city or parish how to dispose of boil water at your address before the first party, and plan the cooking zone’s slope with that answer in mind. Bag shells and trash for pickup. Our Covington service area page explains how we plan for runoff moving through wooded lots.
Permits for a Covington pavilion
Inside city limits, Covington’s Residential Accessory Building Checklist, dated July 15, 2026, lays out what the Building Permits Office wants to see. It includes a completed application, proof of ownership, state license information, a stamped survey, a drainage plan, and a plot plan showing the house, accessory buildings, and setbacks. It also asks for stamped plans that indicate current state building codes, including the wind speed and exposure behind the design, plus a tree plot plan marking any trees to be removed. Lots in Flood Zone A need a FEMA certificate and a drainage plan.
In unincorporated St. Tammany Parish, the development code exempts “one story detached accessory structures, accessory to single- and two-family dwellings, used as tool, storage sheds, playhouses, and similar uses provided the floor area does not exceed 200 square feet.” A pavilion built for a boil crowd is a different kind of structure, so expect to apply for a permit. Since January 1, 2025, the parish has also required an engineered wind design for accessory buildings over 1,000 square feet.
If you’d like screens on the pavilion’s sides for mosquito season, our guide to enclosing a patio in the New Orleans metro covers the options.
Frequently asked questions
Can I put a crawfish burner under a pavilion roof?
The two burner manuals we reviewed say not to locate the appliance under any overhead construction, and one says there must be no roof overhead. Follow the manual for your own burner, and plan the pavilion so cooking happens in the open.
How far should the burner sit from the pavilion?
Bayou Classic’s BG12 manual calls for a minimum clearance of 10 feet between the appliance and any construction. Other models may differ, so use the clearance in your burner’s manual.
Where should crawfish boil water go in Covington?
Ask before you pour it anywhere. Covington’s code bars dumping trash or other material into ditches and canals that carry water, and the rules we found don’t name boil water specifically. Ask the city, or the parish for an unincorporated address, how to dispose of it.
When should I start building before crawfish season?
LSU AgCenter lists March through May as the peak months, so start design and permits well before spring. How long permits take depends on the office and your project.
Planning a boil pavilion on a Covington lot? We’ll lay out the covered seating and the open-air cooking zone together and put the plan in writing. Call (504) 285-2659 or reach out through our contact page to set up a walkthrough.
