How to Install a Smoker Gasket on Your Weber Kettle

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In order to do this you’ll need a few things:

• A Smoker Gasket – I used this one from LavaLock
• Mr. Clean Magic Erasers
• Isopropyl Rubbing Alcohol
• Sandpaper
• Putty knife
• Boxcutter / Knife

1. Clean the Edge that Comes in Contact With the Lid

Of the complaints I’ve read online about installing smoker gaskets, the most common one is related to them not “sticking” to the surface.

In almost all cases these people haven’t cleaned the surface first to get rid of debris.

The first thing I did was used a putty knife to get rid of any large debris along the outer edge of the lid.

Then use a few Mr. Clean Magic Erasers with Isopropyl alcohol to completely wipe down the edge until it was back to the original porcelain enamel.

2. Use Sandpaper on the Surface Where the Adhesive of the Gasket Will Go

You don’t need to be super aggressive with the sandpaper.

Simply use a medium grit sandpaper to lightly scratch the outer edge of the lid.

3. Guide the Gasket Along the Edge You Just Sandpapered

Adhesive side toward the lid – along the perimeter.

Since the lid of the Weber Kettle is beveled, I placed the gasket in the middle of the bevel and ensured the adhesive entirely stuck to the surface.

Once I made my way back around to the start of the gasket, I used my pocket knife to cut the gasket so that the start and the end are flush against each other.

You do not want to overlap the gasket.

Doing so will cause a leak at this exact overlap when you go to close your lid.