Many fire pit options are available for homeowners, including brick, metal, block, and masonry blocks
You can use preformed fire pit bowls or standard brick to build a strong fire pit.
This tutorial will focus on how to build a fire pit with bricks for your backyard turf or patio. While reading, consider what steps you could tweak to match your aesthetic and skill set.
For example, use cement blocks in place of bricks if you’d like a variety of shapes and sizes to make up your pit’s structure.
One benefit of building a DIY fire pit is that you can alternate materials depending on your design preferences and outdoor decor needs.
· Work gloves · All-purpose gravel · Bricks or paver blocks · Brick trowel · Rubber mallet · Bubble level · Manual tamper · Construction adhesive/mortar · Lava rock · Seasoned firewood
Most areas allow fire pits for recreational purposes, but there are a few guidelines to consider. Here is an example of a standard burn ordinance from the City of Winston-Salem Fire Department:
· No more than 3 feet tall and 2 feet wide.
The ordinance then defines “allowable” fires as those:
· Confined to a container (such as a fire pit).
· At least 25 feet away from structures.
· Lit only with dry wood or other kindling material; accelerant, garbage, and garden clippings aren’t acceptable for fire starters.
· Maintained with seasoned wood.
The location of the fire pit should be chosen away from any flammable structures, such as garages, sheds, and houses. You should ensure that there aren’t any trees too close to the fire pit and no branches or utility wires below it.
Build a rectangular or square fire pit for more design options and ease of building. No matter your fire pit shape, it should be about 3 to 4 feet in diameter.
You’ll need trapezoidal blocks to construct a circular fire pit. Trapezoidal blocks fit together to create a circular shape without leaving any gaps.
Before building a fire pit on grassy land, you will need to lay gravel, and your fire pit will be on a solid foundation.
1. Mark the fire pit’s outline with a pencil. Then, remove any grass or sod from the area using a trowel. 2. Remove dirt and turf until the fire pit is about 5 to 7 inches deep. 3. Use a bubble level to check for uneven ground and manually tamp the area. 4. All-purpose gravel can be used to fill the hole.
These steps will help you build your fire pit base in the grass.
The bricks will not be glued together yet. Instead, you will be stacking the first two brick layers to ensure your fire pit is large enough for a fire pit bowl.
1. Make sure you use a level as you work your way around the perimeter. 2. If necessary, add leveling sand to uneven bricks. 3. After laying the first layer, check it again with the level.
Place the first layer of bricks around your earlier outline. Place the bricks around your border and ensure they are snugly against each other.
The second layer of bricks will be applied next. You don’t need to attach any blocks together, but you will temporarily lay out the shape for your fire pit.
For added safety and style, a fire pit bowl is a structure you place in the middle of your pit. Fire pit bowls are usually made from steel and have a high heat finish that will last many years.
A fire pit ring looks similar to a bowl but doesn’t need a base. Ring inserts can be used with backyard fire pits that have a gravel base.
After building walls, you will need to add gravel to the pit’s bottom, which will help drain out moisture and provide a foundation for kindling materials.
Whatever option you choose, make sure that the bowl or ring is appropriate for your fire pit. The correct sizing will simplify the fitting process and prevent you from having to resize brick borders.
Make sure the brick border is visible at the bottom. After fitting the bowl, remove it from the fire pit and place it in a container
Begin by removing any bricks that were temporarily placed as the second layer in your pit. To keep your pit’s shape constant, we recommend that you remove and replace them in smaller sections.
Attach the first layer of bricks to prevent the fire pit from moving if it is placed on a brick or concrete patio.
Place your fire pit on a gravel foundation to ensure that the bricks underneath are stable and don’t move around.
You can avoid uneven fire pit walls by checking each layer with a bubble level. Repeat the fire bowl test with each row to determine if any blocks require adjustment.
Install adhesive on the first layer of blocks. Then, attach the second layer. To smoothen the mortar, use your brick trowel and rubber mallet to push bricks into their place.