Photo courtesy of James A. Stepp,
Lexicon Media
Putting a firepit in your backyard is certainly a trend that’s caught fire in the last few years. (Get it? Oh my, I crack myself up.) Anyway, it’s true! As fall starts to sweep across the country and temperatures slowly start to drop, you’ll appreciate the warmth a firepit can provide. Plus, it’s an easy smeezy project that even you can do—yes, you. Just follow these instructions:
Caution: Before you even think about building a firepit, check your local fire code to make sure open flames are allowed in your area.
- You’ll need: a caulking gun, masonry adhesive, a dozen or so cast concrete blocks with angled edges, a mallet, a spade, a 3-foot-long level, a large bag of drainage gravel, a tape measure, and a thick steel ring. You can find most of these supplies at your local landscape and hardscape center, but if you’re in the market for fancy blocks, check out the masonry quarry or stone yard in your area.
- After finding a suitable place for your firepit, begin laying your cast concrete blocks in a circle. A good firepit measures at least 3 feet across, so keep that in mind as you’re putting the blocks in place. At this point, many experts recommend tying a string to a stake in the middle of the pit to make sure it stays circular. To go that route, check out this step-by-step guide. Otherwise, just make sure the ends of your blocks are matching up smoothly.
- Using your spade, begin digging your firepit’s hole about one inch outside of the blocks. Dig 12 inches deep and as wide as your blocks, and fill the hole almost half full with the drainage gravel. Then, lay your first row of blocks, using your level to make sure everything is flat and smooth.
- Now it’s time to get messy. Load your caulking gun with the masonry adhesive and squeeze it on the far half of the first layer of blocks. (If the adhesive gets too close to the fire, it’ll burn and emit toxic fumes.) Next, stack your second layer. Two layers of blocks might be plenty—you don’t want your pit to get so high you can’t see the fire. And if masonry adhesive sounds a bit scary to you, use sand instead. Though it’s less permanent, it’ll help fill in the gaps, and if a brick cracks, it’ll be easier to replace.
- Finally, pour gravel into the middle of the pit. The gravel will help drain the area, working like a sump. Before the pit gets too full, drop in your steel ring and continue filling the pit until the ring is held in place. And that’s it! You’ve got yourself a firepit. You’ll want to wait a couple of days to allow everything to set up, and before using it, wet the surrounding area with hose to prevent the fire from spreading.
Now if you’re like me and learn better visually, try viewing this You Tube video to make sure you’ve got things down pat before diving in. And if all of this seems like way too much work, buying a pit might be more up your alley. I’m a fan of this contemporary one, available at ACE Hardware for $449. I also like this granite-topped one from Masagril for $1,795.
Enjoy those s’mores!
Until tomorrow,
The Home Know-It-All
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