subject: Tips To Build A Fire Pit [print this page] A fire pit may be simply a hole dug in the ground or it can be a composition of stone, brick or metal and may be either charcoal or gas burning. Having a fire pit in one's backyard can be a extremely handy element when you are having friends over and plan to do some grilling. Sitting by the fire is definitely one of the most relaxing things in the world, whether on a warm summer evening or on a cool autumn evening. Building a fire pit is a fairly simple do-it-yourself project. So here are some guidelines on putting a fire pit together for your upcoming social gathering.
Required Tools:
Shovel
Hammer
String
Level
Brush
Required Materials:
Bricks
Stake
Gravel
Sand
Metal grate
Cement (optional)
Steel pit ring with tabs
Instructions
If you are using stones they must be as flat as possible but for now we will suppose that you are using landscaping blocks. Within the location you choose for your pit, dig a hole around 2 feet deep and about 4 inches in diameter and pack it with gravel to drain away water that might otherwise settle within the pit.
Dig a hole around the place where the fire pit will be around 2 feet wider than the fire pit will be. To ensure that this hole is completely round, use a hammer and drive a stake into the very center of where the pit will be and tie a string about 3 and a half feet long onto the stake. While holding the string walk in a full circle around the stake and mark out a circle. Your circle ought to be just about perfect after this.
Dig down about 12 inches right around your fire pit location using the circle as a marker and load the hole with 4 inches of gravel and 4 inches of sand. Press the sand as flat as you can and lay your first row of bricks on top of it. Use the level to make sure that this layer is completely level and then completely fill the hole outside of the bricks with gravel. The blocks will be almost fully covered however, this will make sure your fire pit has a firm base.
Go on with laying more layers of bricks. You can use the steel ring every couple of rows to make sure that the grill is still round and the ring fits inside. You may use cement if you wish to keep the bricks in place. But not using cement makes it quicker to replace lone blocks if needed later on. The cement might produce fumes when the fire is going thus it is advised to just lay the bricks with nothing between.
Use the brush to clean debris from the bricks as you place them and leave random gaps between the stones to permit air to pass through or the fire will suffocate and die. When you have put down a few rows of the bricks, throw gravel within the middle and spread it over the floor of the fire pit.
About 6 rows of bricks ought to be enough therefore when you have laid 5 rows, place the steel ring in place and lay the final row of bricks on the tabs of the ring to hold it firmly in position. Lastly place the metal grate in position and you're ready for a fire.
Tips and Warnings
Make sure the bricks or stones you use were not in water as heat from the fire may cause them to burst.
It is always best to saturate the area around the pit with water before you begin a fire to make sure that there are no stray fires. You should furthermore keep a bucket of water and a shovel nearby whenever you are going to start a fire.
