How to Build Your Own Fire Pit

There are few things as relaxing as a warm fire on a cool evening. A fantastic "do it yourself" project, the folks at The Progressive Farmer magazine show you how to build a fire pit in just one day. Clear step-by-step instructions and material lists help make this project both fun and easy.

Step 1: Preparation

STONES. We built this fire pit from landscaping blocks. You can use field stone or other materials too. Do not use stones that have been submerged in water; they can explode with the heat of the fire. Concrete blocks may deteriorate from the heat, but they are cheap to replace.

DRAINAGE. In the bottom center of the pit, we dug a fencepost-sized hole 2 feet deep and filled it with gravel. The hole works like a sump, helping to drain rainwater.

ADHESIVES. We dry-stacked the stone. It's a quicker way to build the fire pit. If you have to replace cracked or broken stones, dry-stacking makes that job easier as well. If you want to cement the courses, lay cement down only on the outside half of the stones to protect the cement from the heat. Adhesives may melt and give off fumes; we advise against using them.

SAFETY. This fire pit is built in a wooded area. Before we started the fire, we soaked the area around the pit with water. We also had 5-gallon buckets of water and a shovel handy to put out any stray fires.

What You'll Need

98 retaining wall blocks

steel pit ring with tabs

metal grate

sand

gravel

We bought the ring and grate as specialty items from a garden store. We can't find a place to order these pieces from the Internet, so we'd suggest welding your own or having one produced at a welding shop.

The retaining wall blocks used in this project were 12 inches wide, 4 inches high and 8 inches deep.

We purchased about one-half ton each of sand and gravel.

Total Cost: about $500

Comments

[Jon_M]

Instead of a ring to hold the grate couldn't you just use some metal rods going across?

[sorebikr]

WHERE can I find a steel ring and grate similar to this one? I can't seem to find it anywhere online.

[Hazzard2theworld911]

Just buy a large grate for a weber charcoal grill or similar. build a small lip into the inside of the pit, to hold up the grate. best luck!

[jsage]

If using a steel ring, those gaps will not be adding any airflow, as the steel ring will then block it. You could prop the ring up a bit and leave gaps in the bottom course.

[Zilliquister]

I have used a store bought fire pit and enclosed it in a ring of stones this works well as when you are done you put the fire out as usual and then remove the bowl and place the ash in a ash can/bucket. I use a storage bucket with multiple holes drilled in the bottom to allow water to drain from it, placed 1 inch above the bottom of the container not through the bottom as it will cause dripping when removing to curb for disposal. An image of a 50 dollar pit is attached.

[chip123]

I based my fire pit on this, kind of. i had the drum from an old washing machine just lying around, and a little camping barbeque busy dying. They just happened to fit together perfectly, and looks rather nice. I'll post a pic if anyone wants to see it.

Fire is fun :D

[DAND]

I want to see! Sounds pretty interesting!

[chip123]

Here you go then :)

[armedtodream]

Wow! This looks incredible! I never would have imagined the tub of a washing machine being so aesthetically appealing. Thanks for sharing.

[dwilliams37]

I really love this! Fantastic idea

[theweldingwizard]

Yesss amaking great idea Chip123!!!

[nightmareofdarknes]

If you added firebrick to the inside, would it last longer?

[cdesmond2]

yes but it would eventually rot w/out being covered. Firebrick doesn't like moisture, unfortunately.

[arpruss]

Can one use ordinary exterior wall bricks? Or will the heat destroy them?

[Shawn Stanford]

My brother and I built one based on this design in a couple hours after a $200 trip to Lowe's. The hardest part was digging the hole. I didn't build it as high or line it with any sort of ring. We did gap the bottom two courses of bricks and snug the top course to allow for air flow (put one less brick in the top course). This created an awkward spot or two where the courses almost lined up, but no show stoppers. The bottom is lined with a few inches of sand, no gravel, and the bricks are simply stacked with no mortar or glue. In place for a month and getting heavy use (2 or 3 times a week); working great. The pic was taken a couple days after the build using the RetroCamera app (hence the odd look).

[plznothanks]

Bear Grylls is the champ at this http://howtohacklife101.blogspot.com/2011/05/how-to-build-fire.html

[Wyle_E]

A 3 1/2-inch length of string? Shouldn't that be 3 1/2 _feet?_

[syco123]

Spinal Tap anyone?

[Phoghat]

Does it go to 11? Why? Well 11 is 1 more than 10 isn't it.
Seriously it's a nice project and I'm planning on building one when I move which isn't too far away.
Can you use charcoal instead of wood? That way it would make an awesome charcoal grill and if I could find a cover, a smoker as well

[syco123]

"We had a stonehenge monument on stage that was in danger of being trampled by a dwarf!".

[SarahMichelle]

Yes its feet - honest mistake.

[kberry_78]

Great way to reuse paving bricks and old metal drums. Ace project

[servion]

It's not reused at all, it costed 500 bucks of brand new material XD Real DIY project would be to make your own rocks. That's what I'm gonna do

[Phoghat]

Yeah but that would take a few million years

[servion]

Um I meant with cement or heat proof concrete..

[syco123]

If you're making them be careful they don't explode. Test them in a safe environment (where they can explode safely) up to operating temp. Porous rocks and home made clay bricks are potentially dangerous. Don't use porous rock and learn how to fire clay bricks safely.

[The Man From Nantucket]

Perhaps, but he does give me a great idea on how to reuse metal drums.

[Phoghat]

This is a good idea, but as I've never re purposed a steel drum do they come with a removable steel lid? How do you clean them out?

[shtonkalot]

To clean them out I'd suggest lighting a fire in them ;)

[servion]

true.

[syco123]

Leaving gaps in the bricks allows radiant heat to escape sideways. When you're sitting around a fire with a wall like this the heat goes straight up. Nice when you want the ambiance of a fire without excess heat but not as comfortable on chilly nights.

[vermeuliscious]

That's a nice fire pit, but $500 is pretty steep! The local hardware store sells a kit (minus gravel) to build something very similar for under $300.

[Slik]

Where can I find the steel ring and the cooking grate??

Thanks

[baggot]

Looks nice...but dont use it very often!!!! I made a pit like this and the landscaping bricks deteriorate over a few weeks from the heat. I ended up taking the mess to the dump. Waste of bricks.

[Celt]

You could prevent this heat deterioration by buying Firebrick. Its is made especially for fireplaces and works great.  Then you could put whatever stone on the outside as decoration. Just be sure to leave about 3 half inch gaps near the bottom row for airflow.  There is also an adhesive for the decorative stone that comes in a caulking tube so mortar does not have to be used.

[Hycro]

I used an old piece of large metal pipe, an old big-rig rim, and a random steel screen made from 1/4" bars woven together...oh, and a metal hub cap to stop the coals from falling through the hub hole in the middle of the rim.

[No_Where_Fast]

I've also seen many fire pits made with the drum from an old washing machine too. The drum in a dryer is not as easily removed as it is from a washer. 

[teslafan100]

1 Ton! That's A Lot! 

[kricketone]

I was wondering about how to remove the ash too

[kristalurick]

Found the rings at http://www.markstaar.com/category/38.html from 26"-56" diameter and 7",9", or 11" high.