Introduction: Moveable Cement Firepit
I made a concrete firepit in my backyard, in suburban America, to enjoy over the summer. I first made a mold to pour the concrete in out of 3/4" plywood that used to be part of my neighbor's floor. I cut a large octagon and smaller side pieces as walls and nailed them together. Any holes between the boards were patched with duct tape, trash bags, and cardboard.
I mixed portland cement with Quikrete all-purpose sand in roughly a 1-3 ratio and poured it into the mold. I used some chicken wire from the garage through the mold to try to give strength to the concrete.
The legs of the firepit are made from some aluminum pipe that was salvaged from our pool's solar cover, which had gotten torn up. There are four legs, two of them with wheels so that it can be moved. The wheels are salvaged from an old lawnmower I took apart, and were bolted onto the aluminum pipes.
Broken glass from beer and wine bottles was used as decoration along the top of the firepit. I broke them by smashing the bottles inside a five gallon bucket with a sledge hammer.
I realize there aren't a ton, or very good pictures, but I figured someone may find some use out of this.
I like commments!! : )
14 Comments
11 years ago on Introduction
Nice work! Did you calculate the size using some formula or was it just 'this looks good'? I'm thinking that if the walls weren't so thick it would be lighter & easier to move. Also, you've had it for a while now, how has it worked out over time?
Reply 11 years ago on Introduction
There was some calculation involved, but mostly what looked good to me at the time. If I could do it over again I would have definitely made some big changes. Over time, it hasn't gotten a lot of use, and it has cracked more than we would have liked. Also, the broken glass may look nice, but my mom for whatever reason now sees it as a big safety hazard, even though I disagree.
So, for next time I would make the pit itself smaller, as we don't need one as large as this. The walls would be 2 inches thick maximum, instead of four. I would use refractory cement to reduce/eliminate cracking, and I would use glass beads instead of broken glass to avoid sharp edges.
Thanks for the comment!
11 years ago on Introduction
ummmm...i didnt think high heat and cement were a good mixture???? air bubbles in the finished form could ((((POP))))
Reply 11 years ago on Introduction
That is both true and untrue. The fire from the wood burning is unlikely to get hot to the point where a lot of cracking is an issue. However, using refractory cement is a much better option is you can find it.
Reply 11 years ago on Introduction
right on....my firepit (bowl) is all steel, and potable as hell. 1st meal was cooked in it, frm starting to cooking in about 45 min. though i started it months after i cut the tank in half (40 min job using a jig saw)...but portable concrete pit is an awesome feat.
12 years ago on Introduction
Nifty idea you have. I admire your drive to build the fire pit even in suburbia!
Reply 12 years ago on Introduction
Thanks!
12 years ago on Introduction
That is a great idea using the broken glass. Thanks for the tip.
Concrete Fire Pit
13 years ago on Introduction
What about general dimensions?
it's not very heavy?
Reply 13 years ago on Introduction
I believe that it is about 4' by 4'. The walls are about 6" wide and 6"6 tall to the floor of the inside of the firepit. The total height is about 10" high. It is extremely heavy, with everything from the bags adding up to be a fair bit over 400 pounds.
13 years ago on Introduction
The broken glass on the rim is actually a very nice touch. Especially if you grind it down a bit and then polish it completely smooth. I've seen kitchen tops done this way and those did look absolutely stunning. It will take some time to do this, so weigh the pro's (looks good) and con's (takes a lot of work and time) carefully. I'm not sure it's worth it for an outdoor fireplace... :-) Anyway, good job. I would love to make a fire pit myself, but even with your thorough write-up I'm not sure I could do it...
Reply 13 years ago on Introduction
Thanks for the comment! : ).. I didn't think about grinding it down, that would be a great idea, but not something I'm going to tackle right now I don't think. I'm sure you could handle it, the process wasn't all that difficult as much as it was just time consuming, and the time I spent could have been cut down drastically if I had another person with me to help mix the concrete.
13 years ago on Introduction
Hey! Nice job. I think you actually do have enough photos to do a step by step Instructable. Would love to see that! Nice touch with the glass by the way.
Reply 13 years ago on Introduction
Hey, thanks so much for the comment! I thought about doing a full Instructable but then I would want to be as thorough as possible, and I mainly wanted a picture of pouring the cement, which is hard to do with cement all over yourself. Thanks, I think it turned out well, it's just a little rough in some places.