5 Tips To Building Your Own Fire Pit

It’s possible to maximize the functionality of your yard by building a fire pit. Sitting around an outdoor fire pit is the perfect way to relax and get warm in the company of loved ones. You can easily create a DIY fire pit without having to call for extra help. All that’s required is some bricks and a few tools to get the work done.

There’s a wide variety of bricks to choose from. Apart from field stones, you can also pick out cinder blocks or ordinary concrete bricks. Although blocks made of concrete usually deteriorate quickly when subjected to intense heat, they can be replaced inexpensively.

Here are 5 tips to building your own fire pit:

Select the right location

Avoid choosing a spot that’s adjacent to trees, plants and other vegetation – you might inadvertently cause a fire. Also think about the wind’s direction. Since fire produces smoke, ensure that this smoke won’t be blown into the house. Essentially, your fire pit should be situated some distance from the house. Other than making it round, think of other distinct designs that can set it apart.

Get the right tools

To build a good fire pit, you need to have all the appropriate tools. You can either purchase these tools or hire them for this particular purpose. These tools include:

A shovel
A mattock
Rubber mallet
Masonry adhesive

Ample preparation will hasten the installation process – you can finish this entire DIY project in a day if all these tools are available. A mattock is used to dig out the soil while the shovel collects this dislodged soil and places it elsewhere to create a hole. The masonry adhesive is similar to cement, gluing the bricks together. The rubber mallet, on the other hand, compacts the stone courses.

Dig a hole and lay bricks all round

The bricks you select for your DIY fire pit should be of high quality. The first process involves digging a hole several inches deep. A shovel can be used to dig out the soil to create a pit that has a diameter of about 32 inches. Next, lay your bricks course by course till a sufficient height is reached. Ensure you leave four or five random gaps when laying stones in each course to ensure that the fire can access enough air to facilitate combustion.

Create a fire

The proof will ultimately be in the pudding – when you’re finally done with constructing the fire pit, it’s finally time to build a fire. If you want a large fire, pile up your wood into a tepee and place some kindling at the center. Use your lighter or matchbox to light a fire: it might take a while for the wood to blaze. Finally, enjoy the warm evening with family.

Check your city’s regulations

In some places, it’s illegal to build fire pits because they pose a great risk of wildfires. Ensure you check with your area to ascertain that it’s safe to construct a fire pit in your yard. The local fire department in your area will certainly have such information, so contact them before you can set the ball rolling.

These few tips will help you build your own fire pit within no time.