Hey everyone! So, I decided to build a BBQ pit in my backyard. You know, one of those cool brick ones. I’ve always thought it would be awesome to have a permanent spot for grilling, instead of those metal grills that rust after a while. Plus, it just looks cooler, right?
First thing I did was draw up some plans. I spent a good afternoon sketching out what I wanted it to look like, how big it should be, and where all the parts would go. It’s important to get this right because once you start laying bricks, it’s kind of hard to go back!
Next, I gathered all the materials. This was a bit of a trip. I had to get a bunch of bricks, some mortar mix, and a few other bits and pieces like a metal grate for the cooking surface. I also made sure I had some basic tools, like a trowel, a level, and a good pair of gloves.
- Loads of bricks (obviously)
- Mortar mix (the stuff that holds the bricks together)
- Metal grate (for the cooking)
- Trowel (for spreading the mortar)
- Level (to make sure things are straight)
- Gloves (don’t want to mess up my hands)
Here’s what I grabbed:
Then came the actual building. I started by laying out the base layer of bricks, making sure everything was level. This is super important because if your base isn’t level, the whole thing is going to be wonky. I put down a layer of mortar, then carefully placed each brick, tapping it gently to make sure it was secure. I kept adding layers, checking the level constantly.
It took a couple of days, working on and off, to get the walls up to the height I wanted. I won’t lie, it was tiring, and my back was definitely feeling it. But seeing it take shape was pretty satisfying. Once the walls were up, I left it for a few days to let the mortar fully dry and harden.
After the mortar was all set, I added the metal grate. This was pretty simple, just needed to make sure it was securely in place. I also built a little chimney on the side. I thought it would help with the smoke and just make the whole thing look a bit more, I don’t know, professional?
Finally, I fired it up! It took a little while for the new brick to dry out from any moisture during the building, but once it did, I threw some charcoal in there and grilled up some burgers. They tasted amazing! Maybe it was just the satisfaction of cooking on something I built myself, but I swear they were the best burgers ever.
It was a lot of work, but totally worth it. Now I’ve got a sweet BBQ spot in my backyard, and I’m pretty proud of it. If you’re thinking about doing something similar, I say go for it! Just be prepared for a bit of hard work, and make sure you plan it out properly.
