Okay, so I wanted to have a fire pit in my backyard, you know, for those chill evenings with friends and family, roasting marshmallows and stuff. I decided to roll up my sleeves and build one myself using bricks. Here’s how it went down.
Getting Started
First off, I needed bricks. Not just any bricks, though. I found out that the regular ones can crack under high heat, so I got myself some fire bricks. They’re a bit bigger and thicker, made to handle the heat.
Prepping the Area
Next up, I picked a spot in my yard. I made sure it was far enough from the house, trees, and anything that could catch fire. Safety first, right? Then I marked a circle on the ground where the fire pit was gonna be. I used a stake and some string to get a perfect circle.
Laying Down the Base
I dug out the area inside the circle, about 6 inches deep. Then I filled it with gravel for drainage. This was a bit of work, but I wanted to make sure the fire pit wouldn’t turn into a mini pool every time it rained.
Building the Walls
Now for the fun part – building the walls. I started laying the fire bricks in a circle, using mortar to stick them together. I worked in sections, applying a layer of mortar on each brick before placing it down. It was like playing with adult LEGOs, but messier.
- First layer: I laid the bricks end-to-end, making sure they were level. I used a leveler tool thingy to check.
- Next layers: I staggered the bricks, like you see on a regular wall. This makes the structure stronger.
- Going up: I kept adding layers until the pit was about knee-high. I thought that was a good height.
Finishing Touches
Once the walls were up, I let the mortar dry for a couple of days. It was hard to wait, but I didn’t want my fire pit crumbling after one use. After it was all set, I added a layer of gravel around the outside of the pit, just to make it look nicer and keep weeds from growing too close. It’s the best.
And that’s it! My very own DIY brick fire pit. It wasn’t super easy, but it was totally worth it. Now I’ve got a cool spot to hang out, and I can proudly say I built it myself. Plus, it’s a great conversation starter. “Oh, this fire pit? Yeah, I made it.”
