Okay, so I decided it was time to get a fire pit for the backyard. I’ve always wanted one, you know, for those cool evenings, roasting marshmallows, and just hanging out with friends. I did some looking around online and at the stores, but everything was either way too expensive or just looked kinda flimsy. So I thought, “Why not just build one myself?” I’m no expert, but I figured I could handle stacking some bricks.
First thing I did was grab a shovel and mark out a circle in the yard where I wanted the fire pit to go. I used a string tied to a stick in the center, like a makeshift compass. My goal was 4 feet diameter, but I made the area I marked out on the ground to be about 5 feet diameter to make the process easier later. After that I dug out the area a few inches deep. I just eyeballed it, really, but it was deep enough to make it look like it was gonna be a real fire pit, not just some bricks on the grass.
Next, I went to the home improvement store and bought a bunch of bricks. I just grabbed the regular clay bricks. Yeah, I read somewhere that they might crack over time, but they were way cheaper than those fancy fire bricks. Plus, I figured if a few crack, I can just replace them, right? I got 96 of them, just to be safe. I also got some gravel for the base, because I saw that in a few pictures online, and it seemed like a good idea. It adds drainage and make it look nicer. I got 2 bags of gravels that looks like enough to cover the bottom I dug.
Building the thing was actually pretty easy. I poured the gravel into the hole I dug, leveled it out a bit, and then started laying the bricks in a circle. I used a leveler and make sure each layer of bricks are as flat as possible, and I also try to make sure that the gap between each bricks are consistent. I stacked them up about three rows high, and it looked pretty good! I didn’t use any mortar or anything, just stacked them tightly together. I think it looks more rustic that way, anyway. Also, the inside diameter is around 4 feet, just as I planned.
Here’s a quick rundown of what I used:
- Shovel
- 96 regular clay bricks
- 2 bags of Gravel
- String and stick (for marking the circle)
- A leveler
Honestly, the whole thing took me maybe a couple of hours, not counting the trip to the store. And you know what? It looks awesome! We’ve already used it a few times, and it works great. I’m pretty proud of myself, to be honest. I saved a bunch of money, and I got a cool fire pit out of the deal. If you’re thinking about getting a fire pit, I say go for it and build one yourself! It’s easier than you might think, and it’s definitely worth the effort.
