Okay, so, I’ve always wanted a nice outdoor fireplace. A real brick one, you know? Not one of those metal fire pits, but a proper fireplace. The whole deal. But have you seen the prices? I mean, those pre-made ones are, like, a couple of thousand, and a custom one? Forget about it. You’re looking at least $6,000 to $20,000 for the custom ones. I thought, “No way, there’s gotta be a cheaper way.”
So I started looking into it, and I decided to build it myself, to see if I can get away with doing it at a lower price. DIY-style, right? First thing, I sketched out a basic design. Nothing fancy, just a simple, classic fireplace. I figured the simpler, the easier. I looked at pictures online. A lot of pictures.
Then came the materials. I went with regular old bricks. And I did some digging on where to get them cheap. I found a few places. I’ve found some places that sell bricks for cheap. I also needed mortar, and that wasn’t too bad price-wise. I also decided to add a bit of a base with some concrete blocks, just to give it a bit more structure and a nice look, you know?
Next, I marked out the area in my backyard where the fireplace was going to go. I cleared it out, leveled the ground. This part was a bit of work, I am not going to lie. I made sure the ground is flat and sturdy so that the fireplace would be stable and safe.
Building the fireplace
Now, the fun part: building! I started with the concrete block base. Laid them out, made sure they were level. Then, brick by brick, I started building up the fireplace. This was slow going. I’m not a professional mason, so I took my time. Laid a layer of mortar, then a brick, then checked if it’s level, then repeat. It was kind of therapeutic, in a way.
- Day 1: Got the base done and started on the first few layers of bricks.
- Day 2: Built up the firebox area. This is where the actual fire goes, so I made sure the bricks were laid out nice and tight.
- Day 3: Continued upwards. I started to see the fireplace shape take form. It was pretty exciting!
- Day 4: Finished the main body and started on the chimney. The chimney was a bit tricky, not going to lie. Had to make sure it was straight and that the bricks were lining up right.
- Day 5: Topped off the chimney and did some finishing touches. Cleaned up the excess mortar, made sure everything looked good.
All in all, it took me about five days of on-and-off work. And you know what? It turned out pretty darn good! I mean, it’s not perfect. There are a few bricks that aren’t perfectly aligned, and the mortar could be smoother in places, but hey, it’s my own hand-built brick fireplace! It has a rustic, handmade charm to it, you know? And you know what? I really like it.
And the best part? It cost me way less than those fancy pre-made ones. I reckon I spent about $500 to $600 on materials. That’s a huge saving! Plus, I got the satisfaction of building it myself. It’s become a real focal point in my backyard. I’ve had a few friends over, and we’ve sat around it, had some drinks, and just enjoyed the warmth and the ambiance. It’s exactly what I wanted.
So, yeah, that’s my outdoor brick fireplace DIY story. It was a bit of work, a bit of a learning curve, but totally worth it. If you’re thinking about it, I say go for it! Just be prepared to put in some elbow grease and have some patience. But in the end, you’ll have a unique, hand-built fireplace that you can be proud of.
