Today, I want to share my little adventure with red fire bricks. I’ve been wanting to build a small fire pit in my backyard for a while now, and I finally got around to doing it. I’m no expert, but I figured, how hard could it be, right?
So, first things first, I needed to get some bricks. I remembered reading somewhere that fire bricks are either hard or soft, and the hard ones are super dense and good for places with direct flames. I thought that would be important for a fire pit.
I drove down to a store and found a whole bunch of bricks. They had these red fire bricks that looked pretty solid. They were mostly white or golden, but some had a bit of red, probably from being near heat, I guess. I picked up a few and they felt heavy, which I took as a good sign. They even left a chalky mark when I scraped them, just like it said online.
Gathering My Materials
- Red fire bricks: I ended up buying around 50 bricks, figuring that should be enough for a decent-sized fire pit.
- Sand: I got a few bags of sand to create a level base for the bricks.
- Gravel: Some gravel for drainage under the sand.
- Shovel: For all the digging, obviously.
- Level: To make sure everything was nice and even.
Getting to Work
I started by marking out a circle in my backyard where I wanted the fire pit to be. Then, I dug out the area, about six inches deep. I put down a layer of gravel for drainage and then a layer of sand on top of that. I used the level to make sure the sand was flat.
Next, I started laying the bricks in a circle on top of the sand. I tried to keep them as close together as possible, tapping them down with a rubber mallet to make sure they were snug. It took some time, but eventually, I had a circular wall about three bricks high. It wasn’t perfect, but it looked pretty good to me!
I built a small fire inside using some dry wood and kindling. The flames licked against the bricks, and they seemed to hold up just fine. There’s something really satisfying about watching a fire you built yourself, surrounded by bricks you laid with your own hands.
The whole project took a weekend, and I was pretty sore afterward, but it was totally worth it. Now I have a nice little spot in my backyard where I can relax and enjoy a fire on a cool evening. I’m not saying I’m a master bricklayer now, but I’m pretty proud of what I accomplished. If I can do it, anyone can!
