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This fall I'd like to build a fire pit in my back yard. Does anyone have a good step by step guide or tutorial? Nothing fancy but a small to medium sized pit just for maybe 4-6 people to stand around in the winter. This would be wood burning not gas, etc.
Not sure if I want to go round or square. Any pros and cons or is it just a personal choice? Is one easier to build than the other?
Mine was like that but a different color. The black metal piece did rust pretty quickly though.
If you want to cook over the pit, it is probably better to design a square one. If it's more to just burn stuff and have a couple beers and maybe roast s'mores a circular one is nice. It is a bit more social.
Put a pack of frozen tofu dogs in the cooler and every fire is a "cooking fire".
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Originally Posted by gailjnh
Check this the FD first since most have regulations on how far from a structure they have to be. And some towns require a permit each time you use it.
Definitely check with the fire department and also read state & local regulations carefully.
Often there is an exception for "cooking fires", so you might want to build your fire pit with provisions for putting a grill on top, then you just need a pack of hot dogs in the cooler and every fire is a "cooking fire".
The best firepits are far from those links (not talkin' hot dogs either!)-
Well designed pits have fire brick lining the inside. The bottom of the pit is domed so water doesn't collect and the wall has air vents at the base that serve as drains for water as well.
A sand or gravel base will hold moisture and makes cleaning out ash near impossible. Using landscape/retaining wall block is OK for the exterior, but not alone. Concrete block can do crazy things when wet/saturated and exposed to high heat- that's the reason for the fire brick lining.
All the big box home improvement stores have sales material from the block/paver manufactures that have fire pit plans. Many will show various configuration from small round ones to elaborate ones with a waterfall or TV stand built in. Those brochures may even tell you exactly how many small, medium , or large pavers you will needs and in what order to install them. At my local Lowes, if you take the brochure to the CS desk, they will calculate what you need and even pull and bundle the items for you. They also have several premade kits with inserts and ember screens.
That doesn't look like the upper section of Dodger Stadium- but the seats sure do!
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Put a pack of frozen tofu dogs in the cooler and every fire is a "cooking fire".
