With summer on the horizon, it’s an opportune time to unwind outdoors with friends and family. What better way to do this than huddled around the warm glow of a fire?
1. Take Necessary Precautions You’d be pretty disappointed if after going through the whole process to build a fire pit, you find that it’s against the law in your area. Check in with the law authorities near you to prevent this and learn about any specific laws in the region that may deem fire pits illegal or dictate specific rules to have one (it’s common for pits to be a specific distance from a home).
2. Claim a Safe Spot Scout out an area a secure distance from your home. Make sure there are no looming tree branches, brush, or outdoor equipment within proximity. Also, keep a safe distance from property lines and fuel tanks.
3. Gather Materials
- Stones/bricks; avoid using rocks and materials that have been recently exposed to rain or water as these could explode after being heated.
- Shovel
- Rake
- Wheelbarrow
- Durable work gloves
- Concrete mix
4. Dig the Base Dig out the general base of the pit roughly five-to-seven inches deep and about three-to-four feet wide, depending on your preference; rake the dirt so that it it is even and flat. Following this, designate the pit's center and create another, smaller circle within the base’s circumference, which can be marked with spray paint.
5. Stack the Bricks/Stones Stack the bricks (or stones) you have chosen for your fire pit around the inner ring you have created. Assemble these tightly against one another to form the wall surrounding the fire. There should be at least two firmly-stacked layers; visually, the perimeter of the entrenched base should be lined with these bricks as a protective fortress surrounding the inner ring.
6. Add Concrete Mix the concrete by following the specific directions laid out by the brand you have chosen to use. Once the mix is ready to go, add and spread it around the inner ring; allow the concrete to dry as needed. If unfamiliar with handling concrete mix, watch the video below.
[embed]https://youtu.be/ANkPGzAEAHI[/embed] There you have it! By taking the proper safety precautions and following the rules above, your fire pit should be good to go!
