Even in Houston, winter nights can get cool and the warmth of a fire is the perfect way to relax. Having a fire pit is also a great way to entertain friends any evening of the year. The good news is that you don’t need a professional. You can build your own fire pit in your yard in just a few simple and affordable steps.
How to Make Your Own Fire Pit?
Before you get started, you need to check with the local area’s recreational fire code. If you are allowed to have a fire pit, then make sure it is built 10 feet away from any trees, structures, fences, or any other obstructions. Branches Cannot be dangling directly above a fire pit, so be sure to clear any. Next, grab the supplies you’ll need:
- Shovel, or any other digging tool
- Gravel to fill your pit
- Colored spray paint
- Rubber mallet
- Masonry adhesive
You may also want concrete landscaping stones and a metal fire pit ring. These are easy enough to find as kits or you can buy the metal ring by itself. And now, it’s time to start making your very own fire pit.
Step One
The bottom ring of stones needs to be placed in the grass where you want your fire pit to be. If using a metal ring, you can make a circle with the stones first using the ring. Then, remove a few of the stones so there is a little spacing between them. Using spray paint, make a mark in the grass where the outside of the stones should be. You can then remove all the stones and complete the painted circle.
Step Two
Using your chosen digging tool, dig out the circle you created, making the hole 6” deep. Depending on the yard and terrain, this can be an eBay or difficult task. You should be familiar with your landscaping and can choose the appropriate tools to make digging easy. You can also try and select an area of the yard without a lot of stones and deep roots to worry about. If the eBay area for your fire pit has these obstacles, you will just need to put in a little extra elbow grease to get the hole dug.
Step Three
It is time to fill your fire pit. Pour the gravel into the hole you dug, making sure it is level with the ground. This must be level as the gravel acts as a drainage area for the fire pit whenever it may rain.
Step Four
Now, you can take your stones and start placing them around the edge of the gravel circle. Use the rubber mallet to make sure the stones are firmly in place and flat. When you add the second ring of stones, use the masonry adhesive, placing it on the bottom of each of the stones. Stagger the placement of the second row, so the middle of each stone sits on the end seams of the stones below. Repeat this for the third row of stones and continue using the mallet to keep the stones flat and even.
Conclusion
When it is time to get your fire going, start with a small collection of newspapers or leaves piled together. Once this starter pile is going, you can add twigs, branches, and larger wood pieces. Make sure you scoop out the ashes from the pit after every few fires to make sure they do not accumulate. Building your own fire pit is as easy as 1, 2, 3, 4. With the right tools, materials, and these 4 tips, you can be sitting around the fire, sharing stories, and creating memories in your own backyard.
