Instructions On How To Build A Backyard Fire Pit

A fire pit is a small dug out pit where you can build a camp fire and just gather around and talk. My goal was to bring my family togther by creating a place that we can gather in the early evening that did’nt include the Television. It is a cozy way of getting warm and at the same time bonding with the people around you.

Getting people around a fire and talking about anything under the night sky just create a mood that is hard to describe. For many years, a fire pit has been used for outdoor activities and camp outs to foster good relations among campers. But how to build a fire pit has been a topic of much discussion because it usually requires some planning and thought. You don’t want the fire pit too close to any structures that might catch fire easily or any dried up plants or wood that are highly flammable.

Keep Safety in mind when Building your Fire Pit

Starting with the basics is alway a solid decision. You want to think about the size of your fire pit. You don’t need to build a huge hole nor do you need a lot of open space. Initially plan for your fire pit to be about a foot and a half in circumference.

Building a fire pit can be easy once you gather all your materials. Make sure you have some digging tools and a supply of pea gravel and sand. You might want to purchase some concrete pavers or blocks to surround your fire pit. Check with your local home supply company like Lowe’s or Home Depot for some great ideas.

Gather your fire pit supplies, then mark the circumference by drawing a circle on the ground. Make sure you dig your fire pit about one foot deep. In the center of your first hole, you want to dig another hole about six inche around and another eight to twelve inches deep.

Fill up both holes with pea gravel and then add about three inches of sand at the very top of your fire pit. The sand should be level with the ground already. The gravel acts as a drain for your fire pit. You can now surround your fire pit with the concrete pavers or blocks. It would be better if your pavers would be at least two stacks high to prevent any rolling logs of sticks.

You might want to also build a nice place to sit around the fire pit. A simple bench can be constructed using a couple of cinder blocsk and a six foot length of redwood 2×6 lumber. Dress up the bench by using “Key Stone” landscaping blocks. These blocks are typically used to build retaining walls and come in a wide variety of textures and colors.

Make building a backyard fire pit a family project. It can be a fun and as you can see doesn’t have to be expensive.