If you enjoy spending time outdoors, you may have contemplated adding your own backyard fire pit to enhance the experience during cooler evenings or nights. Many find a fire pit to be a welcome addition that allows for relaxing by warm flames. Constructing your own backyard fire pit is not that difficult if you have the right materials and tools to do the job. Here are some general instructions to follow if you wish to make a fire pit on your own.

Materials You Will Need

• Shovel
• Crushed gravel
• Stakes
• Cement bricks
• Cement block glue
• Grill

Plan For The Construction Project

Before you can add your fire pit, you will need to find the perfect location for its positioning. Make sure the land you select for the project is in an open area, away from your home and other structures. Tree branches and electrical lines should not be overhead, and you will need to locate a spot away from your septic system, well water tank, and underground propane lines. 

Plot The Perimeter Of The Fire Pit

Place a layer of cement bricks in a circular or square shape upon the land you wish to use for your pit. Use stakes along the middle perimeter of this structure to use as a guideline and remove the bricks. Dig out several inches of soil from the middle of the stakes and fill it it with pieces of gravel. Remove the stakes. Jump up and down on the gravel pieces to tamp them into place. Add more gravel if necessary. The gravel should be flush with the ground. This will be the base for your fire pit.

Lay The Bricks To Make Your Fire Pit

Place a layer of bricks around the gravel base you had just constructed. For the next layer of your fire pit, center a brick over two of the bricks on the bottom layer. Use cement block glue to secure the brick in place. Continue in this manner, working your way around the row of bricks. When you have finished, repeat the process for another three or four rows. Allow the cement block glue to harden in its entirety. Purchase a grill to fit over the top of your fire pit. This should be slightly larger than the pit so it does not fall into the middle portion when it is in use. This is a removable piece so it can be cleaned when necessary. You can buy grills online as long as you have the right measurements so you get the right size.