fire pit questions: Off-topic discussion forum: Grassroots Motorsports Magazine

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Oct. 2, 2009 11:28 a.m. alex HalfDork

It's finally fall, my favorite season. I have a sweet yard, buncha cool trees - a little oasis in the city. I'd like to build a small fire pit.

I have two pallets of bricks left over from when this house was rehabbed in the early '80s, and an iron fence that I could use as a grate. Before I dive in though, a few questions.

First issue: is it a bad idea to just kinda...stack 'em, without mortar? I would prefer this to be a temporary structure, since I have future plans for the spot on the patio this pit would occupy. Furthermore, I'd like to be able to reuse these same bricks for said future project, so I'd rather not have to bash them apart with a sledge hammer in a few months.

Second issue: is it a bad idea to build a firepit out of non-firebricks? Am I running the risk of cracking the bricks? Further, am I running the risk of cracking the bricks of the patio below it?

Yeah, I could buy a metal firepit from a box store. But where's the fun in that?
Oct. 2, 2009 11:33 a.m. alex HalfDork

Of course, when I say fire 'pit' I really mean 'box that sits on top of patio.'
Oct. 2, 2009 11:34 a.m. walterj Dork

Stack round river rocks and fill with sand
Oct. 2, 2009 11:35 a.m. slefain Dork

I built a cracking little fire pit in my back yard with just plain cinder blocks. I turned one brick on the side to allow an air inlet at the bottom. Between the first and second course of bricks I put a piece of wire mesh. It is three bricks tall. No mortar, no cracks and I have built some HOT fires in there. I have a store bought fire pit sitting in a box that I'm going to give a try this fall, but my homemade pit will probably stay put together.
Oct. 2, 2009 5:33 p.m. alex HalfDork

After a bit of looking, I'm torn between something simple like this:

And something a little more complex - but sturdy - like this:

The last one with only one grate, and with the third side more fully enclosed. I'd still leave an opening to sweep out the ashes.

Any reason I couldn't do the latter pattern without mortar?
Oct. 2, 2009 5:39 p.m. neon4891 SuperDork

I have been using old cinder blocks for years, both for fire pits and garbage burn pit, never any issues
Oct. 2, 2009 5:50 p.m. cwh Dork

Yeah, but has the bricks. I say circular design for stability, piece of mesh about a foot up, open front, maybe a few inches of sand in the base to keep the fire off the pation. Mesh might cost 10-15.00, he has everything else on site.
Oct. 2, 2009 5:58 p.m. alex HalfDork

Ooh, I forgot about the play sand I have for the patio. Good thinking. I also have a bunch of sections of old iron fencing for the grate.

Free fire pit, here I come!
Oct. 2, 2009 6:02 p.m. ManofFewWords Reader

I had a pretty elaborate one at my last house. When I moved here I just dug out a shallow hole in the back yard, built low stone ring around. about an hour and works great.
Oct. 2, 2009 6:05 p.m. stuart in mn SuperDork

Make sure there aren't any local restrictions on backyard fire pits.
Oct. 2, 2009 6:36 p.m. alex HalfDork

Yeah, this is also going to serve as a low-buck neighborhood test for the brick oven I wan to build back there. I figure our alderman's an okay guy, since he co-owns a neighborhood dive bar.

But this will be a litmus test for the neighbors. We shall see...
Oct. 2, 2009 7:47 p.m. RossD HalfDork

I went down to the local metal recycler and picked up a sewer grate frame. Its the part that gets set in the concrete. I just dug out some dirt to let it sit down a little bit into my lawn. Works nice. Cheap too.