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Build a fire pit in 6 simple steps
Veda Dante, August
2017
Building a fire pit in your backyard is a simple DIY job you can do on the weekend that will bring endless hours of year-round enjoyment. If you love entertaining outdoors, star-gazing on a cool night, or roasting marshmallows with the kids, then the flickering flames of a fire pit will create both a focal point and design feature.
"Essentially, a fire pit is the new water feature; it’s a great addition to the backyard, transforming the outdoor area into a cosy and inviting space,” explains landscape expert and Adbri Masonry brand ambassador, Jason Hodges.
“The ambience a fire pit brings is worth the investment alone, providing an enjoyable feature for the garden and a natural gathering spot for socialising and entertaining. I like to describe it as nature’s TV and people are naturally drawn to the campfire-like atmosphere."
You can build a fire pit pretty much out of anything – a 44-gallon drum cut in half, a washing machine tub or one made of old house bricks – but here Jason shows how to construct one from basic Adbri courtyard blocks.
Step 1: Excavation
After you determine the location of your fire pit, you will need to excavate the area. Lay the first course of Adbri AB Courtyard York blocks so you can mark the location of where the blocks will be. Remove the blocks and dig a level trench 75mm deep and 178mm wide or excavate the full circle.
Step 2: Creating the foundation
Fill the trench with a weak mix of sand and cement, about 6:1 (six parts sand and one part cement). Take your time to ensure the foundation is level. Place 4 x AB Courtyard blocks at the cross points of the circle and use a straight 2x4 and a level to check the entire trench is level. Make adjustments by adding or removing the sand and cement screed.
Step 3: Laying the first course
Place the base course of blocks on the foundation pad, check the levelling each time a few blocks are laid to ensure that they are all level from front to back and side to side before placing the next block. This will ensure a level base course.
Step 4: Second course
Stack the next course of blocks, making adjustments as necessary. Once installed, remove sod or vegetation from the centre of the fire pit area. Lay roughly 6 x 23-kg bags of clean rock within the circle to cover the bottom of the fire pit. Then using a shovel, rake smooth.
Step 5: Finish with wall caps
Place AB Courtyard Caps on top of the fire pit, securing them with a tube of masonry adhesive.
