This was our first real do-it-yourself project for the patio area. We wanted a fire pit that was rustic and camp-like. Something that the kids could help build and use. So nothing fancy. We researched lots of do-it-yourself projects but they were just so… well, precise and pretty. Precise and pretty is good but we were going for a more lived-in look. I wanted to post this earlier but I thought it would be good to have the fire pit get some use and make sure it held up well. So far, so good! In fact, we love it. This was a super easy project that cost about $10. Here’s what we did:
Materials:
Steps:
1) clear and level the area where you want the fire pit to go. We have ours on a gravel ground so we just shoveled the gravel away and smoothed out the ground underneath. Out fire pit is about 4 feet in diameter.
2) We are lucky to have lots of ledge and rocks on our area. I guess you could also say we’re unlucky too since ledge and rocks also bring lots of other problems {radon, digging issues, etc.} but for this project we are lucky. We grabbed a wheel barrel and collected all the rocks we could find. For the most part, they are about 8-10″ with some smaller ones to fill in the holes.
3) mix the concrete according to package instructions {basically just add water}. We mixed ours in an old wheel barrel but you can use any sort of bucket. Then, pick out the larger rocks to use as your base and line them around in a circle.
4) Start picking the rocks that will go on the next tier. This is like doing a puzzle or the game jenga. But it was fun – and challenging because I was never really good at puzzles.
5) Once you find the rocks you like and that fit well, use the trowel to scoop out the concrete and use it as “glue” to hold the rocks together. Again, we were going for the rustic look so you can see some of the cement but this worked fine with our mismatched found rocks.
6) Repeat steps 4-5 until you reach the desired height. We went with 3 tiers of rocks and seemed to angle them in a bit. We used smaller rocks to fill in any open holes.
7) Let the cement harden. We added a layer of sand on the bottom of the fire pit – it gives it a more finished look. When the cement is completely dry, add logs and light!
This fire pit style is not for everyone. We liked the rustic, campfire feel of it and the fact that it was easy to make was a huge bonus. Plus limited measuring and mistakes are ok with this style! I think this fire pit will be getting a lot of use this summer – and fall. And it’s been the perfect addition to our new patio area. Stay tuned for more on that fun space!
Do you have any fun summer must-haves that your family and friends enjoy?
I'd love to hear your comments!