Backyard fire pit area
24 Best Backyard Fire Pit Ideas
Is there anything better than hanging around a fire with loved ones? Toasting marshmallows in the summer or drinking spiked cider in the winter, a fire pit is a year-round gathering spot. If your backyard is lacking a crackling oasis of its own, we've found 19 outdoor fire pit ideas and shopping tips to help you achieve romantic campfire hangs at home. There are a lot of stylish options out there—and many of them are surprisingly affordable. Get inspired by the gorgeous outdoor spaces and ultra-cool backyard fire pit ideas, from portable, enclosed outdoor fireplaces (that are still s'mores worthy!) to beautiful, open concrete and steel options.
1
Customize With Fabric
LAURE JOLIET
ETC.etera's outdoor fire pit stands out with custom cushions on the built-in bench. Not only does the printed fabric add character and color, but it also provides somewhere comfy for people to sit around the fire.
2
Strategize Around Shape
Heather Hilliard Design
If you already have outdoor furniture for your patio, make sure to take measurements and think about the shapes of your preexisting pieces before falling in love with a fire pit. On this roof terrace designed by Heather Hilliard, the long, narrow silhouette of the fire pit complements the sofa perfectly.
3
Create Privacy the Natural Way
To make your fire pit lounge area even more intimate, consider creating privacy with tall hedges instead of fencing. Here, Jenn Feldman kept things grayscale with a concrete fire pit and complementary seating. The high hedges add privacy, drama, and best of all, greenery.
4
Section It Off
Robert McKinley Studio
Studio Robert McKinley used different materials to distinguish hangout areas in the backyard and keep the fire pit area far away from the swimming pool's splash zone.
The concrete flooring under the fire pit sitting area is a durable and sturdy finish.
5
Match It to Your Seating
Commune Design
A freestanding bowl shape has a nice floating effect when color-matched to the surrounding furniture. Even if you choose something a little more modern, like a stainless steel fire pit with interlocking panels, adding a few butterfly chairs completes the effect.
6
Keep Blankets and Towels Nearby
Alexander DB
A built-in seating nook is inherently cozy—add an outdoor fireplace, and you've struck gold. This California backyard designed by Alexander DB is equal parts modern and intimate with its rough, natural materials.
7
Hang String Lights
Bon Traveler
It doesn't take much to make a backyard feel magical, no matter the size.
Even a small city patio can transport you elsewhere if you hang romantic string lights. Rustic wooden furniture becomes cozy when surrounding a fire pit and layered with pillows and sheepskin throws. If you have a smaller yard, opt for an enclosed fireplace. You can also take it on the go to a friend's place—the party goes wherever you are!
8
Enclose It With Rocks
Bon Traveler
To make it feel like a special area, set the fire pit apart from the rest of the space by enclosing it with a border of rocks. If you love the rustic look, opt for a round cast iron fire pit bowl in a terra cotta hue.
9
Channel a Campfire
Francesco Lagnese
Designer Bonnie Edelman created this outdoor feature as a gathering place for friends and family. Designed with storage in mind, the setup features speakers hidden in the walls of local stone and logs stacked under the benches.
If stonework is your thing, a round fire pit would be a perfect addition to your backyard.
10
Make It Minimalist
Ed Hollander Design
This open-basin cast iron fire pit is so simple and yet, so stunning — the perfect addition to any backyard. Classic white patio furniture and a minimalist deck designed by Hollander Design allow us to focus on the real stunner: that waterfront view.
11
Lay Tiles Underneath
Studio Lifestyle
A square or rectangular concrete fire pit lends an industrial edge to the backyard. We love how this area designed by Studio Life.Style uses geometric shapes throughout the yard, down to the ceramic tiles and pillows.
12
Give It a Backdrop
Bon Traveler
Leave it to the Jonathan Adler-designed Parker hotel in Palm Springs, California to offer the perfect outdoor fire pit situation.
At the center of the circular tile island in the middle of the lawn, all eyes will be on the roaring fire. The surrounding butterfly chairs introduce a laidback, SoCal vibe, which is further accentuated by the tall palm trees and dreamy pampas grass.
13
Go Multifunctional
James Merrell
Just looking at the incredible view in Thom Filicia's yard puts you in a more relaxing frame of mind. If you have a large lawn, consider building a fire pit hangout zone in the middle of it. If you're working with a smaller space, consider a round stone fire pit that also doubles as a surface space to rest your drinks.
14
Build Into the Ground
Studio Lifestyle
This recessed lounge area designed by Studio Life.Style feels like a romantic, relaxing space to unwind. Because it's sunken, it feels private and separate from the rest of the space.
Opt for one that doubles as a cocktail table so you don't have to take up space with side tables when you're eating and drinking al fresco.
15
Lead Us to It
Janice Parker Design
All eyes are on this fire pit, thanks to the hypnotizing pathway that leads us there in this backyard designed by Janice Parker Design. The shape of the chairs mimic the soft rounded edges of the fireplace and rounded stone enclosure separating the circular patio from the rest of the lawn.
16
Have Fun With It
PHOTO: Scott Hargis; DESIGN: Regan Baker Design
Surrounded by comfy, eclectic seating, this fire pit area is the perfect backyard retreat. Add a rocking chair (in a pop of color if you're feeling bold!) and floor cushions for extra seating. For another fire pit option that strikes the balance between bohemian and formal, try a hammered copper fire pit.
17
Get Graphic
Nicole Franzen
The Surfrider Hotel roof deck in Malibu is the best outdoor space inspiration we've seen in a long time. Take style notes from the sleek and simple matte black fire pit surrounded by spacious sofas with contemporary graphic throw pillows piled on.
18
Forget About Grass
HB
Now here's an outdoor fire pit idea we can get behind. For an Ojai vacation home, a laid-back seating area fits the no-hurries, no-worries vibe. The fire bowl warms up the courtyard during cooler weather. And the gravel ground gives it an interesting rustic feel.
19
Look Out at a View
Stephen Karlisch
Designed by LH Designs, this outdoor area in House Beautiful's 2021 Whole Home project really has it all.
"I think about outdoor space the same way I do interiors: Every area needs to have a purpose." The pool was a necessity, given Texas's scorching summers, so everything was built around that. There's a grilling table with its own dining table and then this pretty lounge centered around the fire pit.
20
Put It Near a Hot Tub
Laure Joliet
In this San Francisco 1920s Spanish colonial designed by interior decorator Regan Baker, landscape architect studio Terremoto, and architecture firm Medium Plenty, the three came together to mastermind this bonus entertaining space. Complete with a hot tub, fire pit and built-in bench, and herb garden, it really extends the liveable square footage of this home.
21
Make It the Centerpiece
KARYN MILLET
To create a 20-foot-tall courtyard in the center of his Los Angeles home, designer Eric Olsen's team had to dig 11 feet to lay the footing and foundation.
It really is the heart of the home, especially thanks to the roaring fire pit.
22
Disguise It With a Tile Topper
Victoria Pearson
Designed by Molly Luetkemeyer, this Los Angeles hilltop home is all about fun, so she incorporates tons of vibrant colors, comfy furniture, and personal touches to create opportunities for connection and laidback get-to-togethers. And the patio is no exception. Parties always gravitate to the outdoor fire pit, which is hidden under a blue tile tabletop. The pergola also features retractable sola
23
Strive for Minimalism
General Assembly
This open-basin cast iron fire pit is so simple and yet, so stunning — the perfect addition to any backyard. Contemporary hoop chairs and a minimalist deck and pool designed by General Assembly allow us to focus on the serene forest backdrop.
24
Optimize It for Camping
James Merrell
"This home allows you to feel the majesty of the Adirondacks from the ground up, from the wildflower to the mountain," says designer Anthony Baratta. A ground-level mattress piled with snuggly blankets and throws in outdoor grade fabrics inside an open-air structure creates a cozy spot for campfire stories and smores on the compound.
Hadley Mendelsohn Senior Editor Hadley Mendelsohn is House Beautiful's senior design editor and the co-host and executive producer of the podcast Dark House.
Unique Fire Pit Area Ideas for Entertaining and Enjoying
Fire pits are a great extension of the living room and the kitchen that makes a charming family lounging area. Whether you have a vast expanse of a yard or a diminutively small one, the fire pit area ideas are endless. You can build an inground or aboveground one or maybe settle for portable fire pits.
Whatever you put around it – seats, decors, even the fire pit design itself – also matters. It makes the place more livable, comfortable, and entertaining.
But before you start digging and setting up your backyard fire pit, it pays to ask about local restrictions.
Some states and cities allow recreational fires, but there are local housing associations that do not; for safety purposes. So check with your local authorities beforehand. After legally understanding the limitations, it is now time to light up your nights with these cool fire pit ideas.
15 Cool (and Hot) Fire Pit Area Ideas
Engrave a Warning
Photo Credit: Pexels/Kindel MediaThis awesome beach and outdoor fire pit include a meticulous warning on its surface. The engraves add subtle detail and do so with attentive functionality. While you idle around, the design will keep a mindful caution to keep your hands off the hot ashes. You will likely find fire pit area ideas like this in public and open settings. But it is also one hot idea to consider for backyard fire pits.
A Cutesy Flaming Sphere
Photo Credit: The Home DepotIf you want to make a striking statement on your patio, decorative fire pits are the way to go. This flaming sphere is among the most popular fire pit area ideas that convey an aesthetic and functional delight.
It will not only light up your night but also lightens up the entire mood with added sensuality.
The Vintage Illusion
Photo Credit: Wayfair/Williston ForgeBrick and stones are classic types of fire pits that have a ring of age-old tradition in them. It is famous mostly for the cameo of marshmallows and skewers on the side. Vintage fire pit area ideas are timeless reminiscences of the good old days. And they likely won’t exit the stage because of their ageless curb appeal.
Adding a Contemporary Detail
Photo Credit: manmadediy.comA sleek and smooth fire pit is one of the fabulous fire pit area ideas to consider. It plays up your garden view with seamless and stunning beauty. DIY concrete fire pits like this one have a nice profile to give your patio a striking personality. We got this fabulous DIY concrete firepit idea from ManMadeDIY.
Like a Campfire
Photo Credit: earthturfwood.comThe abundance of space will not deter you from creating magnificent landscape arts and amazing fire pit area ideas.
If you have an available surface, go on ahead and create a spotlight in your yard. Build an open fire pit and litter the ground with gravel both for aesthetic and safety. Rock boulders as seating options will also make the outdoor setting more ruggedly pleasing.
Warm Up the Place with Cozy Seating
Photo Credit: earthturfwood.comThe outdoors are in no doubt the best place for little fun and relaxation with family and friends. That’s why patio seat ideas are a nice addition for cultivating an approachable front (or back) lawn. Brick fire pits surrounded by comfy seats are charming fire pit area ideas for the patio. They will exude warmth and add a welcoming vibe to the yard.
Own a Backyard Fire Pit on a Budget
Photo Credit: themandagies.comIf you don’t want to spend a fortune on posh fire pits, portable fire pits make a better alternative. This bowl fire pit flanked by plush seats and surrounded by flowers is a wholesome reprieve after a long day. String lights also turn it into a romantic getaway.
Adding a lawn edging defines the space making it appear more private and special.
A Stylish Aboveground Fire Pit
Photo Credit: abeautifulmess.comDedicate a space for your fire pit that is also bursting in happy colors and has inclusive seating. This semi-circular bench, for example, will accommodate more people around the fire pit. The bright and colorful throw pillows also add life instantly to any lounging area. Then, you can add more chairs for a perfect and fun backyard retreat.
And How Do We Love Thee?
Photo Credit: Instagram/burkhartinteriorsOh, let us count the ways. The textured pavement and the raised fire pit that embraces the space with vintage tranquility? Or maybe the uniquely shaped chair that encompasses the old-time vibe of this recreational space? Or perhaps the surrounding plants and greenery that offers it a soft yet whimsy feel? These fire pit area ideas indeed have that strong sense of inclination to the good old rustic courtyard.
The Sunken Fire Garden
Photo Credit: Instagram/housexteriorThis sophisticatedly beautiful modern fire pit is every inch fabulous and romantic.
It is like a very special and private place that will surely spark up late-night conversations. Setting aside its opulent appeal, you may also recreate the look of this al fresco lounge. Do it by digging your fire pit and cushioned seating some few inches down the ground.
Embrace the Curve
Photo Credit: Instagram/bobvilaThis curved annex designed specially to accommodate a fire pit is downright affable. It is neither touching the ground nor leveled with the balcony floor. With this recession, the place feels private but at the same time sociable for a group. With a composite decking, wooden floorboard, and cushioned seats, it fires up an alluring space to laze around after dusk.
Live with the View
Photo Credit: Crate and BarrelIf your estate is blessed with a picturesque view, you may not want to turn off its beauty at night. The laid-back seating in this lounging area will let your guests enjoy the stunning view during the day. Reinforce it with a sophisticated fire pit, and it will extend the night of fun further with some warmth.
Perfect for Dining and Drinking
Photo Credit: athomewithashley.comIncorporating side tables are also excellent fire pit ideas. Besides, lounging and relaxing often rhymes with eating and drinking. This outdoor family area understands the need and heeds the call with an added side table and bar counter. So you can go on with the night relaxed, entertained, and definitely full – although maybe, a little bit not sober.
Going Minimalist
Photo Credit: instructables.comThis fire pit does look simple and minimal. But, there is so much to love in this fresh and neat little space. One is the juxtaposition of the soft grass against the hard bricks. There is also that awesome semi-circular bench that doubles as bare firewood storage. And we can’t move over not mentioning that natural wall of green shrubs that give it its privacy. These fire pit area ideas turn this corner into an interesting little relaxation place.
The Perfect Fire Pit Patio
Photo Credit: brooklynlimestone.
comHere are some of the backyard fire pit area ideas that you cannot unsee and may want to replicate. It pools together all the goodness that you will look for in an outdoor lounging and recreation. From the surrounding greeneries, comfy seats, to the romantic string lights, and cocktail bar, this is the perfect place to spend the cool summer nights around the fire with undeniable bliss.
Takeaway
As the sun begins to burn low into a nice summer evening, nothing beats a relaxing outdoor reprieve to unwind. Creating a cozy outdoor atmosphere to warm up the night is as easy as setting up a little fire pit. This alfresco lounge makes a great place for socializing while maybe grilling something over some nightcaps and conversations. So make the moment worth its while with the best fire pit area ideas for your yard!
Outdoor Dreams
Outdoor Dreams
Photo of a Medium Size Neoclassical (Modern Classic) Backyard Yard with a Fireplace and paving slabs without sun protection
Del Mar Exterior Renovation
SJS Studios Inc.
Bluestone Pavers, custom Teak Wood banquette with cement tile inlay, Bluestone firepit, custom outdoor kitchen with Teak Wood, concrete waterfall countertop with Teak surround.
Wilmington Court - Fire Pit
Paul N. Brow, Architect, LLC
Built-in custom polished concrete fire-pit with surrounding brick bench with a bluestone cap. Bluestone patio paving with slot of gray beach pebbles. Fire-pit has natural gas with an electric spark starter. Bench seating has a wood screen wall that includes lighting & supports vine growth.
San Francisco 2-Story Addition
JMJ Studios
View of rear yard included custom-colored concrete walls, pavers, riverstone and a built-in bench around a firepit. Sliding Glass wall system by Nanawall. All exterior lighting by Bega. Catherine Nguyen Photography
North Beach Refresh
Board & Vellum
Photo by Andrew Giammarco.
Original design example of a medium sized backyard with fire pit and paving
Bob-O-Link | 2018
Coats Homes
Pictured: large neoclassical (modern classic) backyard with decking, canopy and fire pit
Spanish Revival House
Colossus Mfg.
Outdoor living space in backyard features a fire pit and a cement tile fountain.
Design ideas for a Mediterranean backyard with fire pit and decking without sun protection
Holladay Residence
Clayton Vance Architecture
Photo of a large classic back yard with fire pit and decking stone paving without sun protection with
Tibbs - Preston Hollow
AquaTerra Outdoors
A fresh design idea: a small neoclassical (modern classic) backyard with a fire pit, cobblestone pavers and a canopy - great interior photo
Lemont Landscaping
KD Landscape
The distinct spaces can be seen from this overhead view.
The dining area is separated from the social space by three large containers on one side and from the fire pit by a low profile planting bed on the other side. A small grill with counter is conveniently located near the three season room. Landscape design by John Algozzini. Photo courtesy of Mike Crews Photography.
Prarie Village Oasis
Nature's Touch
Ipe decking, Earthworks EW Gold Stone decking, and exposed aggregate concrete create a beautiful contrast and balance that give this outdoor architecture design a Frank Lloyd Wright feel. Ipe decking is one of the finest quality wood materials for luxury outdoor projects. The exotic wood originates from South America. This environment contains a fire pit, with cobblestone laid underneath. Shallow, regress lighting is underneath each step and the fire feature to illuminate the elevation change. The bench seating is fabricated stone that was honed to a beautiful finish. This project also features an outdoor kitchen to cater to family or guests and create a total outdoor living experience.
Ketron Custom Builders
Housetrends Magazine
When you open the back doors of the home of Nancy and Jeremy Campbell in Granville, you don’t just step out onto a patio. You enter an extension of a modern living space that just happens to be outdoors. Their patio’s unique design and setting provides the comfort and style of indoors while enjoying the natural beauty and fresh air of outdoors. It all started with a rather desolate back yard. “It was completely blank, there was nothing back there,” Nancy remembers of the patio space of this 1972 split-level house they bought five years ago. With a blank slate to work with, the Campbells knew the key elements of what they wanted for their new outdoor space when they sat down with Travis Ketron of Ketron Custom Builders to design it.
“We knew we wanted something covered so we could use it in the rain, and in the winter, and we knew we wanted a stone fireplace,” Nancy recalls. Travis translated the Campbells’ vision into a design to satisfy outdoor entertaining and relaxing desires in all seasons. The new outdoor space is reminiscent of a vast, rustic great room complete with a stone fireplace, a vaulted ceiling, skylights, and ceiling fans, yet no walls. The space is completely open to the elements without any glass or doors on any of the sides, except from the house. Furnished like a great room, with a built-in music system as well, it’s truly an extension of indoor living and entertaining space, and one that is unaffected by rain. Jeremy comments, “We haven't had to cover the furniture yet. It would have to be a pretty strong wind to get wet.” Just outside the covered patio is a quartet of outdoor chairs adorned with plush cushions and colorful pillows, positioned perfectly for users to bask in the sun. In the design process, the fireplace emerged as the anchor of the space and set the stage for the outdoor space both aesthetically and functionally.
“We didn't want it to block the view. Then designing the space with Travis, the fireplace became the center,” remembers Jeremy. Placed directly across from the two sets of French doors leading out from the house, a Rumford fireplace and extended hearth of stone in neutral earth tones is the focal point of this outdoor living room. Seating for entertaining and lounging falls easily into place around it providing optimal viewing of the private, wooded back yard. When temperatures cool off, the fireplace provides ample warmth and a cozy setting to experience the change of seasons. “It’s a great fireplace for the space,” Jeremy says of the unique design of a Rumford style fireplace. “The way you stack the wood in the fireplace is different so as to get more heat. It has a shallower box, burns hotter and puts off more heat. Wood is placed in it vertically, not stacked.” Just in case the fireplace doesn't provide enough light for late-night soirees, there is additional outdoor lighting mounted from the ceiling to make sure the party always goes on.
Travis brought the idea of the Rumford outdoor fireplace to the Campbells. “I learned about it a few years back from some masons, and I was intrigued by the idea then,” he says. “We like to do stuff that’s out of the norm, and this fireplace fits the space and function very well.” Travis adds, “People want unique things that are designed for them. That's our style to do that for them.” The patio also extends out to an uncovered area set up with patio tables for grilling and dining. Gray pavers flow throughout from the covered space to the open-air area. Their continuous flow mimics the feel of flooring that extends from a living room into a dining room inside a home. Also, the earth tone colors throughout the space on the pavers, fireplace and furnishings help the entire space mesh nicely with its natural surroundings. A little ways off from both the covered and uncovered patio area is a stone fire pit ring. Removed by just the right distance, it provides a separate place for young adults to gather and enjoy the night. Adirondack chairs and matching tables surround the outdoor fire pit, offering seating for anyone who doesn't wish to stand and a place to set down ingredients for yummy fireside treats like s'mores. Padded chairs outside the reach of the pavilion and the nearby umbrella the perfect place to kick back and relax in the sun. The colorful throw pillows and outdoor furniture cushions add some needed color and a touch of personality. Enjoying the comforts of indoors while being outdoors is exactly what the Campbells are doing now, particularly when lounging on the comfortable wicker furniture that dominate most of the area. “My favorite part of the whole thing is the fireplace,” Nancy says. Jeremy concludes, “There is no television, it would destroy the ambiance out there. We just enjoy listening to music and watching the fire.”
Carlsbad, California, Modern
dRichards Interiors
This project combines high end earthy elements with elegant, modern furnishings. We wanted to re invent the beach house concept and create an home which is not your typical coastal retreat. By combining stronger colors and textures, we gave the spaces a bolder and more permanent feel. Yet, as you travel through each room, you can't help but feel invited and at home.
Green Lake
Coates Design Architects Seattle
Backyard fire pit. Taken by Lara Swimmer. Landscape Design by ModernBackyard
Home Inspiration: Modern backyard with fire pit and paving slabs
round, square, concrete, brick, stone (25 photos)
In the backyard, on summer cottage or garden plot, it is so nice to sit by the fire, fry kebabs. There are metal grills for frying meat, but they are utilitarian and it never occurs to anyone to enjoy the view of burning firewood. On the contrary, ready-made coals are often thrown, adding only a little thin firewood to keep preparation time to a minimum.
In the case of a bonfire - a special place for making a fire - everything is different. This place is often referred to as a fire pit. It is conceived in order not only to fry shish kebabs, but also to admire the fire. In the dacha and garden plot, the hearth for the fire will come in handy even after pruning: it will be possible to burn the branches, and use the ashes as fertilizer. 9Ol000 5.2 Quick and easy
Place for a fire in the country house
It is better to place a hearth for a fire in a personal plot or in a country house at a sufficient distance from the house so that the smoke does not reach the house.
If you equip a campfire site with a fire pit and put a couple of benches, you will get a very cozy place The site should be blown by the winds - good draft is needed for normal combustion. The place should be flat or some area will have to be leveled - under the hearth itself and under a place to rest, benches, benches or chairs.
Design and dimensions
The fire pit can be round or rectangular. It can be so deep that it is on the same level with the ground, it can be partially buried, with slightly raised walls. There are options that are generally above ground level - they are placed on a previously prepared site. So the choice is yours.
The hearth for a fire can be completely or partially buried.It is useless to argue about the forms. Round ones are more convenient - we stack firewood with a hut. But rectangular ones are easier to build, especially brick ones. Here all the tricks are known - the masonry is carried out like an ordinary wall. Just a wall thickness - a quarter of a brick.
Those who decide how to set up a fire pit in the backyard of a house, in a country house or on a garden plot, usually have a few questions:
- How big should a fire pit be?
- Do I need a blower, if so, how much, what size, how to make them and where to place them?
- To install a grate or not?
- How to make it easier to clean the hearth?
In fact, the first two questions are related. If the dimensions of the fire bowl are quite overall - a meter or more in diameter, you can make the walls solid, without blowing. If less than a meter, you will have to make holes for air to enter.
It is better to blow the blower not from below, but in the walls. Their number - two or four - diagonally opposite each other. Small holes are left in the wall, breaking off a piece of brick (a quarter, approximately). If necessary, they can be laid with the same, slightly hewn, quarters. It’s not worth making a blower from below: with such a design, ash flakes often fly around the site during the “work” of the hearth - they are carried away by an air stream, which is difficult to regulate with such a design.
About grates. This is how you feel more comfortable - you can do it, but they do not really affect functionality or convenience.
Site preparation
If the site has dense sandy soils, excavation can be omitted. The second version of the simplified device of the fire pit is the existing site, lined with paving slabs, stone, asphalted or concreted. On this base, you can lay a couple of rows of bricks or stone. Here is the finished hearth. This option is ideal for soils with poor water drainage. After rain, on such a site, a recessed bowl for a fire will turn into a mini-pond and will dry for a very long time.
In other cases, preparatory work is indispensable. No, you can lay down a hearth for a fire right on the ground, but after a few years it will become unusable - the walls will “creep” after rains or spring heaving of the soil. Preparing a site for a fire pit is standard:
- We remove the fertile layer of soil, remove the roots, stones.
- Leveling and ramming the soil.
- We pour a layer of crushed stone (not lime, but granite) of medium and large fractions 10-20 cm in size, level, ram.
You can already install a hearth on this base, provided that you are satisfied with a crushed stone cushion as a base or are going to pour concrete.
True, for concrete, it will be necessary to assemble formwork around the perimeter. If you plan to pave the area around the hearth with tiles or stone, pour sand or a fine screening fraction on the rubble. Sand / screenings are rammed, leveled, then tile or stone is laid.
On clay or fertile soils, so that the crushed stone does not “leave” into the ground, geotextiles with a density of 200-250 g / m are placed under it. This is a non-woven material that allows water to pass through, prevents roots from germinating and prevents the crushed stone from mixing with the soil. In fact, this is a very important layer that is best laid down.
How to make a concrete fire pit
A concrete fire pit can be round or square. The only difference is in the shape of the formwork. You only need two rings or two rectangles/squares.
A round shape can be made, for example, from two metal barrels of different diameters. It will only be necessary to cut off two rings of the desired height. After the concrete has hardened, the form will need to be removed, so it will have to be cut. If you may need it in the future, make a detachable form of two half rings. On one side, weld the hinges, on the other, make locks-clamps.
The easiest way to make a square shape is from boards, fiberboard scraps, thick plywood. They don't have to be new, but they should be even. We use self-tapping screws to assemble the form - it will also need to be disassembled.
The distance between the outer and inner formwork must be equal to the wall thickness. For a concrete hearth, a sufficient thickness is 15-20 cm. We put the form on the prepared base, check the distance, verticality and horizontality. We fix the form by driving in pegs so that the formwork does not move when filled with concrete.
A ring has formed between two formworks, into which we will pour concrete.
We stick into this ring into the ground and hammer in pieces of reinforcement with a diameter of 10-14 mm. They are needed for greater rigidity of the walls. The length of the reinforcement is about 60 cm, the installation step is 15-20 cm. We also hammer into the ground by 15-20 cm. We place the reinforcement in the middle of the ring and so that its upper edge “sinks” in concrete by 5 cm or a little more.
The concrete can now be poured. The composition is normal; for 1 part of M150 cement, 3 parts of sand and 4 parts of crushed stone. Water is usually obtained in 0.7-0.8 parts (depending on the moisture content of sand and gravel). Concrete is poured into the form, left for 5-7 days, after which the formwork is disassembled. A concrete hearth for a fire is ready, only a fire can be made in it no earlier than in 2-3 weeks, and better - in a month and a half. Only then will it gain enough strength and not crack from the fire.
Making a fire pit out of brick or stone
There are many ways to build a fire pit with bricks. There are simple and cheap, but which can quickly fall apart. There are more difficult to manufacture, but they will serve for several years for sure. To build a hearth for a fire, you can use ordinary solid red brick, but it will not “live” for long. Such material can be used for country or garden hearths for one or two seasons.
If you need to do it quickly - you can do it like thatAccording to the rules
For permanently designed recreation areas, it will be necessary to look for fireclay bricks. You can already choose the sizes yourself, but it’s easier to put from smaller ones, even if it takes longer. But even for the largest fire pit, only four or five dozen bricks are needed, so the masonry will not take so long.
Fireclay bricks are not cheap pleasure, so when laying the hearth, usually the inside of the hearth, which is in direct contact with the flame, is laid out of fireclay. The outer part can be lined with ordinary brick or stone.
If you have already gone broke on fireclay bricks, then laying it on fireclay mortar is worth it - it is sold as a powder in bags. Water is added to the composition, stirred. After a while, the solution is ready for use. After folding the hearth, you will have to wait 5-7 days for the solution to dry out. Then you load the hearth with firewood to the fullest and warm it up for a couple of hours. This is necessary so that the mortar and brick are sintered into a single whole, and for this the temperature must be high. So do not spare firewood here. But fireclay mortar is used only for laying the inside of the hearth - where the temperatures are the highest. The outer row is placed on a cement-sand mortar. Fireclay is unacceptable here - it will not have enough temperature and it will simply crumble.
Ordinary bricks can be laid on clay or cement mortar. In some cases, you can do without mortar at all - by filling the voids between the bricks with compacted rubble, sand or soil.
Quick and easy
A fire pit can be set up in just a few hours. It will take only a few flat granite stones or pebbles, crushed stone. They spread the bottom of the fire. You can also lay a brick on the bottom, and fill the gaps with rubble. To build the walls of the hearth for a fire, you need a dozen two or three bricks. That's all.
Here's a hearth for a fire can be made of bricks in a few hoursThe procedure for arranging a fire is as follows:
- We mark a circle on the ground.
- We remove the sod and remove the soil to a depth that is equal to the length of the brick and the thickness of the base. The brick installed on the poke should rise at least a little above the ground level - then the hearth will not flood or blow out.
- Leveling and compacting the bottom.
- We lay out bricks or stones, tap them well with a mallet (or just with our feet).
- We fill the gaps with crushed stone, which is also well pressed into the ground.
- We expose bricks “sticking out” along the circumference. They become close to one another on one side, and small gaps form on the other side. They are filled with previously excavated soil (if it is not clay or loam), sand or fine gravel.
That's all. A simple brick hearth for a fire is ready. It is not a fact that after a good rain it will remain in its normal form, but it requires a little time and money.
Sturdy construction of a round brick fire pit
For a brick fire to last for a long time, its walls must stand on a solid foundation. On a crushed stone pillow, a reinforced concrete belt is usually poured. It is made in a circle, the thickness is not less than the thickness of the walls, the height is 10-15 cm. For greater strength, a reinforcing ring made of a bar with a diameter of 12-14 mm is placed approximately in the middle of the height.
Arranging a round hearth for a fire made of bricks The inside of the hearth is lined with fireclay bricks, the outside is ordinary, hollow, laid with bandaging of the seams (offset by half a brick). Fireclay bricks are placed on clay or fireclay mortar, ordinary bricks are placed on a cement-sand mixture.
This brick fire pit requires more materials and time to set up, but it will last for years. And so that it is not flooded with precipitation and does not fill up with foliage, you can cover the fire with a shield. In this form, by the way, it can be used as a table.
A simpler versionA square or rectangular brick hearth is built exactly according to the same principle. Technology is unchanged, the difference is only in form.
Simple options
Making a fire pit can be done much faster. Firstly, a lot of country or courtyard hearths made of metal are offered. All you need is a platform on which you put a metal fire pit.
A metal bowl is a quick way to arrange a campfire site The advantage of this solution is not too high a price and the simplicity of setting up a campfire site. The advantages include low weight, which allows you to bring the installation under the roof for the winter or in bad weather.
