Okay, folks, gather ’round. Today, I’m gonna walk you through how I built a barbeque pit in my backyard using just some bricks and a bit of elbow grease. It wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be, and the results? Totally worth it.
Planning and Gathering Stuff
First things first, I figured out where I wanted this pit. Picked a spot that was a safe distance from the house and any trees—wouldn’t want a bonfire, right? Then, I sketched a rough plan. Nothing fancy, just a basic rectangle to get an idea of the size.
Next, I got my hands on some bricks. You can buy them new, but I found a bunch of old ones from a neighbor who was redoing their garden. Free is always good, am I right? Also, I picked up some sand, gravel, and a metal grate for the top. Safety first, I also made sure I had a good pair of gloves and some safety glasses. No one wants a brick chip in the eye.
Laying the Foundation
I started by digging out the area where the pit was going to be. Just a few inches deep, enough to make a stable base. I dumped in a layer of gravel, then some sand, and tamped it down real good. You want this base solid, so the whole thing doesn’t sink or tilt later on.
Building the Walls
Now for the fun part—stacking bricks. I laid down a layer of bricks, making sure they were level. Used a level tool, you know, the one with the little bubble. Then, I just kept stacking. For the corners, I overlapped the bricks like you see in those old buildings. Makes it stronger.
I decided to go about four layers high. Enough to contain the coals but not so high that I couldn’t reach over to flip a burger. As I built up the walls, I made sure to keep checking the level. You don’t want a leaning tower of barbeque, trust me.
Finishing Touches
Once the walls were up, I placed that metal grate on top. It fit perfectly within the inner edges of the top layer of bricks. This is where the coals will sit, so it has to be sturdy.
Lastly, I cleaned up the area around the pit. Removed any extra dirt, swept the patio, and hosed everything down. It looked pretty darn good, if I do say so myself.
The First Cookout
Of course, I had to test it out. I loaded up the pit with charcoal, lit it up, and waited for those beautiful embers. Threw on some burgers and hot dogs, and bam—dinner is served. The taste of that first barbeque? Amazing.
So there you have it. Building a brick barbeque pit is totally doable. It took a weekend of work, some basic supplies, and a little patience. But now, I’ve got a killer spot for summer cookouts, and I did it all myself. If I can do it, you can too. Happy grilling!
