Okay, here’s my DIY fire pit story, told like a regular person who just likes to mess around with projects:
So, I decided I wanted a fire pit in my backyard. Nothing fancy, just a place to chill and maybe roast some marshmallows. I looked at some pre-made ones, but they were either too expensive or kinda flimsy. Then I thought, “Hey, I can probably just build one myself!” And that’s how it started.
Getting Started
First, I gathered my materials. I had a bunch of old bricks lying around from a previous project. Then I went and got some:
- More bricks (you always need more than you think!)
- A shovel.
- Some gravel for the base.
- A level(It has to be level).
Laying things down
I picked a spot in the yard, clear of any overhanging branches or anything that could catch fire.
I marked out a circle, roughly the size I wanted the fire pit to be. I just eyeballed it, no fancy measurements here.
Then came the digging. I dug out the circle, maybe six inches deep. This was to make a good, solid base for the fire pit.
Next, I poured in the gravel. This helps with drainage, so your fire pit doesn’t turn into a muddy mess after it rains.
Bricks up
Now for the fun part: laying the bricks! I started placing the bricks around the edge of the circle, one by one.I just stacked them making sure they were all level.
I kept going, layer by layer, until the fire pit was about three bricks high. That seemed like a good height to contain the fire without making it hard to reach.
No mortar.I just dry-stacked those bricks.I made sure the second row covered any gaps on that bottom layer,you know?
Finishing Up
Once the bricks were all in place, I filled in any gaps between them with some extra gravel and dirt. This just helped to make everything a bit more stable.
And that was pretty much it! I stepped back and admired my handiwork. It wasn’t perfect, but it was my fire pit, and I built it myself.
The first fire I lit in it was awesome. Sitting around with friends, telling stories, and toasting marshmallows – it was exactly what I wanted. And it all started with a pile of bricks and a little bit of elbow grease.
