Okay, so I’ve always wanted a proper outdoor grill, but the good ones are crazy expensive. I figured, “Hey, I’m pretty handy, why not just build one myself?” And what’s more classic than a brick grill? So, I decided to go for it. Here’s how my brick outdoor grill adventure went down.
Planning and Prep
First, I did some digging online, looked at a bunch of pictures, and sketched out a basic design. I wanted something simple, not too huge. Just big enough to grill up some burgers and steaks for the family. I settled on a rectangular shape, about 3 feet wide and 2 feet deep, with a decent height so I wouldn’t be killing my back bending over.
Next, I had to gather my materials. This meant a trip to the local hardware store. I picked up:
- Bricks: Lots of them! I went with standard red clay bricks.
- Mortar mix: The stuff that holds the bricks together. I got a few bags to be safe.
- Sand and gravel: For the foundation. Gotta make sure this thing is stable.
- Metal Grates:I got heavy duty grates.
- Some basic tools: A trowel, a level, a shovel, a bucket for mixing mortar, and some work gloves.
Laying the Foundation
I started by marking out the area in my backyard where the grill would go. I made sure it was a level spot, away from anything flammable like trees or the house. Then, I dug a shallow pit, about 6 inches deep, and filled it with a layer of gravel, followed by a layer of sand. I tamped it all down real good to make a solid base.
Building the Walls
This was the fun part, but also the most time-consuming. I mixed up the mortar according to the instructions on the bag – basically, just add water and stir until it’s like thick peanut butter. Then, I started laying the bricks, one row at a time.
I used the trowel to spread a layer of mortar on the foundation, then placed the first brick. I kept going, making sure to stagger the joints like you see on a regular brick wall. This makes it stronger. Every few bricks, I’d check with the level to make sure things were straight and even. It’s slow going, but you gotta be patient.
I built up the walls layer by layer, leaving a gap at the front for where I’d eventually put in some metal grates.I embeded some metal supports into the mortar at two different levels. These would hold the grates – one for the charcoal and one for the food.
Finishing Touches
Once the mortar was dry (I gave it a couple of days), I put the metal grates in place. I used fire resistant bricks to build a simple chimney. It helped the smoke go up and away.I cleaned up any excess mortar and that was pretty much it!
My first grilling experience was awesome! Burgers and hot dogs tasted amazing. It’s not perfect, a few bricks are a little wonky, but it’s mine, I built it, and it works great. Plus, it looks pretty darn cool in the backyard. If you’re thinking about doing this, I say go for it! Just be prepared for some hard work and a bit of a learning curve. But it’s totally worth it in the end.
