Okay, so I’ve always wanted a proper grill, but I’m, let’s say, budget-conscious. And I like building stuff. So, I decided to make my own brick grill. It seemed easy enough from the videos I watched, honestly, it mostly was!
Getting Started
First things first, I gathered my materials. I drove to the local hardware store and picked up a bunch of bricks – regular red ones, nothing fancy. I also grabbed some sand, gravel, and a couple of metal grates I found in the clearance section (score!). I already had a shovel, a level, and a trowel, because, well, homeowner stuff.
The Base
I picked a spot in my backyard, away from anything that could catch fire (very important!). Then, I dug out a shallow rectangular area, about 3 inches deep. This was going to be the foundation. I dumped in a layer of gravel, then a layer of sand, making sure to level it out as best I could. This part was a bit of a workout, not gonna lie.
Building the Walls
Next up, the fun part – laying the bricks! I started at the corners, placing the bricks in a simple rectangular shape. I didn’t use any mortar because I wanted to be able to move it later if I needed to. I just stacked them carefully, making sure they were nice and snug. I kept checking with the level to make sure things were straight(ish). It’s surprisingly therapeutic, like playing with giant LEGOs.
- I built the walls up about four bricks high on three sides.
- I left the front open for easy access to the coals.
Adding the Grates
Once the walls were up, I placed the metal grates on top. One was for the charcoal, and the other, slightly higher, was for the food. I just rested them on the bricks, making sure they were stable. I had to adjust a few bricks here and there to get them to sit right.
First Cookout!
Finally, it was time to fire it up! I added some charcoal, lit it up, and waited for it to get nice and hot. Then, I threw on some burgers and hot dogs. Let me tell you, the food tasted amazing! There’s just something special about cooking over a grill you built yourself.
It’s not perfect, sure. It’s a little uneven in places, and I might add some more bricks later to make it taller. But it works, and it was super cheap to build. Plus, I can now say I have a brick grill. Mission accomplished!
