Okay, here’s my blog post about building a fire pit with red bricks, written from my personal experience:
So, I’ve always wanted a fire pit in my backyard. You know, somewhere to chill on cool evenings, roast some marshmallows, and just enjoy the outdoors. I finally decided to just go for it! I’m no expert builder, but I figured, how hard could it be to stack some bricks in a circle?
First, I picked a spot. It needed to be away from the house, away from any low-hanging branches, and generally just in a safe, open area. I didn’t want to accidentally set my house on fire, obviously.
Next up, I gathered my materials. This was pretty simple: a bunch of red bricks (I got mine from the local hardware store – nothing fancy), some sand, and a shovel. Oh, and I grabbed a level, just to try and make things somewhat even.
The Build
I laid down a base of sand. To make it easier,I marked out a circle. I just eyeballed it, really. The sand is just to help level things out and provide a bit of a foundation. I spread it around, maybe an inch or two thick.
Then came the fun part – stacking the bricks! I started laying the first layer of bricks around the circle, trying to keep them as close together as possible. No mortar or anything, just stacking them. I used the level every so often to check if things were… well, level. They weren’t perfect, but hey, it’s a fire pit, not a skyscraper.
Once the first layer was down, I just kept going up. I staggered the bricks, like you see in a regular brick wall, to make it a bit more stable. I think I ended up with about three or four layers of bricks. I just kept stacking until it felt like a good height – high enough to contain the fire, but not so high that it would be awkward to sit around.
- That is My Circle!
And… that was pretty much it! I stepped back and admired my handiwork. It wasn’t perfect, the bricks weren’t perfectly aligned, and the whole thing probably had a slight lean to one side, but it was my fire pit.
I built a small fire inside to test it out, and it worked great! The bricks held up fine, the fire stayed contained, and it looked pretty darn good, if I do say so myself. My friend, I sat there and look at the sky and fire, so perfect.
So, there you have it – my super simple, no-frills, red brick fire pit. It’s a great addition to the backyard, and it was surprisingly easy to build. If I can do it, anyone can!
