DIY Weekend Project Ideas: How to Build an Outdoor Stone Fire Pit for Your Backyard

As the economy shifts from purchases of large over the tops homes to smaller homes with exceptional outdoor areas the increase for outdoor entertaining products has also shifted-in an upward direction! Many homeowners now find that they are doing much of their entertaining in their own backyard rather than inside the home, especially in the warmer months when the weather is more permitting. Stone fire pits are a great way to add some style and entertaining class to your backyard and they are not hard to build. In fact, you can build an outdoor stone fire pit for the backyard in about 3 hours from start to finish.

Materials for the DIY Stone Fire Pit Project:

Fire Brick

Rebar

String

Spray Paint

Stone

Mortar

Shovel

Hammer

Sponge

DIY Stone Fire Pit Step 1: Begin by using the hammer to place a piece of rebar into the ground in the center of the area in which you want to place the stone fire pit. If you do not have rebar you may also use a wooden stake.

DIY Stone Fire Pit Step 2: Tie the string to the top of the rebar and use it to mark out the are in which you want the fire pit to take up. For instance, if you want a stone fire pit in the backyard that is 4 feet wide then you will use the string to mark two feet all the way around the rebar thus making a four foot circle.

DIY Stone Fire Pit Step 3: Use the spray paint to mark the area in which the fire pit will be and then use a shovel to dig out the grass or debris that may be left in the area. You should dig down about 8 inches from the top of the ground so that there is adequate surface to place the fire bricks as a retaining wall and then build them up.

DIY Stone Fire Pit Step 4: Using mortar, begin laying the fire bricks around the bottom of the area that you have dug for the fire pit. You will continue laying the bricks with the mortar until you have built a wall of about 3 feet although this height is strictly up to you.

DIY Stone Fire Pit Step 5: Now, allow the brick to set up for a few hours before continuing with the project.

DIY Stone Fire Pit Step 6: Wet the brick completely and then use mortar to adhere the stones to the outer edges of the fire brick. The fire brick wall will prevent the heat from being too hot for the stones and also create a wall for the stones to be built against.

DIY Stone Fire Pit Step 7: Run mortar along the outer edge of the brick wall and then use stones to create a mosaic style outer edge of the fire pit. If you need a particular shape of stone to fill a crevice you can gently hammer the stone one its edges to break it where necessary and create the piece that you need. (the pieces do not have to be perfect)

DIY Stone Fire Pit Step 8: Once you have placed stone along the entire outer edge of the fire pit you can use mortar to fill any crevices around the stone. Use a wet sponge to sponge off any excess mortar from the stones themselves. A large grout sponge works well for this step.

DIY Stone Fire Pit Step 9: Allow your fire pit to cure for at least 3 days before using to entertain your guests in your backyard!