If there’s one thing that’s great to do outdoors, it’s enjoy a nice warm fire. There’s nothing like hanging out outdoors next to a roaring fire on a cool autumn evening. But if you want to enjoy this pleasure at home, you’ve got to construct your own fire pit. Surprisingly, this task is not as difficult as you might think. Here are some tips for building one.

First, determine what kind you want to build. It can be either permanent or temporary, and made with bricks or stone. Permanent fire pits can take a little bit more work.

Measure the area you want to use. You have to make sure your pit isn’t going to be anywhere near anything flammable, like trees or a wooden swing set or playhouse. Make sure it isn’t going to interfere with any other outdoor equipment or structures you have. You can build your fire pit on top of gravel or soil, any non-flammable natural surface.

You may have to get out a shovel and dig a small hole for making a fire, but if you have some larger stones or rocks around you could use them to form a fire ring. If you’d like to have a more sturdy structure, your efforts will be a little more labor-intensive and will require you to build walls from bricks or cinderblocks.

If you are building more than just a fire ring, you will want to get some kind of mesh cover. This can help prevent dangerous embers from flying out of the fire pit and catching fire on something nearby. You may also want to get your hands on some sort of fire-resistant base on which to build the fire pit if it’s temporary and you don’t want to completely char the earth under the spot you’ve chosen.

If you are looking at building a permanent fire pit, you should first determine what the local ordinances in your area require before you construct this type of structure. You may need to apply for a permit first or have the area inspected for safety.

A backyard fire pit, whether a permanent addition to your home or an impromptu endeavor, can help make an evening or a party special. Building one is an easy task and can help you want to get outdoors more to enjoy it! With these tips above, soon you’ll be enjoying your very own comforting backyard fires.

Geoffrey F. Moore
Firepits