How to Build a Masonry Fire Pit

My wife and I love lighting a big fire in the backyard to cap off a day of entertaining. But building a pyre on the lawn left an ugly charred circle that grew larger over time. It made me cringe the next morning; it was like a visual hangover. We also worried that a wind-blown ember could torch the nearby woods.

I considered building a traditional brick fire pit on a concrete footing, but that's no small undertaking or expense. The first step would be to dig a 30-inch-deep footing trench down through rocky soil. Then I'd have to get the concrete into the trench. Even if I opted to get the material delivered, it's not easy lugging it by wheelbarrow. Mixing it by hand also seemed like a backbreaker. So I abandoned the idea of traditional masonry. Investigating chimineas and steel fire rings at a nearby home center, my wife and I discovered the Fossil Stone Fire Pit from Natural Concrete Products, a $500 kit of concrete blocks and a steel fire ring.

Much to my surprise, a buddy and I constructed the pit in 4 hours. When night fell, I kindled a big fire. Friends gathered, and I relaxed with a cold beer. The pit looked great and safely contained the fire without a burnt ring of grass the next day.

Source: http://www.popularmechanics.com/home/how-to-plans/masonry/build-this-masonry-fire-pit?src=rss

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