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Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Building a Fire Pit



I mentioned earlier in the week that our fire pit is all finished and has already seen lots of roasted marshmallows. From the picture above you can see we decided on a built-in style rather than a free standing model.


Making this fire pit a reality turned out to be a very quick and easy project. I think the entire process took under an hour! We simply ordered a “kit” which included all of the blocks along with the metal ring. The only component missing was the rocks used to fill the bottom half of the fire pit.

Here is the building process.
Level out the ground and use a tamper to pack the area on which you will be building the fire pit.


Use the metal ring as a template to lay the first course of blocks.


Remove the ring and begin adding the second course. The blocks should be staggered so that no joints align.


Test your design to make sure the ring still fits correctly.  Make adjustments if necessary.


Remove the ring and continue the above steps until all blocks have been used.


After the final course is in place, insert metal ring. (Note: the manufacturer recommends using masonry cement to secure the top two courses of blocks. We opted to skip this step as we wanted to have the option to move the fire pit in the future.)


Fill fire pit about half way full with rocks.  Build a fire and enjoy!

Of course no fire pit story would be complete without s’mores!


We had a few left over peeps from Easter and decided to use them up in our s’mores. This was the first time we tried peeps this way and I have to say due to popular demand I was at the Easter candy sale aisle the next day looking for more!


Needless to say, we are looking forward to summer and many upcoming fires in our new fire pit.


If you have a fire pit I would love to know your favorite things to cook!  Please leave a comment and share your tastiest treats.

Linking up with
Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch 
Transformation Thursday at The Shabby Chic Cottage
Tip Me Tuesday at Tip Junkie
Saturday Night Special at Funky Junk Interiors

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43 comments:

  1. Joy@aVintageGreenMay 18, 2011 at 9:49 AM

    Great project - you will be using your fire pit for years to come. Love the marshmallow bunnies.
    - Joy

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  2. CatherineMay 18, 2011 at 10:05 AM

    I have to say, our side yard where our fire pit is, is a work in progress...long story. BUT, we have used it countless times for smores. My favorite things has been hotdogs though. I loaded a tray with all we needed and had a blast over the fire! You could also check the camping isle at WalMart for these really cool sandwich maker thingies. I don't remember what they are called, but we used them camping to make all kinds of goodies, including pizza!!

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  3. KatieMay 18, 2011 at 10:33 AM

    Thank you for this post! My husband and I were just discussing building one of these last night for our new house :) Perfect timing! It came out just beautifully, good job!

    Katie@ Little Things Bring Smiles

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  4. ErinMay 18, 2011 at 11:12 AM

    Love that fire pit, but man, your structured garden has me in awe! I love it all and am going to mark this as a fave, thanks Stacy!

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  5. Carol@TheDesignPagesMay 18, 2011 at 12:23 PM

    SO glad to have stumbled across your blog. It is so great.

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  6. UnknownMay 18, 2011 at 2:23 PM

    Thanks for sharing your project. My Hubby has been wanting a fire pit forever. I didn't realize it was so quick and easy. Can't wait to share your project with him!

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  7. Carol@6WilsonBlog.comMay 18, 2011 at 3:27 PM

    Love it beyond words!! There is nothing like a fire at night in the back yard. My treats? Nothing beyond s'mores!! I just don't get creative around the fire. You must already love using this! We're still using some gathered field stone on the ground -- old fashioed and budget friendly, LOL :)

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  8. Red Couch RecipesMay 18, 2011 at 4:18 PM

    We have an above ground and it's s'mores for us too. Where did you buy a kit for the in-ground one? I love it -- many happy times will be spend there. Joni

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  9. designchicMay 18, 2011 at 5:20 PM

    That looks amazing...so wish I had seen this earlier. We did a post on Monday on graveled courtyards, and yours is gorgeous!!

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  10. Honey at 2805May 18, 2011 at 6:40 PM

    Your fire pit is so inviting!

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  11. JennMay 18, 2011 at 9:41 PM

    I love this! And your garden looks amazing too! Do you have a cover to put over it when it rains. We get a lot of rain here so I am wondering how this would stand up. Thanks so much for the tutorial - pinning!

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  12. Paula@SweetPeaMay 19, 2011 at 2:21 AM

    Your firepit is such a great addition to your outdoor space. I didn't know that building one is so easy. I also love your raised beds and graveled paths. All of it is lovely!

    Our firepit is a part of our cocktail table. We haven't gone beyond S'mores in our cooking just yet.

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  13. Red Door HomeMay 19, 2011 at 3:34 AM

    Thanks for the questions! We bought the bit at a local landscaping business - the same place that we purchased the rest of our landscaping materials. No need to cover it when it rains!

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  14. SHERRY HARTMay 19, 2011 at 4:04 AM

    Is it me or does that look pretty easy! I need one of those!

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  15. Upscale DownhomeMay 19, 2011 at 5:29 AM

    I'd never heard of a fire pit kit either but what a great idea! Sorry no interesting recipes on my end--just smores. I did like the idea of using the peeps, very cute!

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  16. MorganMay 19, 2011 at 6:37 AM

    That fire pit is amazing! I'm really craving smores now, haha!

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  17. Traci@ Beneath My HeartMay 19, 2011 at 6:47 AM

    Wow! That looked so easy to do. I was just dreaming about a fire pit at our new home yesterday, and I was wondering if it would be hard to do. Thanks for the inspiration!:)

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  18. Krista EnnisMay 19, 2011 at 7:19 AM

    Sandwich maker thingies.....we called them Mountain Pie makers! YUM!! Looks gorgeous@!

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  19. Brenda PruittMay 19, 2011 at 7:28 AM

    What a beautiful yard you have! Love the fire pit and the raised beds with gravel pathways.
    Brenda

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  20. {northern cottage}May 19, 2011 at 7:28 AM

    i absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE your sitting area with the raised beds in the background. this is EXACTLY what I want to do with an area of our yard. so glad you shared!

    www.northerncottage.blogspot.com

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  21. laxsupermomMay 19, 2011 at 7:34 AM

    The firepit looks terrific! I've always wondered about airflow with the kits, but am glad to hear that they work great. Love roasted peeps! I hoard them post-Easter for summertime campfires. Thanks for sharing your new firepit.

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  22. Laura LeeMay 19, 2011 at 7:58 AM

    I love your fire pit - right down to the gravel around it. My husband was planning on building ours from scratch but a few hours sounds way better than next fall...would you tell me where you ordered yours?
    Thanks so much, Laura Lee
    llkm@comcast.net

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  23. awal.nyMay 19, 2011 at 9:48 AM

    Thank you for sharing, we are in the process of doing our firepit area and I like your built one rather than one that you buy from Home Depot. It looks great, oh and now I know what to do with those left over peeps. We like to up our smores by using reeces peanut butter cups instead of a chocolate bar.....yum.

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  24. the cape on the cornerMay 19, 2011 at 10:34 AM

    aww, i love that! the perfect place to gather round with family. a fire pit like that is definitely on my list whenever we "conquer" our yard!

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  25. UnknownMay 19, 2011 at 2:30 PM

    What a cozy scene! I'm sure you will enjoy it this summer. (and the garden in the background is gorgeous)

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  26. ChrissyMay 19, 2011 at 3:16 PM

    Oh I just love this fire pit. This is the kind I had envisioned, but my son wanted to make one out of stacked rocks. It is not the prettiest one, but it serves the purpose for now. We like to make Hobo pies with all different kinds of fillings, from sweet to savory.
    Thanks for sharing

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  27. Heaven's WalkMay 19, 2011 at 6:38 PM

    What a wonderful place to kick back with your Peeps! lol! LUV it!!!! I had never heard of a firepit kit either....but now I'm going to start looking! Your yard is beautiful! :)

    xoxo laurie

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  28. Steph @ BirdhouseMay 20, 2011 at 9:12 AM

    Thanks for sharing! This is something we would like to do in our yard at some point.

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  29. AndieMay 20, 2011 at 6:33 PM

    I have to ask.... Where did you find a kit? I love your yard/garden/pit sheer perfection!

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  30. Simone @ Doberman's by the SeaMay 21, 2011 at 8:19 AM

    Your yard looks fantastic. Great work-I'm your newest follower. Cheers

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  31. GLENDA CHILDERSMay 21, 2011 at 12:21 PM

    Hopping over from Censational Girls Outdoor Party. Hope you enjoy my 'patio time' post. (link #205)


    Thanks for the great tutorial on your cool fire pit. It looks pretty easy. And what a fun way to use up peeps.

    Fondly,
    Glenda

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  32. Patricia B StudioMay 21, 2011 at 5:02 PM

    Quick question...Where did you find the fireplace ring? Love this and love you blog... Thanks

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  33. Red Door HomeMay 21, 2011 at 5:25 PM

    Thanks for all the posive feedback about the fire pit. There have been lots of questions concerning the fire pit kit. I purchased the entire kit from a local landscaping company. I do not know the name of the company which makes the kit but will find out for you. I will also ask if the ring is sold separately from the kit. Thanks to everyone for your interest in this project.

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  34. Suzy www.savedbysuzy.blogspot.comMay 21, 2011 at 7:29 PM

    Love it! We just tried to build a firepit without a plan and it did not work. Looking forward to following your tutorial. Thanks!

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  35. JanaMay 22, 2011 at 7:56 AM

    Where can I get the fire pit kit? this is amazing!!

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  36. Room to InspireMay 22, 2011 at 10:05 PM

    It is amazing - I was just "day dreaming" about where we could put a fire pit...now, I know exactly what it will look like if we do!

    Chelsea

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  37. HeatherMay 23, 2011 at 11:34 AM

    This is exactly what I have been looking for. Perfect. I have a feeling one of these babies will be installed in my backyard pretty soon :)

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  38. rtalbertsMay 27, 2011 at 4:30 PM

    Thanks to this post, my husband and I were able to find something similar at a local landscaping company today. Thanks so much for the inspiration!

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  39. JohannaMay 31, 2011 at 8:39 AM

    What a great tutorial and fire pit. I showcased it in my Father's Day Ideas with a link back to you. Thanks for sharing.

    xo
    Johanna

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  40. UnknownAugust 13, 2013 at 7:39 AM

    Hi there! Love this post! I am curating a collection of posts called {Autumn Nights} over @ www.Looksisquare.com, this post will be included! Check it out on Friday!

    Best,
    Tracie Gulit- the bunch
    www.thebunchblog.blogspot.com -

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  41. AnonymousJune 4, 2014 at 10:33 AM

    Hey, I just bought a fire pit from ____.wish I had of seen this first. What I need to know is WHERE do you get the grill racks? Thanks

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  42. UnknownJune 17, 2014 at 6:06 PM

    How much would this cost to do?

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  43. UnknownAugust 1, 2014 at 2:44 PM

    how do I buy that fire pit insert with grate ive seen in this website

    ReplyDelete

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