Build a Fire Pit
in Your Backyard (continued)
Continue to build a fire pit with the step-by-step instructions below. On this page you will continue to build up the sides of your fire pit. In addition, you will fill in the middle of the fire pit so that you can start your first fire and start building happy memories.
Create a Trench
Remove your circle of stone, but keep track of how they were laid out. Dig a trench about 12 inches deep and as wide as the stones that you just removed from your fire pit location. Place the stones in the trench just to make sure they fit. If not adjust the size of the trench until they all fit, an then removed the stones again. In the area encircled by the trench, remove about 6 inches or dirt.
Put in Gravel
Place about 6 inches of gravel in the trench. Compact the gravel with a hand tamper and make sure the trench is level. Your trench and the area encircled by the trench should be level with each other.
Lay Out Your First Layer
Put the first stone over the gravel. Make sure it is level from front to back and side to side. Place the next stone next to it. Make sure the second stone is also level front to back and side to side as well as being level with the first stone. Continue laying your stones in this way until you have completed the circle. This step can be very time consuming, but it is very important that the first layer is even because it will be supporting the rest of the fire pit.
Assemble the Walls
As you build a fire pit, put the second layer of your wall by placing mortar across two adjacent stones on the first layer. Lay a stone on top of the glue. Make sure the stone is centered over the seam between the two adjacent stones. Continue until the second layer is complete. Lay the third and fourth layers in the same way that you assembled the second layer. Wait at least two days before starting your first fire.
Fill in the Fire Pit
Fill in the fire pit with 6 inches of gravel. The inside of your fire pit should now be even with the surrounding ground. Insert an iron fire pit ring into the circle, and adjust it so that it sits even with the wall you have just built. Fill in the space between the wall and fire pit ring with gravel. In this way you protect the wall from the heat of the fire.
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