Choosing to put in an outdoor firepit is a pretty big undertaking. It's going to involve hours of work. Building an outdoor firepit is worth it though. A well designed firepit can make any back yard just pop. It provides a great gathering area for groups of friends and family. Before you grab your shovel though and start digging up the yard how about taking a few minutes to learn one part of how to build outdoor firepit: material selection.
Let's look at the basics of a firepit. In it's simplest form it's just a hole in the ground. Chances are you'll want something a little prettier than that though. So working from the inside out here are some of the materials you can use when figuring out how to build outdoor firepit.
Once you've dug the hole you have 2 options, staying natural or a liner. Both have advantages and disadvantages.
Leaving the pit bare saves you time and money. Once you're done digging all that you need to do is edge the hole. The biggest disadvantage to this method is that any rainstorm can wash out the sides of the pit and make it unstable.
If you've decided to line the firepit then you have a few options.
The cheapest method is to pour gravel into the hole and press it into the sides. It's a cheap affordable way to ensure proper drainage.
Once you've dug the hole you have 2 options, staying natural or a liner. Both have advantages and disadvantages.
Leaving the pit bare saves you time and money. Once you're done digging all that you need to do is edge the hole. The biggest disadvantage to this method is that any rainstorm can wash out the sides of the pit and make it unstable.
If you've decided to line the firepit then you have a few options.
The cheapest method is to pour gravel into the hole and press it into the sides. It's a cheap affordable way to ensure proper drainage.
The most expensive option is to brick and mortar the entire hole, while leaving drain holes in the bottom. It's an attractive solution, and you'll never have to worry about one of the sides washing out.
Once you've figured out just what to do with the hole, let's look at some decorative edging. Again you can opt to just leave the sides bare.
Leaving a gaping hole in the ground probably isn't the greatest idea, someone could trip and fall into the pit. So here are some edging options going again from least to most expensive.
Use the dirt that you excavated from the pit to build a berm around the edge of the pit.
Like with leaving the hole unlined, you'll have to worry about wash out.
The next method is to place large rounded stones around the perimeter. The stones can get expensive but you'll only need a couple dozen to finish off the edge.
Stacked natural flagstones work great as well but you'll need much more material.
Moving away from natural stone you can choose to edge with curved concrete pavers.
The most expensive option again is to brick in the entire firepit. Like with the brick lined pit, you will just extend the bricks up out of the hole and along the peremiter.
Price is only one of the considerations for designing a firepit. Be sure that whatever you choose flows with your home and back yard theme. Hopefully this brief material guide can help you figure out just how to build outdoor firepit. Cost and style is completely up to you, whatever you decide though an outdoor firepit will make a fabulous addition to your backyard.
Once you've figured out just what to do with the hole, let's look at some decorative edging. Again you can opt to just leave the sides bare.
Leaving a gaping hole in the ground probably isn't the greatest idea, someone could trip and fall into the pit. So here are some edging options going again from least to most expensive.
Use the dirt that you excavated from the pit to build a berm around the edge of the pit.
Like with leaving the hole unlined, you'll have to worry about wash out.
The next method is to place large rounded stones around the perimeter. The stones can get expensive but you'll only need a couple dozen to finish off the edge.
Stacked natural flagstones work great as well but you'll need much more material.
Moving away from natural stone you can choose to edge with curved concrete pavers.
The most expensive option again is to brick in the entire firepit. Like with the brick lined pit, you will just extend the bricks up out of the hole and along the peremiter.
Price is only one of the considerations for designing a firepit. Be sure that whatever you choose flows with your home and back yard theme. Hopefully this brief material guide can help you figure out just how to build outdoor firepit. Cost and style is completely up to you, whatever you decide though an outdoor firepit will make a fabulous addition to your backyard.
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