A great accent to an outdoor space is a fire pit. These features provide a great place for social gatherings, or more intimate get-togethers. Building one in your outdoor area is simple so long as some easy steps are followed and the structure is built very attentively. The first step is to locate the spot where the fire pit will be built. The location chosen should be a great distance away from trees, buildings, or any other item that can catch fire from stray sparks. A location that is level is preferred, although a slight incline is allowable. Make sure there are no underground features, such as pipes, cables or wires at your location.
At the center of your location, drive a stake into the ground to mark the location of the pit. Tie a string to the stake and attach another stake to the other end about two feet away. Then, use the string and stake to mark out a circle around the center stake, using flour, or land safe spray paint. After marking the circle, remove the grass and other features from the inscribed circle, and dig out a depth of about a foot, keeping the sides as straight and vertical as possible. In the center of the hole, dig a square hole, half a foot square and a foot deep.
Scrape the bottom of the hole and add about four inches of pea gravel, filling the center hole all the way as well. If on an incline, utilize the pea gravel to level it out by adding extra gravel to one side. The gravel is there to ensure proper drainage of the fire pit, and the center will act as a sump to improve the drainage capabilities of the fire pit. A top the gravel, add around three inches of sand to help protect the exposed roots from any fire that may reach them.
At this step, surround the pit with two rows of pavers that are stacked atop each other. Do not use and adhesive, and dry stack them to ensure that any that break can be replaced. Right now, a choice should be made, as to whether you wish to use a container for your fire, or to have an open pit. Using a container, a flat bottomed barbecue grill works well to hold the combustibles and ensure easy clean up of ash and debris. An open pit is just the fuel placed upon the sand. Either choice, begin by soaking the sand and surrounding area with water, helping to ensure the prevention of the fire spreading. It is a good idea to have a large bucket of water or fire extinguisher around just in case something happens.
There are many ways to enjoy your new fire pit. On cooler days, a fire pit is a nice way to get warm outside in the beauty of the outdoors. Marshmallows and hot dogs cook well over the fire pit, and nothing can beat s'mores in the later evening. So long as you make sure to put the fire out completely, get rid of the ash and other unburned material, a fire pit is a safe and enjoyable adornment to a back yard.
Photo Credits: 1
Originally posted 2008-12-15 05:11:49. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
Related Posts -
Learn How to Build a Wall You may end up with a remodeling project that involves learning how to build a wall in the interior of your home or another similar building. Building a nonbearing interior wall is actually a relatively easy process. If you have basic carpentry skills and a good set of working tools,...... -
Making the Home More Accessible When you start having to live with a family member and close person in your life, you find your perception of everything around you shifts, especially if your loved one is mobility impaired. You could be looking at the sidewalk, intersection, storefront, many differing places whose accessibility is poor. While...... -
How to Find Wall Studs Whether you’re hanging a picture or thinking about adding a door, finding hidden wall studs is no easy task. There is of course the method of thumping on the wall, but this is not very accurate and there is a lot of room for error. If you’re dealing with a...... -
Wallpaper Tips for Installation There are a lot of reasons to choose wallpaper over paint for the walls in your home. Wallpaper can add a real sense of class to a room with unique and eye-catching designs that a solid color of paint just can’t match. However, if you do opt for wallpaper you...... -
Guide to Measuring and Marking Tools pt 5 Awl and Center Punch Continued - The awl is generally designed to have flat sides on its handle which makes it difficult if not impossible for the tool to roll away while sitting on a workspace. You should never hit an awl with a mallet or a hammer. Hand pressure......
Related Websites -
Masters Tournament 2011 Recap This week in golf featured the prestigious Masters tournament, one of the four major tournaments of the year for professional golfers. As usual, the tournament was held at the Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia. This was the 75th year for the tournament, a tournament that featured plenty of...... -
The Dos and Donts of Credit Scores Pt 2 In an earlier post we talked about the Do's for good credit, so now it's time to consider the Don'ts! A credit score is a really important indicator on how likely you will be to default on a credit card or a loan. Your credit score is determined by a...... -
San Ramon Golf Club San Ramon Golf Club San Ramon Golf Club is located in: San Ramon, CA Phone: 925-828-6100 Website: http://www.sanramongolfclub.com/ Course History: San Ramon Golf Club is a public course that is in easy driving distance from most large cities in the bay area. It's a beautiful course that features pretty...... -
Bay Water Trail Boosted by New Shoreline Camp A two-hour long kayak paddling trip was taken to Richmond from San Rafael, but this short trip ended up being a really big step in the right direction for what is known as the San Francisco Bay Water Trail. This is a network of camping and launching spots serving paddlers...... -
Indian Valley Reservoir Indian Valley Reservoir Indian Valley Reservoir is located in: Ukiah, CA Phone: (707) 468-4000 About the Lake: Indian Valley Reservoir is a popular destination for boaters, hunters and fishers. The area is incredibly scenic and there is enough to do here for the whole family. Although the campgrounds......
- Square Trampolines Cardiovascular Equipment Gym, Workout & Yoga Exercise & Fitness
- String Autoharp & Zither String Acoustic Musical Instruments
- Plants Ponds Water Features Garden Decor Yard, Garden & Outdoor Living
- Edged Weapons Great Britain Original Period Items WW II (1939-45) Militaria Collectibles
- Without Filters Ponds Water Features Garden Decor Yard, Garden & Outdoor Living
Categories:
0 comments ↓
There are no comments yet...Kick things off by filling out the form below.
Leave a Comment