If you love the coziness and the warmth of campfires and you want to enjoy all that wonderful atmosphere in your backyard as well, you can nowadays easily get the perfect pit from a store that sells fireplaces and fire pits. However, if you are passionate about doing everything around the house with your own hands and you have been considering making your own pit as well, here are some things that you should know about how to make a DIY fire pit and some tips about the features to pay attention to.
The Importance of Checking Local Regulations
The first thing before even starting to think about the style and the size of your DIY pit, you have to check the local building codes and other construction regulations to see whether you are allowed to build a pit on your landscape at all. Some municipalities and homeowners’ associations allow for building such pits only under certain conditions, others have specific rules about the types of fuel that can or cannot be used and there are municipalities that do not allow for building and using fire pits at all. Not being familiar with these regulations and building a fire pit that is not complying with the applicable laws can result in a fine and you might be obligated to remove the fire pit.
Gather The Supplies That You Need
A DIY fire pit is slightly different from the units that you buy in the store. DIY units are either located entirely in a hole in the ground and surrounded with only a very short wall or they consist of taller walls built from bricks or from natural stone around a shallow hole in the ground. Either way, you will need a can of paint to draw the perimeters of the fire pit, then you will need a shovel to create the whole for the pit. You will also need gravel to line the bottom of the hole and it is a good idea to also buy a fire ring to make your pit safer and more durable.
The Process of Creating the Pit
The first thing to do is to dig out the hole that will serve as your fire chamber. When you have created the hole that is deep enough, place your fire ring on the hole and add a layer of gravel to the bottom. When you are done with these operations, it means that your fire chamber is practically ready.
The next phase is the construction of the walls around your fire pit. The walls will be practically the parts of your fire pit that are visible all the time, when the fire is burning inside and when it is not as well, therefore it is a good idea to create a good design. You can use attractive masonry solutions, bricks or natural stone – creating the walls is a wonderful opportunity to use your creativity and excellent tastes. When the walls are tall enough and they are lined with your fire ring and your gravel, it is time to test your construction by adding some wood and starting the first campfire in your backyard.
