How to Build a Stone Fire Pit: A Guide on the Installation Process

The discovery of how to make and keep fire may be what led to the modern human imagination, so it’s only natural that homeowners would want to build one on their property!

Fortunately, learning how to build a stone fire pit is more comfortable than learning how to ride a bike. There are a few different methods and designs you can choose to use, and the exact kind of fire pit you decide to build depends on your space, your preferences, and your project time limit.

Building a stone fire pit isn’t nearly as complicated or expensive as other household projects. Read on to discover how to get a backyard fire pit going in no time!

How to Build a Stone Fire Pit: Step-By-Step

To build a basic, reliable, sturdy, and stationary stone fire pit, follow these step-by-step directions. Then, sit back and enjoy a gentle drop in blood pressure as you gaze deeply into the flames.

1. Measure Your Pit Space

The very first thing you need to do is measure your potential pit space. How large would you like your pit to be? The large you make it, the more stone you will need to purchase.

If budget is a concern, you may want to start with a moderately sized pit. Once you’ve decided how large you’d like your fire pit to be, and you’ve measured an area to house the fire pit, it’s time to collect your supplies.

2. Collect Your Supplies

You will need a measuring tape, a shovel or hoe, firebricks, thick capstones, cement, and cement pavers. The exact amount of firebrick and capstones you’ll need depends on the total circumference and height of your desired fire pit.

You may want to perform a little basic math and geometry before heading out to pick up your supplies. Knowing precisely what you need beforehand will prevent you from spending an excessive amount of money or buying supplies you don’t need.

3. Prepare the Base

When you have all of your supplies handy, it’s time to begin getting down to business. To prepare the base of your fire pit, you must measure and mark four points in the pit circle. You can use lawn stakes, colored ribbon, or anything else that is easy to see and place.

These points will serve as a visual guide for where your pit will be and how large it will be. When you are satisfied with your placement and sizing, remove any grass or vegetation within that circle.

Remove at least a half-inch of topsoil from this circle, then flatten remaining soil until uniformly compressed. This slight depression will serve as an excellent place to pour your cement footing.

4. Pour Cement Footing

Pour fresh cement around the outer layer of your dirt circle. Your adhesive should be thick enough to retain most of it’s poured shape without dribbling everywhere. Once you’re finished with this step, you should have a wet cement donut in your circle.

5. Lay Firebrick Inner Wall

Before the cement dries and solidifies, begin placing your inner wall of firebrick. Stack and mortar the firebrick, making sure to support it with adhesive and capstones on the outside. In this way, you’ll connect your massive capstones to the lighter firebrick and insulate the space between them!

6. Build to Desired Height

Continue with this process of placing firebrick and capstone blocks and sealing until you reach your stone fire pit’s desired height. At this point, you’ll need to place your flattest capstone across the top so that they cover the cement binding between the firebrick and capstone.

Though stone is reasonably sturdy and impervious to the elements, wind, extreme weather, and moisture can erode even the most robust materials. Keeping that cement binding covered by a thick layer of rock helps to ensure that the pit wall remains strong throughout the years.

7. Place Capstones

Of course, you can always ditch the sweat-inducing labor and hire a team of professionals to install unique fire features. The choice is yours!

How to Build a Fire Pit With Pavers

If you’ve ever wondered about what kind of blocks to use for a fire pit, then you may be dismayed to know that there are multiple answers.

Fire pit pavers differ significantly in size, type, and insulation strength. Also, a paver’s ability to insulate depends heavily on the pit design and whether gaps were sealed with cement.

However, there are two basic kinds of stone you can use to start constructing your fire pit.

Firebrick

Firebrick is a type of ceramic brick that is specifically manufactured to withstand extremely high heats. These types of blocks typically line the inside of high-production kilns, furnaces, and fireplaces.

They’re great for fire pits because they can endure years of melting temperatures without cracking or eroding. Though they’re not ideal for the entire structure of a stone fire pit, they make an excellent insulation layer when placed internally.

Patio Pavers

Patio pavers are typically massive blocks of stone that are relatively inexpensive and easy to stack. If you’re looking to construct a temporary-yet-rugged stone fire pit, patio pavers may be the best option for you.

These stones don’t require any mortar or sealant and fit snuggly together. However, a clumsy guest or family member could injure themselves on the moveable pavers. Be sure to consider your potential backyard parties, guests, and situations before decided to leave a patio paver pit unsealed.

Enjoy a Lit Backyard!

A backyard fire pit isn’t something that you can only enjoy during certain times of the year. You can strike up a fire at any time, any day of the year. Now that you know the basics of how to build a stone fire pit, you can bring some warmth, inspiration, and energy to your yard!

Are you still uncertain about building a fire pit by yourself? That’s alright. Fire pit installation isn’t for everyone.

We can help turn your home design fantasies into a gorgeous reality. For helping lighting up that outdoor space, contact us today!