How to Build a Fire Pit | This Old House
This Old House landscape contractor Roger Cook creates a cozy cold-weather oasis. (See below for a shopping list and tools.)
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Segment 1 short description Roger helped a homeowner build a campfire pit in her backyard using a kit consisting of concrete pavers and a steel ring. First, they dug a shallow pit slightly wider than the campfire. For drainage, Roger dug a second narrow, deeper hole in the middle and filled it with ¾” stone. Next, he added a mixture of stone and stone dust in the shallow pit and compacted it using a hand tamper. Then, with the steel ring in place temporarily, Roger installed several rows of curved concrete pavers around it, staggering the joints and gluing each row together with masonry adhesive. Finally, they backfilled around the firepit with topsoil and replaced the turf.
Shopping List for How to Build a Fire Pit:
– steel fire-pit ring with cooking grates [https://amzn.to/2HQFVbm]
– ¾-inch crushed stone [https://amzn.to/2QjucpJ], used for base of fire pit
– cotton cloth [https://amzn.to/2HAX9uq]
– concrete-block adhesive [https://amzn.to/2X4pv5F]
Tools List for How to Build a Fire Pit:
– wheelbarrow [https://amzn.to/2YMcDBu]
– pointed shovel [https://amzn.to/2wht6Bt], used to excavate fire pit hole
– square shovel [https://amzn.to/2X4FK2H], used for digging up the grass
– hand tamper [https://amzn.to/2X5XL0j]
– rubber mallet [https://amzn.to/2YN8mhq]
– torpedo level [https://amzn.to/30H0y2p]
– caulk gun [https://amzn.to/2X8l0XK]
Roger installed a campfire kit complete with curved concrete pavers and a steel inner ring manufactured by Ideal Concrete Block [https://www.idealconcreteblock.com/].
About Ask This Old House TV:
Homeowners have a virtual truckload of questions for us on smaller projects, and we’re ready to answer. Ask This Old House solves the steady stream of home improvement problems faced by our viewers—and we make house calls! Ask This Old House features some familiar faces from This Old House, including Kevin O’Connor, general contractor Tom Silva, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, and landscape contractor Roger Cook.
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How to Build a Fire Pit | This Old House
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Anyone have advice on the top of the pavers turning black from flames?
Puuurfect
rubba it all around kate, that's it
At the end, you need to bang it tight.
how can anyone take this guy serious with that accent? I immediately discounted anything he said
I love how these people sound perfectly normal to me and then I read the comment section and remember I'm from Boston.
How to build a Well
thanks king this was really helpful love u
Went down behind the TJ Maxx and found me some pallets. Threws dem down in a circle an soaked dem with tiki flyud.
Boom, fire pit. No mo skeeters !!
thats a tiny firepit, I like em about twice that size
Just did this, this past weekend. I subbed the retaining wall for 10×7 paver block. 12 around, 3 levels high. Came out great. Fires are ragers. I’m from New England so this guys accent is at home for me. Cheers all!
This video would be so much easier to watch without that accent. Just my opinion. Don't hate. I'm sure this guy probably doesn't like my accent either.
make a marrkh
Bang it in Tight KATE
That women didn't even make 1 sandwich. Horrible helper.
Lol feels like he’s mansplaining this whole thing to her
Missing Bob Villa
Looks nice and all but not very practical, isn't it? Firstly the fire ca't breathe properly and second you can't clean the ash
Love it
where did you got those blocks?
Drilled
Phrasing
The one thing they should have done was leave out two blocks in the middle for air flow. This would help with the draft and the wood or what ever would burn fast and hotter.
Classic ATOH overkill.
Throw wood in pile. Light with flame thrower. There’s your fire pit.
every other video i've watched in comparison to this old house is always less work involved lol they always have an elaborate process in comparison to other diy vids
Roger how deep and round was the center whole for water drainage? Thanks for the video. Moving an old fire pit and the original builder used an auger, and I'll use a shovel like you did.
Let’s toss the ball around, you be de Patriots and I’ll be de… hey wait a minute who put that thing there that we used just once. “It was Kate”…
Rubber mallet
Where’s the end results lol
Fire pits are air polluters. Many neighbors don't appreciate a neighbor who uses one!
What did you call that material at 1;20,sounded like "pack"?
foundation for a fire pit??
Kate looks like she's been a bad girl.
All you need to do is PAWK YA CAA, AND GET STAHTED. IT'S NOT HAAHD.
This man loves his pack
Let me guess. 1. Hire two or three of the most expensive contractors around to do a supposed, one person job. 2. Have all the contractors and their crews do the job for you using large amounts of skilled labor and specialized tools. 3. Stand around acting like you did the work yourself and say it was easy then turn off the cameras and run because all those contractors you hired are after the thousands of dollars they are owed just to dig a hole in the lawn. 4. Repeat infinitely and neoliberals will watch the show regularly even though they have no intention of ever picking up a tool in their lives.
Rahjah!
Lost me at 2ft of gravel and six inches of fire. Smh.
Aww Roger cook…watts guy…..stay safe
This pit wood have code and fire dept screening and getting summons for open fire here
I wonder where these guys are from lmao
STAWWHHHHWWWWTAADD
It's nawt a fiyah pit without a fiyah !!
Use the “rubba hamma”
Wouldn't this type of concrete explode with heat or is that other type of rock that explodes with heat?
He started with a big hole then it turned into a small hole
Wow! The chic is hot!!
Looks like a nightmare to clean old coals out with.
How do you clean out the ash later? A shovel will not fit.
Where did you purchase the fire ring? How many of the blocks were purchased? How much of the rock/packing material was needed? And what should I expect the total cost to be? Thanks
How do you get the ashes out with all that gravel in the pit? Why not use fire bricks?
Very good instruction
Errr ahh
Seems like it would need air vents at bottom
How do you get the ash out with all those rocks as the base ? I’ve made several fire pits and Id change a few things . I do like the hole for drainage tho. Maybe the base could be patio blocks ? Plus take a few of the bottom blocks out so it’s a bit like a smokeless.
Is that adhesive fire grade ? I’m building a pit and I want to use fire bricks what’s the best adhesive to use ? It’s a custom fire pit square
Get stoddid
Why does the top brick sit out more than the two rows under it ? People also need to check their local fire codes. Ours says a fire pit needs to be 20' or more from the house. Great Video!
I used to think man-splaining was a myth… Then I watched him explain this to her as though she was a two year old. Makes me ashamed to be a contractor.
Great video.
Wrong
didn't leave any air intake holes at the bottom of the block. Congrats, you just built a smoke pit, not a fire pit
How do u prevent SMOKE?
gonna smoke yourselves out following these instructions
They made this waaaayy too complicated. You don't need to dig holes, add stones, caulk, and fire ring. Just lay the pavers in a circle and done.
Pro tip: gap the bottom pavers to allow air flow from the bottom.
Been building camp fire-pits all my life – never trust those who don't include the most important part of a camp fire-pit = airflow. Bad airflow will cause more smoke, it won't burn the wood as well and you'll have to babysit the fire to keep it going more often every time the fire starts to get low etc. Videos like this are a terrible way to make a fire pit without airflow. After watching several fire-pit videos I'm shocked at how few know how to build a proper fire-pit – because they never think of airflow – fuel for the fire.
Some folks go to all the extra work to use a 12 volt blower, which means some dig a line underground for that too – ya won't ever need a blower if ya build the fire-pit with proper airflow.
I also see folks who are spending lots of money on rebuilding their back yard landscape, for example, who build an expensive patio with an expensive fire-pit and they far too often build a terrible fire-pit without airflow causing more smoke, doesn't burn as well, more fire maintenance etc.
Woahh way to make a easy firepit project wicked haaard
I want this in my backyard too
The only thing I didn't like was the 1 second view of the finished fire pit.
he said bang it in tight
What is the diameter?
Whats that rock mixture?
“Bang it in tight, there ya go” That’s what she said. Haha
What is the purpose of the pavers being half into the ground?
Way overdone. No need to build it like that
This guy is pretty spot on. I suggest digging 6 outside of your walls rather than 3. Also highly recommend laying a thick plastic geo-fabric before laying the base. No dirt should be exposed.
The future archeologists will find that thing 2000 years from now and wonder how it was built to last so long.
What size is the ring?
Where can I find the curved cement blocks? I can't find them anywhere!
How do you clean a pit? Taking up the burned wood and ashes would remove some of the stone
Now to get staaatid, were gonna dig a hole….. then were gonna make a maaak around the stones……. use the sqwa shovel and slide it underneath the graas, then we have to put several layas of paaak and it's gonna paaaak haaad asa rock! Usin a rubba hamma, set them stones down in place! Put tha graas back n place, then light it….. CUT!!!! Who knows what happened then, probably exploded! Should've drove ova it with ya caaa! lmao
No air underneath means smoke. Bad design.