Building a backyard Fire Pit

[Houndsman]

JohnK,
one aspect that is very important to fire-pit construction, is a guard coonhound.

Is that a coonhound guarding your brush cutter, two beers, and the superb fire?
v/r mark

 

[gsganzer]

Wow, you guys get pretty elaborate. Here in Texas, we just use an old tractor rim or tank head. I have a 36 inch tank head that works great.

 

[Timber]

Wow, you guys get pretty elaborate. Here in Texas, we just use an old tractor rim or tank head. I have a 36 inch tank head that works great.

Well you can’t take a fire pit for granted, 1st and foremost it is a landscape feature, then depending on your geography there is the wild fire issue, It must be contained .Then It must be user friendly. It needs proper seating for people and the pooch, a good location for a beverage cooler, easy access to a fuel supply. You not just building a fire your building and atmosphere in harmony with the landscape.

 

[3RRL]

Well you can’t take a fire pit for granted, 1st and foremost it is a landscape feature, then depending on your geography there is the wild fire issue, It must be contained .Then It must be user friendly. It needs proper seating for people and the pooch, a good location for a beverage cooler, easy access to a fuel supply. You not just building a fire your building and atmosphere in harmony with the landscape.

Wow, I could have never said it like that...but yeah, you're right! One other thing because of the wild fire issue, the bottom of mine is lined with rocks about 12" deep. So if we have to "douse" the fire out with water, it drains down....doesn't make a mud bath. And the remaining logs/coals will dry up and start easy next time.

 

[johnk]

No Houndsman,
Thats not a black and Tan coonhound. It's a Rott. 185 pounds worth guarding the beers....

 

[dmccarty]

You guys make my fire pit look like, well, a pit.

I did put a rock or two out there to sit on buy I really like the big rock idea so I'll add some of those. We only have a single row of rocks and I can now see how that will change. And the idea of rocks on the bottom of the bit is excellent as well.

My FIL has a large concrete patio with a circular fire pit built in the middle. The pit is roughly 4' in diameter and maybe 18 inches tall and made from bricks. The interesting detail is the one you can see. There is not concrete under the pit. Its "open" to grade. He ran a pipe from the opening to outside the slab so that rain water would drain out of the pit. We have plans to do something similar at our house but it won't happen anytime soon. So we put in our fire ring instead.

There are some great ideas in this thread....

Later,
Dan

 

[EddieWalker]

I'm almost embarrased to show my fire ring after seeing what you guys have done!!! But we really enjoy ours and have allot of fun with it.

Eddie

 

[dmccarty]

I'm almost embarrased to show my fire ring after seeing what you guys have done!!! But we really enjoy ours and have allot of fun with it.
Eddie

Was the ring from Cabella's? Or did you make it?

Later,
Dan

 

[EddieWalker]

It's from Cabela's. I forget exactly how much, but think it was on sale for $45 when I bought it, plus shipping about two years ago.

Eddie

 

[gsganzer]

Well you can’t take a fire pit for granted, 1st and foremost it is a landscape feature, then depending on your geography there is the wild fire issue, It must be contained .Then It must be user friendly. It needs proper seating for people and the pooch, a good location for a beverage cooler, easy access to a fuel supply. You not just building a fire your building and atmosphere in harmony with the landscape.

Now I'm offended!! Are you trying to imply that our tractor rim and tank head fire pits don't provide the proper aethetics and ambiance?? I, for one, believe they go perfectly well with the toilet and bathtub planters in the front yard and the old Buick with the trees growing up through the hood .

As for the seating, the old bench seat from my first automobile are every bit as comfortable as they were when I bought the car used, with 150,000 miles 15 years ago. The used oil from the old automobiles is a perfect source of fuel, albiet a little smokey when the wind shifts around and the old stump makes a perfect holder for the bottle of "shine".