Building a backyard Fire Pit

[Timber]

Just a quick little project. I love sitting around a camp fire with friends and a cold 1. I decided to Photo document my style of pit. I build water gardens and coi ponds so my fire pits are in the same style of building

 

[Timber]

I like to have 1 set of stones below the ground so I remove material the size of the overall area. Then I come in about 8 to 12 inches and dig out the bottom of the pit about 8 to 12 inches deep. Then I set the lower set of stones on the shelf and then trim away any excess material in the hole

 

[Timber]

After the inside of the pit is done now I put in all my cap stones. I am fortunate hear in New England we have no shortage of stone So I have quite a selection just laying around. I move my stones to the pit area and begin setting them in place. Some times it it better to remove a lower stone to set a larger cap stone in place. This is were the overall look to the pit starts to take its shape. I set all the large stones and then work in the small stones to fill in the gaps and balance the look. This is personal taste, there is no wrong way to set your stones

 

[Timber]

Now the pit is done. I 1st have my wife inspect it and get the no Bon fire speech Yada Yada Yada. Hear in Massachusetts I have to have the fire inspector out to look it over. It passed with flying colors and now I have a year round place to have my fires. I still have to do my yard waste fires in the 3 month period but this will help a great deal and its a great place to hang out with friends and have a couple of cold beers

 

[fenneran]

Excellent looking pit Timber. Mine is basically a row of (poorly layed out) bricks

 

[czechsonofagun]

That looks great! There is nothing like cold night, fire with some meat cooking and couple grown up beverages

But the fire inspector sounds scary to me.

 

[Egon]

Good show.

Nothing like an evening fire with the neighbours.

 

[rox]

Very NICE!!! I really appteciated the time you took with the pictures.
If I ever want to build a pit like that, for sure your photos will be a great reference. You msut ahve done a quite a bit of hand digging to get it jsut the way you want it.

Merci!

 

[3RRL]

Timber,
That's a worthwhile project that the whole family will enjoy. There's nothing quite like sitting around the campfire and enjoying yourself. Those are great photos too. I recently added a pit just like yours to my campground. Also made some benches to sit around it. Hope you don't mind me sharing one picture...

 

[Timber]

Timber,
Those are great photos too. I recently added a pit just like yours to my campground. Also made some benches to sit around it. Hope you don't mind me sharing one picture...

Thank you, thats a great camp you have and I would never mind anyone adding pictures and ideas to a thread. I have found you a very interesting person yourself. Your projects have been very fascinating, You have a good head. I have viewed a great many of your threads. It is my pleasure to meet you.

 

[Timber]

Thank you everyone, This project is a pick and shovel job but the tractor sure makes it a lot easier collecting the stone. I'm glad people enjoyed the effort, it was a fun project. I have always been a camper and now the place I have hear I can enjoy a lot of those activities in my own yard

 

[roermo]

Timber nice fire pit. Are the rocks you used quarry rock or creek rock? I am in Missouri and when you wrote about a fire pit and had to have it inspected that made me think I am lucking to live out in tim-buck-to. My fire-pit fills up fast with all the down limbs and trees I get at our river camp. But your right a great way to end the day, fire friends and a beer or two, or ice tea.
I wanted to share with you my fire pit. Check out the new thread, it drifts away from your posting but you might get a laugh. Check it out. I’am going to call it “how to fill a fire pit.

Roger

 

[Egon]

I would never mind anyone adding pictures and ideas to a thread

We have what I call a fire hill out at the lake. Three flat rocks sitting about a foot above the surrounding ground. We tried this method to get better air flow to the fire. Seems to work well.

 

[Timber]

Looks like a great spot, I love those slide in campers but they do get tight with the dogs

 

[scott_vt]

Mornin Timber,
Hope you dont mind me butting in here. Just wanted to tell Rob that I like his benches, and thanks to both of you for sharing your firepit ideas. Mine kind of looks like that, but not quite so elaborate

 

[Timber]

LOL I loved his benches too, I get some big fires going so I have to be able to get back away from them. I have to look into some SPF 30 fire block for my skin

 

[3RRL]

LOL I loved his benches too, I get some big fires going so I have to be able to get back away from them. I have to look into some SPF 30 fire block for my skin

LOL, I know what you mean. Unfortunately, it is so dry here most of the time and I want to avoid a wildfire at all costs so I tend to keep the blaze small. But I do love a BIG fire.
That was nice you Scotty and Tmber about my benches. A carpenter I'm not like some of the wood work I've seen. But I enjoyed making those benches. Here's what they looked like after Mrs 3RRL sanded and varnished them.




I made them in segments to form a ring around the firepit leaving 3 spaces to get in and out. I can also haul them around to different spots if I want. They add a flavor to the camp.
Thanks again...

 

[schmism]

so i couldnt help but notice your cool camp in the background of the pics.

whats up with that?

 

[Timber]

I actualy thought that was a realy cool camp. We do that for the kids. Put a small dome tent in a screen house to keep the bugs out for them. It also keeps the tent nice and cool and gives them a little bit of an area to keep there crap in. They never seem to remember to close up the tent.

 

[Timber]

You know what I wanted to ask you Rob. What are you using for an image code for posting your pics. I love the way that works. I do a lot with pictures, it seems to answer a lot of questions for people about the things I do. That little preview image is kinda nice