How to Build a Patio Table with a Fire Pit

A patio table with a fire pit offers a warm relaxing space to enjoy when the weather begins to get cooler. Many patio table sets offer a recessed area to build a small fire and often come with a screen dome to prevent embers and sparks from escaping. These tables are often expensive and a hassle to get home from the store. With these tips, you can build your own.

Things You'll Need

• Stone or rock
• Lumber
• Tools
• Cement

Instructions

1. Buy the lumber for the size of patio table fire pit you want. The type of wood you get is a personal preference.

2. Build the surround for the fire pit from the lumber as desired. Gather or purchase rock or stone to construct the center basin that holds the central fire pit bowl. Place the rocks or stone in a pattern or styles desired and join them with a mortar of cement that contains no adhesives. Dry stacking the stones is another common method of construction. Leave a depression in the center of the stone for the fire pit bowl.

3. Find an appropriate size fire pit bowl basin for the center depression in the stone patio table. Most home improvement stores will carry these.

4. Fill the fire pit basin with an appropriate amount of wood or other burning material and light it. Allow the fire to consume the material and check all of the stone to ensure the fire pit bowl is secure in place.

Tips & Warnings

• Build the patio table fire pit into the ground itself for a more rustic feel. Line the edges of the fire pit with slate or large flat stones for a tabletop appearance.

• Consider building the entire patio table fire pit out of brick and mortar. This fire pit design can then function as an outdoor cooking area as well as a fire pit design.