How to Build a Concrete Outdoor Fire Pit

Concrete Fire Pit

It's always great fun to hang out around an outdoor flame with your friends and family. But your don't have to spend hundreds of dollars on a outdoor fire pit from your local hardware store. With a few retaining wall blocks and a couple bags of lava rock, you can build your own outdoor fireplace.

Things You'll Need

• Oldcastle 12" or 8" Castlewall Concrete blocks ($1.54 each)
• Lava Rocks ($5 per cu.ft.)

Instructions

1. Determine the location of your new outdoor fire pit. It's best to find an area of bare dirt to build your new outdoor fireplace on. Building it on concrete or a patio may result in staining. Make sure there is nothing flammable nearby, or overhanging that could be affected by the smoke.

2. 

   Build the first level of your fire retaining wall. Set the blocks in a circle with the small ends on the inside. How big you make it is up to you and your supply of blocks and space.

3. 

   Build the second level of your fire retaining wall. Start the second level on a space between two ground level blocks. Continue around the circle.

4. 

   Build the third level of your fire retaining wall. Again start the third level on a space between two second level blocks. Then continue around the circle.

5. Depending on your preference your can build it higher.

6. Lay down layer of lava rock in the center. You want layer to be a couple inches deep. This will help get air flow under your logs and reduce staining on the ground, a little.

Tips & Warnings

• Be fire safe, respect the flame.