How to Build a Stone Patio With a Fire Pit

A fire pit can be a much-needed focal point for stone patios.

Stone patios are usually constructed of flagstone or fieldstone. Flagstone is a sedimentary rock quarried and cut to specifications. Fieldstone is naturally occurring stones removed from farm fields. Flagstone is more uniform, smoother and easier to work with. Fire pits offer a campfire setting on the patio. However, local zoning and fire regulations prohibit open fires in some areas. Check local zoning regulations before beginning construction.

Things You'll Need

• Stone
• Steel fire ring
• Shovel
• Level
• Hammers
• Wheelbarrow
• Trowels
• Gravel
• Sand
• Broom

Instructions

Building a Stone Patio and Fire Pit

1. Plan the layout of the patio and fire pit. The placement of a patio is usually determined by the locations of exterior doors of the house and the location of existing landscape features. The patio should slope away from the house.

   According to the website firepit-and-grilling-guru.com fire pits must be placed at least 20 feet from combustible materials. This includes the exterior walls of houses unless built entirely of masonry.

2. Excavate the area of the patio. According to the Popular Mechanics website a base of 4 inches of compacted gravel needs to be placed under the stones. This means soil will need to be excavated to a depth equal to the thickness of the stone plus four inches.

   Once the soil is excavated fill the area back in with 4 inches of gravel. Rake the gravel into place and then pack. Use a compactor, available from tool rental stores, to compact the gravel.

3. Place the stones. Start in a corner of the patio and work out following whatever placement pattern chosen during the planning process. Use a level and other hand tools to place the stones. Flagstone can be cut with a circular saw using a diamond tip blade. Use a broom to work sand into the seams between the stones.

4. Build the fire pit. A fire pit should be no taller than one foot with footings for the framework below grade level. Thisoldhouse.com recommends using a steel fire pit ring as a frame of the fire pit. Use stone matching the patio to create a wall around the steel fire pit ring. Use masonry adhesive to fasten the stones in place. Fill the bottom of the fire pit with gravel.

Tips & Warnings

• Stones are heavy. Make sure all the tools, equipment and laborers are capable of handling the heavy weights safely. While a patio can be built to almost any dimension, the recommended size of a fire pit is between 36 and 44 inches in diameter.

References

• Fire Pit and Grilling Guru
• Popular Mechanics