How to Build a Rock Fire Pit

Enjoy campfire hot dogs every weekend, without having to go camping.

Star-gazing and listening to the crickets' singing will be much more enjoyable on those cool summer nights, when you're standing around your custom-built fire pit. Before you hire a professional, give a do-it-yourself project a try. By gathering rocks from your property and from your neighbors', you can cut installation costs even more.

Things You'll Need

• Yard stake
• Rubber mallet
• String
• Tape measure
• Scissors
• Spade or shovel
• 2-foot level
• Soil tamper
• Ready-mix mortar
• Water
• Wheelbarrow
• Trowel
• Joint tool

Instructions

1. Outline the location of the fire pit to serve as a guide while you excavate the area. Drive a yard stake into the center of the chosen area, using a rubber mallet. Tie the end of a string to the stake, using a pair of scissors to cut the string down to 10 inches longer than the radius of the finished fire pit. Use the extra 10 inches of string to tie the other end of the string to a spade or shovel. Drag the blade of the tool along the ground to create a guide for excavating.

2. Excavate the area within the outline, removing the sod and excavating a full 6 inches. Check the base of the area with a level and excavate again, as necessary, to remove high points and create a perfectly level surface.

3. Compact the bottom of the hole to prevent the fire pit walls from settling unevenly after construction. Pound the soil tamper against the base of the pit three or more times, until the base feels hard and you can no longer create noticeable tracks with your feet.

4. Layer gravel inside the hole to a 3-inch depth. Smooth the gravel layer level, using the 2-foot level for measurements.

5. Combine a bag of ready-mix mortar with water in a wheelbarrow. Follow package directions for the amount of water you add with the full bag of mix. Use the shovel or spade blade to mix the mortar powder and water together to form a thick batter.

6. Scoop mortar out of the wheelbarrow with the spade or shovel and dump each load onto the gravel, along the perimeter of the hole. Set rocks into place over the mortar beds, creating approximately 1-inch wide gaps between the rocks. Fill the gaps between rocks by applying mortar with the trowel.

7. Apply mortar to the top of the first layer of rock and set another layer into place over the mortar. Continue to keep the rocks spaced approximately 1 inch apart, filling the gaps by applying mortar with the trowel. Smooth mortar into the gaps using the joint tool to make joints appear uniform and tidy. Wipe excess mortar off the rocks' outward facing sides with a damp rag before the mortar has a chance to dry.

8. Build the wall of the fire pit up to the desired height, ideally between 1 and 2 feet. Apply additional rocks, as necessary, to fill in lower points on the wall and to create a nearly level surface for the capstones of the pit walls.

9. Apply mortar over the top rocks of the wall and begin sitting capstones into place at the top of the wall. Smooth mortar into the joints carefully, to prevent the finished wall from appearing messy and sloppily built.

10. Add an additional 3-inch layer of gravel inside the finished walls of the fire pit. This gravel layer provides drainage for the wall and is easy to remove and replace when cleaning the pit.

References

• The Firepit and Grilling Guru: How to Build an Outdoor Stone Fire Pit
• This Family Handyman: How to Build a Stone Fire Ring
• This Old House: How to Build a Fire Pit

Resources

• University of California-Irvine: Fire Pit Precautions