How to Build an In-Ground Firepit

An in-ground firepit is an ideal place for entertaining guests and adding to the aesthetics of your yard. In-ground firepits are more durable then their portable counterparts and can be customized to fit your yard. What's more, in-ground firepits are not difficult to fabricate and only need a bit of vision along with a few simple tools. Within just a few hours, your in-ground firepit will be in place and ready to use in just a day.

Things You'll Need

• Orange spray paint
• Post-hole diggers
• Tape measure
• Gravel
• Sand
• Shovel
• Decorative stones
• Mortar
• Trowel

Instructions

1. Call your local utility companies to schedule a time to survey your yard and inform you where cables and sewer infrastructure run on your property. You should not excavate until you know where utility lines are located.

2. Measure the size of the pit you wish to dig with a tape measure. Mark two points with orange spray paint, then measure perpendicularly and mark two more points. Connect the points in a circle to give you a visual reference in which to dig.

3. Using a shovel and/or post hole diggers, dig a hole about 12 inches to 16 inches deep to form your in-ground firepit. Then, dig a smaller hole, about 8 inches to 10 inches in diameter, approximately 1 foot deep, for a drain mechanism for rainwater. Fill the drain hole with enough gravel to keep it from collapsing, yet still allow water to absorb into the ground.

4. Cover the base of the in-ground firepit with 3 to 4 inches of gravel. Cover the gravel base with sand using a shovel. Level the sand with the shovel spade but do not pack it down tightly.

5. Lay a base circle of decorative stones around the in-ground firepit. Spread gravel around the outside of the stones to keep them in place, then spread mortar on the decorative stone base with a trowel. Set another circle of decorative stones on the base, pushing them into the mortar. Scrape away excess mortar with a trowel.

6. Stack one or two more decorative stone circles, spreading mortar between each stack with a trowel and scraping away mortar excess. Allow the mortar to fix for at least one day or as long as recommended by the manufacturer.

References

• "The Complete Guide to Patios: Plan, Build and Maintain"; Philip Schmidt; 2007