adminThe pit is an essential part of the backyard barbecue, and pavers are a perfect DIY material for building one. Plus, they’re easy to place in your yard.
The “building a fire pit with retaining wall blocks” is a project that requires minimal tools and materials. The steps to build this project are easy to follow, and the end result is a beautiful fire pit.
Paver fire pits with built-in seating are a terrific addition to any garden. They’re an excellent focal point for outdoor gatherings. They are long-lasting and resilient, and you may tailor the size to suit your requirements in the garden. In this post, we’ll go through several paver fire pit kits and demonstrate how simple they are to construct.
Contents Table of Contents
- Blocks that are used in fire pits
- Getting Your Site Ready
- Putting the paver bricks in place
- Putting the Blocks Together Using Glue
- Conclusion
Contents
Blocks that are used in fire pits
Fire pits fashioned of various landscaping bricks have a built-in appearance and are very sturdy, weather resistant, and long-lasting. The same bricks that are used in fire pits may be utilized in the backyard in a number of ways. Retaining walls, landscaping edging, raised bed gardens, and pathways are just a few of the applications.
The trapezoid form of certain blocks enables them to be set in a circular or wavy pattern, which is ideal for circular fire pits. Some blocks are rectangular or square in form, making them ideal for square fire kits.
Fire pit kits are ideal if you don’t want to figure out how many bricks you’ll need for the design you want since everything you’ll need is provided. The blocks and fire pit ring insert were included in my kit, so all I had to do was put construction glue between the layers to keep the pieces together.
Getting Your Site Ready
You’re ready to start preparing your site after you’ve chosen your fire pit kit. Your fire pit must be set up on flat ground. If your region is very uneven, paver leveling sand may be purchased to swiftly level your pavers.
I was certain that I could level the ground without the paver foundation sand since I had previously leveled the sand in preparation for the river stones I placed out.
I had a half circle as the fire pit’s specified area, and I wanted the fire pit kit to be precisely in the midst of it. To find the center, I took various measures from side to side and front to back.
I set out the fire pit insert within the center dimensions to calculate my outside circle to arrange the blocks once I determined the centre. I had to carefully remove river rock from around the insert to avoid accidently hitting it. I moved the boulders back approximately 8-10 inches with a shovel to make way for the paver stones.
I removed the insert after removing all of the rocks from the outer perimeter, and then I removed all of the rocks from the inner circle.
After removing all of the rock from the area, I replaced the insert in the middle and used the insert to make an imprint in the sand. I’m ready to start putting my blocks in a circle now that I’ve outlined my ring in the sand.
Putting the paver bricks in place
The image above illustrates how Lowes packed the paver fire pit kit. It’s rather large, so you’ll need a truck bed or a compact trailer to transport it. They used a forklift to load it onto the trailer, so be prepared if you’re getting one from one of the big box retailers.
Check to see if any of your paver bricks are chipped or broken. Several of them have minor chips on the outside edges. This is a regular occurrence when pavers are carried from one location to another. For my bottom level, I was able to choose all of the rocks that had some flaws.
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I was certain that the river stones on the lower level would hide any flaws. It’s possible that you’ll have to position the rocks on a side that you can’t see or that isn’t as noticeable.
After you’ve gone over the rocks, it’s time to arrange them around the circle you’ve drawn. I alternated between positioning them to the left and right of the main block. The circle drawn in the sand helped hold the blocks together, especially the final one, which fit perfectly.
Before completing a final leveling, I decided to fit the full bottom layer of bricks. If your soil is rather soft, you may use a mallet to tap the block that is higher than the other blocks down.
I used a 4 ft level to check how level I was all over the bottom layer. To get everything level, I simply had to elevate or lower a handful of blocks.
I began by positioning the second level of blocks midway between two lower level blocks. It is stronger to alternate each level of blocks than to line all levels up with the same joint line.
After finishing the second laver, I put the fire insert over the blocks one final time to make sure everything was level. I observed that a handful of blocks on the backside were low because the insert wasn’t hitting the second layer of bricks, due to tiny variances in the blocks. I smeared soil on the lowest layer of blocks, which lifted the second layer to just under the insert.
Putting the Blocks Together Using Glue
I was ready to apply the construction adhesive between the first and second layer of bricks now that everything was totally level all the way around. A caulking gun is used to apply construction adhesive to the blocks. If you’ve never used a caulking gun before, be cautious of air bubbles in the adhesive.
When you puncture the glue tube seal and start squeezing it out with the caulking gun, there may be an air bubble that keeps the glue pouring out even if you aren’t pressing the caulking trigger.
Each time you release the caulk gun trigger, the adhesive will take longer to emerge. The glue will stop running after the air bubble has passed through the tube.
On the second level, I removed one brick at a time and applied glue in a circle to the first level of blocks. I did the same thing on the second level, pounding each block with a hammer to distribute the adhesive.
In the same way that I finished the second level of blocks, I accomplished the third level of blocks. Installing the glue between the two layers by first installing the complete level of bricks, then removing each block separately.
Now it’s time to put your metal fire insert on top of the final layer of bricks. I tapped all the blocks on the exterior of the third level to make sure they were snug against the insert after the insert was in place. Before the glue was set, I double-checked that all of the blocks and the insert were tight against each other.
To allow the adhesive to cure, I didn’t touch anything else for 24 hours. We had some rain during that time, so I tried to lift up one of the blocks to see whether the glue had set, but it wouldn’t move. I believe that using glue rather than loosely putting the bricks is the key to keeping everything together.
Conclusion
Line fire bricks around the bottom of your fire pit where the paver blocks are exposed to the strong heat if you want your blocks to endure longer. You may also put lava rock down at the bottom.
Take a step back and take in the beauty of your new built-in fire pit. Once I began laying the first block, it took approximately an hour. My site prep took another half hour, which is the largest difference between installing a fire pit kit and doing it yourself. We added the Titan adjustable swivel grill as we were ready to cook some oysters over the fire, as you can see in the photo.
Building a fire pit with pavers is a great way to create the perfect backyard gathering spot. Here’s how you can build your own. Reference: how to build a fire pit with bricks.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do you put in the bottom of a fire pit?
A: Wood, leaves and kindling.
How many pavers do I need to make a fire pit?
A: This is an impossible question to answer. It depends on the size and depth of your fire pit, as well as how much space you have available for pavers in your yard. The best thing to do would be to search online for fire pit calculator or wooden paver calculator.
Does a paver fire pit need an insert?
A: Yes. It is required to place an insert in the bottom of a stone-paved fire pit that you want to use for cooking or using wood on.
Related Tags
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