Let’s talk about Trends for 2017. Talking to contractor clients, landscape architect and designers, we are seeing that home owners are looking for Complete Outdoor Living Areas. Although this isn’t a completely new fad, more people are looking to add value to their homes while at the same time extending living or entertaining spaces to the back yard.
These outdoor living areas can range from whole outdoor kitchens and entertainment centers, to a barbecue or poolside bar area. And can run you upwards of $50,000 or more.
Do you have an area of the back yard that you’ve been contemplating turning into an Outdoor Living Space?
Want to build a comfortable seating area, that will serve as a great place to entertain?
Why not build a fire pit?
If you take on this project yourself, you could spend closer to $500 if you have the patience and are willing to use some elbow grease. Building a fire pit can be an easy project, whether you are a weekend DIYer or this is the one and only time you’ll ever work in the back yard, we are confident you can get it done!
For our first blog post we will show you how to put a fire pit together. I don’t have any photos of the process, but I will show you a few different prefabricated fire pit options from local suppliers, including Belgard, Olsen, Orco and Angelus Pavers.
HOW TO BUILD A FIREPIT
Materials used:
- Pick your block. There are a lot of options when it comes to fire pit blocks. Here are a few of the brands and styles we work with:
Angelus Planter Wall Blocks
Belgard Country Manor Fire Pit Kit
Belgard Weston Fire Pit Kit
Olsen Infinity Fire Pit Kit
Orco Keystone Country Manor
Orco Jumbo Nursery Stone
Instructions.
1. Check on your city and local codes and restrictions to find out what is required for a fire pit.
2. Chose an open spot, 10 to 20 feet away from trees, bushes, grass and other flammable items.
3. If building in none paved area, use rake and or shovel to clear out grass and debris and smooth out fire pit area. If on paved area, just make sure the area is clean and hopefully leveled.
4. By now you have already picked the shape of your pit. If you plan to create a circular pit, you might want to mark out the area first using a measuring tape and marking the ground with spray paint. (Have someone stand in the center of the fire pit area with the end of a measuring tape and the 2nd person can walk around at the desired measurement and mark the ground in a circle.)
5. Lay out your first layer of retaining wall bock directly on the ground.
6. Dig out about 4 to 6 inches of dirt from inside the fire pit circle. (You may need to dig out more or less depending on your local code.)
7. Stack the second and third layer of retaining wall block. Fill the bottom of the fire pit with 4 to 6 inches of decomposed granite, sand or pea gravel. Use a brush to clean debris from the surface of the previous layer. Overlap the layers of stone, leaving three or four random gaps between stones in every course. The gaps allow the fire to draw air into itself. We dry-stacked the stone. They may get out of alignment, but realignment is easy.
8. Add the 4th row of retaining wall block. You may chose to glue the 4th row to the third row with landscape retaining wall adhesive. If you do this, just follow the directions for the adhesive.
9. If creating a seating area, add the rest of your gravel, back filling around the fire pit. Smooth out, add chairs, outdoor string lights and enjoy!
