build-a-fire-pit
to enjoy outdoor living
to the fullest

To build-a-fire-pit may be one of first items you want to build in landscaping your new (or not so new) home.

This was one of the first things our family ever thought of doing, when we moved into a new house. It was like a house was not a home without a fire-pit to roast hotdogs, or make tin-foil dinners.

As we raised our 9 children, with many neighbor children tagging along, we always had to have a firepit. It was nothing like the one we have now, but it served it's purpose to roast hot dogs and marshmallows, and to occasionally make tin foil dinners.

With a toasted or burnt marshmallow sandwiched between two graham crackers and a melting chocolate square, we would sit around at night telling family stories and singing our families' favorite campfire songs while eating smores.

The kids would find creekbed type rocks and build a circle around where the fire would be built to contain the fire. That was all we needed for a fire-pit.

Now we have a much more elaborate fire-pit that truly keeps the fire contained, and even is a good place to do dutch oven preparation. It still provides the much loved place to sit around and enjoy the stars and campfire, as in days of `yore.

It's a good place to do your dutch oven cooking. One of our favorite recipes is dutch oven potatoes (CLICK HERE)

This is our firepit

This pic was taken in the late winter to early spring when nothing was growing up north.

As a complete contrast look at this same setting mid-summer when our build-a-fire-pit was surrounded with grass and greenery.

Midsummer setting of the same firepit

You can put your feet up against the rocks surrounding the pit and warm them from the rocks' heat emanating from the fire within plus a firepit adds pleasure to your outdoor living experience.

The diamond block wall is wide enough to sit on out around the fire, if we have a crowd.

When we first saw this type of fire-pit, it was November 2005, in St George, Utah - at one of our son's home. We all went out and sat around the fire, keeping warm, and enjoying the kind of family fun experienced by us years before around our makeshift firepit.

Three of our sons landscape in Southern Utah, and Bob developed this design. He built ours for us up north, too.

SEE Landscaping a hill HERE

To build-a-fire-pit is like building a diamond block wall, simply placing the blocks on top of each other, with no mortar. The weight of the blocks is all you need to hold it. The first layer has to be leveled, but after that you simply place the blocks in the desired shape. When the height you want is achieved, then a capstone is placed all around the top. See one of Bob's firepits.from start to finish.HERE

Naturally, Bob's is a little more elaborate than my explanation, as he builds a strong foundation and uses cinderblocks now, to form the shape. Then he fills the blocks with cement, and then lines the inside with a brick firebox and everything fits perfectly. He even faces the blocks with a stone finish. He told me that it costs less to build one of his firepits now days than mine cost. They are strong and will hold up over time.

He gets fancier with each one he builds, but he has the design developed in his head. Consequently, you can tell Bob's firepit anywhere.

The third firepit shown above, with the pavers surrounding it, is one of Bob's first builds. You can see someone's foot resting on the fire-pit edge in the upper right hand corner.

It is wonderful to build-a-fire-pit and to sit around so you can enjoy a campfire at night and enjoy each other's company.

SEE