Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Outdoor living

Add a fire pit to your garden to take advantage of cool spring nights

How to build a DIY fire pit in your garden

Cayla Leonard
By

As winter turns into spring, the nights are finally warm enough to start going outside again, but still a little too cool to fully enjoy. Wouldn’t it be nice to have a fire pit that you and your friends could sit around? We certainly think so! If you’d like to get outside and enjoy your garden after dark, here’s how to create your own DIY fire pit.

Related Videos

Difficulty

Moderate

Duration

2 hours

What You Need

  • Spray paint

  • Shovel

  • Gravel

  • Metal fire ring or fire bowl

  • Bricks, concrete blocks, or stones

  • Construction adhesive

  • Level

  • Rubber mallet

Large round fire pit with a table with hot dogs on it

Choosing a location

Before you can build your fire pit, you'll have to decide where to put it. Here's how:

Step 1: Choose a flat area.

Step 2: Pick a place that is away from structures or plants that can’t be removed.

Related

Step 3: Choose an area with an easily accessible water source.

Step 4: Clear the area of removable plants and debris.

A small fire pit

Gathering your materials

Here are a few things to keep in mind while getting your supplies:

Step 1: Make sure everything you use is safe for fires and heat.

This includes any decorations or furniture you intend to place near the fire pit.

Step 2: Measure the area before you begin construction, to ensure you have enough supplies.

Step 3: Choose blocks or bricks with flat tops.

If you want a circular fire pit, the sides should be angled.

Square fire pit with white chairs around it

Constructing the fire pit

Here’s how to build your DIY fire pit:

Step 1: Set your fire ring or bowl where your fire pit will be and place a layer of your blocks or bricks around it.

Step 2: Mark the outer edge on the ground with spray paint, then remove the fire ring and blocks.

This will determine how wide your fire pit needs to be.

Step 3: Dig a hole that is as wide as the mark you made and at least 7 inches deep.

Step 4: Flatten the bottom of the hole.

Step 5: Add a 5- to 6-inch layer of gravel and flatten it.

Step 6: Set the first layer of blocks or bricks on top of the gravel, at the edge of the pit, so they form a tight ring.

Step 7: Use a level to ensure the layer is flat.

Step 8: Set the next layer of blocks on top, arranging them so the joints are offset from the joints of the first layer.

This is a test to ensure each layer fits perfectly before you add the adhesive. This is also a good time to test that your fire ring fits.

Step 9: Remove a few blocks from the test layer, add construction adhesive to the top of the first layer, and replace the blocks.

Repeat this step for the entire layer.

Step 10: Tap the layer down with a rubber mallet to make sure it's secure.

Step 11: Continue adding layers until you have three or four total layers.

Step 12: Add your fire ring or bowl.

Congratulations, your DIY fire pit is now ready to use! You may want to light a small test fire first, to ensure everything is in working order. After that, all you need to do is set your chairs around it, call your friends over, and enjoy the results of your hard work on cool spring nights!

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
3 of the best solar garden lights for a bright and eco-friendly yard
outdoor sitting with lights

It's important to decorate your garden with stunning flowers and veggies, but it's also vital that your garden be well lit. Whether for parties, late-night harvesting, or quiet nights reading in the warm summer air, solar lights make a fantastic addition to any garden. They can transform a backyard into a cozy after-dinner area, light up a walkway for safe navigation, or bring attention to a favorite tree. Here we'll be going over the essential considerations to keep in mind while shopping for solar garden lights. We'll also include a few of our favorites you might want to add to your landscaping.

What to consider when buying a solar garden light
Not all solar garden lights are created equal; there are a few things you'll want to keep in mind.
Cost
The cost is one of the most important aspects of purchasing a new item for almost everyone. Although solar garden lights are very similar in price, it's still crucial to consider how much you're willing to spend on lights before you go looking. Having a better idea of your budget will help you find the ideal solution.
Ease of install
If you need something easy to put up for a party this weekend, you won't want to buy a setup that'll take hours to put together. Instead, finding a solar light that's easy to install will make life easier and allow you to get back to doing other things like gardening!
Lifespan
Outdoor products never last as long as their indoor cousins, so it's not surprising to find that solar garden lights have a shorter shelf life than other indoor lights. However, this doesn't mean you should have to replace your garden lights every year or bring them in during the winter. Instead, look for a light that can withstand the types of weather you often see and be sure to care for the light properly so it can last a long time.
Aesthetic
Of course, you should like the way your new lights look! If they don't suit the aesthetic of your garden, you'll likely be disappointed and tempted to go looking for other options. So be sure you're looking for a light that's going to suit the rest of your garden, or at least blend in and not take away from your garden ornaments.
MAGGIFT Solar Pathway Lights
These pathway lights by MAGGIFT are ideal for lighting the way during the darker hours of the day. Whether it's the path from the driveway to the house or the deck to the flower garden, these lights will soak up sun rays and provide you with plenty of light to see your way.

Read more
A complete guide to cleaning your greenhouse for beginners
greenhouse

When you first installed your greenhouse, it probably looked like a glittery glass castle for your lovely plants to grow and live in. However, weather, soil spills, and birds have made their mark on your greenhouse over time and now it's probably looking cloudy and nasty. So how do you clean a greenhouse?
Why worry about a clean greenhouse?
You may be wondering if you even need to worry about cleaning your greenhouse. If you don't mind the dirty look, maybe you could leave it as it is? Unfortunately, it's much better for your greenhouse and your plants if you give the greenhouse a deep clean at least once a year. It'll make it easier to use when it is clean and organized, and the walls of the greenhouse need to be clear so they can let in as much light as possible. Additionally, a clean greenhouse is less likely to spread pests and diseases to your precious plants. And lastly, things last longer when you care for them and greenhouses aren't cheap.

When should you clean a greenhouse?
There's no right time to clean a greenhouse; whenever you can is better than not at all. However, we suggest cleaning it when there isn't so much to do in the garden and it isn't so hot out. Usually, the fall is when the garden chores slow down and it starts to cool out, making cleaning the greenhouse much easier on you.
What is the best way to clean a greenhouse?
You can use whatever cleaning method works for you, but here is our step-by-step process that we recommend.
Step one: Empty the space
Of course, we know you can only empty a greenhouse so much if you have tender plants that need to stay warm. But as much as you can, take out the tools, buckets, and bags of soil. It will be much easier on you if you don't have to fuss with items in your way as you clean the walls and floors. This also allows you to go through what you have and declutter if necessary.
Step two: Rough dusting
Over the season, spiders and bugs and maybe even some mice have tried to make homes in your greenhouse. This has probably led to a few cobwebs and dust piles around the corners. You'll want to remove these large areas of debris before you start the deep cleaning. Use a broom to knock down the cobwebs and sweep up the floor; you've probably spilled some soil during the summer!
Step three: Clean the walls
The panels of your greenhouse will now need to be deep cleaned. You can use a bucket of warm water and a sponge to wipe them down, but we also recommend bringing a long-handled brush to make life easier. This way, you can dip the brush into the bucket of soapy water and scrub down the walls with the long-handled brush. You'll be able to reach every inch of the walls without killing your back.

Read more
5 outdoor living trends that will totally improve your 2022
women outside sitting

After being stuck in our homes the last two years, we've started to realize that making our homes into a lovely place to be is very important. However, we can only stay inside for so long before we ache for sunshine and nature. Turning your outdoor space into a haven where you can escape the indoors and enjoy some fresh air will improve your 2022 no matter what it throws at us. So here are some ways to spruce up your outdoor living space so you can enjoy the spring when it finally comes back around.

Bring indoor luxuries to an outdoor space
The best way to encourage yourself to go outside more often is to make it as comfortable as possible. So often, we choose indoor seating instead of going outside simply because that huge sectional is way more comfortable to lounge on. So instead, invest in comfortable seating, plenty of surfaces for drinks and electronics, and maybe even purchase some umbrellas or awnings so you can sit outside even if it's lightly raining. Making an easy transition from indoors to outdoors will encourage everyone in the home to come out more often and enjoy the space.
Vertical gardening
Not everyone has the luxury of having an expansive backyard. If you're struggling to know what to do with your smaller space, but you know you want more plants and gardening opportunities, try vertical gardening! This is where you take a wall of your deck or fence and grow plants one on top of the other. You might have seen these as living walls or those DIY projects with pallets and herbs. Either way, growing flowers or veggies vertically allows you to garden without taking up precious space in your smaller yard.
Outdoor office
Many of us spend a lot of time inside at our desks. If you were lucky enough to work from home the last few years, you might have a pretty decent setup for your home office. However, spending all day inside when the weather is excellent can be depressing, and if you're home, why not take advantage of the opportunity and create an outdoor office space? This allows you to keep working while enjoying the sunshine and fresh air. Endless studies are proving that getting outside more often improves mental and physical health!

Read more