Easy DIY Inexpensive Firepit for Backyard Fun

Summer and fall are the best times to be outside, enjoying nature.  One aspect we love most about summer and fall are bonfires.  However, it's hard to achieve that true bonfire feel in anything but a firepit.  Chimenea's just don't get the job done.  It's amazing how something like sitting around a fire can bring people together and get them talking.   Add hot dogs, smores, or food cooking in heavy duty tin-foil and you've got a party!    So after my husband got way to fire happy and cracked the Chimenea we had, we decided to build a real firepit.  


Here's how we did it:


1.  I called my local Fire Marshal and ask what size "recreational" firepit we were allowed to have in our residential backyard.  (This is not for burning brush piles people- its "recreational").  

2. It started with a trip to Home Depot, not much money and a little creativity.

3.We decided to go with concrete the retaining wall blocks because they were $1.25 each.  We bought about 40.  They come in many colors so you can get all fancy if you want to.

4. That means our pit was $50 to build.

5. No mortar is needed.  It's all about stacking them correctly.

6. We came home and my husband proceeded to use a chisel and hammer to gently remove the rear lip found on 30 of the blocks so they would stack flat.  We kept the lip on 10 blocks since they would be the top blocks.

7.  We broke one block in half using chisel and hammer on purpose.  (This is for level 2 of the pit so that air can reach the fire).

8. We picked a flat area in the back yard and cleared out the grass/pine straw.  

9. We began the base by placing 10 "blocks" in a circle on the ground.  They fit together nicely.

Level 1 Block Formation

10. Then we started level two, placing these blocks so that they were centered on the cracks of the level 1 blocks.  This way the structure is sturdy.  (You don't want 10 blocks stacked 4 high straight on top of one another because you are just asking for them to fall over.)

Each level should be stacked so blocks are centered on crack below it.

11.  Also on level two, we had to place the broken in half blocks midway between two neighboring blocks on opposite sides.  That way air could get into the pit and we don't have a smoky mess.

Air Gaps Level 2

Air Gaps Level 2 Opposite Side

12.  Level three was the same as level one.  10 whole blocks stacked centered on the crack of the blocks below.

13. Level four is 10 whole blocks stacked centered on the crack of the blocks below and the lip left on these blocks formed a lip around the inside.  You can see the small ridge on the inside of each top block in the pictures below.  That's it!

Level 4 Made with Blocks with Lip.

So this is how we made a lovely firepit ourselves with only $50.  We use it all the time and it's a great way to entertain guests.  Please note that  we are not firepit professionals, if you copy this design and use the firepit, you do so at your own risk.  This was made for simple recreational use.  Always be careful with animals and small children around firepits.  The sides of the pit are NOT made to be sat upon.  The fire should not be raging above the blocks at the top of the pit.  Let me know if you have any questions or comments!