Build this backyard fire pit with retaining wall blocks.
Time Multiple Days
ComplexityBeginner
Cost$501-1000
Introduction
Build this simple, attractive fire ring with retaining wall stone surrounded by flagstone, creating the perfect spot for cookouts, family gatherings and casual conversation. We'll show you how to build the fire ring so it's safe and durable, so you can enjoy relaxing fires year after year.Watch How To Build a Fire Pit with Landscaping Stones
Tools Required
- Garden rake
- Level
- Safety glasses
- Sledgehammer
- Spade
- Tape measure
- Wheelbarrow
Materials Required
- 1-1/2 yards of sand
- 200 sq.ft. of flagstone
- 24 granite retaining wall stones (6-1/2 x 8 x 14 in.)
- Marking spray paint
Project step-by-step (8)
Step 1
Outdoor Stone Fire Pit Site Planning
Begin your planning with a call to your local building department to learn about local fire restrictions. Many regions require burning permits and restrict the size of a fire ring.
Choose an area that’s about 18 ft. in diameter and relatively flat. Be sure to locate the fire ring away from trees, bushes and buildings. Remember that burning wood snaps and pops, sending sparks into the air.
Mark the fire ring and patio
Drive a pipe firmly into the ground at the center of the fire ring. Loop a string over the stake and measure out 9 ft. Mark this point with tape. Hold a can of marking spray paint at the tape and spray the complete circle.
Step 2
Remove the sod
Cut away the sod with a sod cutter. Follow the perimeter and then cut away the inside of the circle. Leave the pipe in place.
Dig Until the Flagstone is 1-in. Below the Sod
Remove enough dirt so that the top of the flagstone sits 1 in. below the surrounding sod. The sod cutter works well for shaving down the grade, but a flat shovel works well too.
Step 3
Assemble the Ring
Spread a sand base
Drive a 6-in. landscape spike beside the center pipe until it’s 2 in. below the sod level. Drive six additional spikes about 3 ft. away from the center, spacing them evenly around the center. Level the top of each spike with the center one, then spread sand in the circle flush with the tops of the spikes.
Step 4
Place the first row of stones
Draw a 21-in. radius circle with the string and marking paint. Lay the first row of retaining wall stones (12 in our case) along the line, minimizing the gaps between them. Twist each stone back and forth a few times in the sand to firmly set it. Make the tops level.
Step 5
Finish setting the stones
Set the second row of stones on top of the first. Straddle the joints of the first row.
Step 6
Lay the Sitting Area
Many types of materials will make a nice sitting area: various gravels; stone, brick or concrete pavers; flagstones; or even poured concrete. Irregular flagstones with grass planted between them gave us an attractive, informal look. A flagstone sitting area is easy to lay and easy to maintain. Just run the lawn mower over the stones to trim the grass.
Fit the flagstones to the fire ring
Spread 1 in. of sand over the sitting area. Fit the first flagstone tightly to the fire ring. Twist it into the sand to firmly set it. If it rocks, add or remove sand to stabilize it.
Step 7
Finish laying the stone
Fit and set stones out to the circle’s edge. Keep the flagstone edges flush to one another and leave 2- to 4-in. spaces in between. You can break larger flagstones with a sledgehammer. Caution: Wear eye protection when breaking stone.
Step 8
Fill the gaps between the flagstones
Fill the spaces between the stones with topsoil to about 1/2 in. below the top. Then cut sod with a knife to fit between the stones. Press the sod firmly into the soil and keep the sod damp until it has rooted.
