If necessary, add more gravel to keep the trench level and even.

Fill the trench with 6 inches of 3/4-inch drainage gravel.

Lay the ring of blocks in the trench to see if all the pieces fit in a circle.

Then dig down 6 inches in the area encircled by the trench.

Using a spade, dig a straight-sided trench, 12 inches deep and as wide as one block, within the circle marked out on the ground.

Create a Level Trench for the Blocks Photo by Kolin Smith Chip them off with the tail of a brick hammer.ДЈ.

If the blocks you are using are interlocking, remove any tongues on the bottom of the first-course blocks so they will lie flat in the trench.

Take note of how many stones make up the ring, then remove them and set them aside.

Using a spade, mark a circle in the ground about an inch outside the perimeter of the ring.

Make sure all the joints between the blocks are tight and the front and back edges line up.

Mark the Pit Location Photo by Kolin Smith

Clean up jagged edges with the tail of the brick hammer.

Hold the chisel in the score line, then hit it with the brick hammer until the block splits.

Place the block on a hard surface (flat rocks or gravel).Using a 3-inch cold chisel and a brick hammer, score the block on the mark, and continue the score all the way around the block.Hold the block over the gap it will fill, then mark it on the underside at the proper width. To adjust the size of the circle, you may need to cut a block. Dry-lay a ring of blocks on the fire pit site, placing them end to end until you have a perfect circle positioned where you want the finished pit to be.Most concrete blocks are about 4 inches high, so if the first course and a half sit underground, and there are two and a half courses above ground with a cap on top, you'll end up with a foot-high wall-just right for resting your feet on while sitting in an outdoor chair.

The gravel also creates a level base for the stones to rest on. But for stability, the base of the wall must be buried below ground in a hole lined with gravel, providing drainage and protecting against frost heaves in winter. These protect the concrete in the blocks from the heat, which can cause them to dry out and break down prematurely.ДЄ fire pit should sit low to the ground, with walls rising no more than a foot off the ground. That will create enough room for a healthy fire but still keep gatherers close enough to chat.ДЄs an added precaution, the fire pit should be lined with a thick steel ring like the ones used for park campfires. The optimal size for a fire pit is between 36 and 44 inches inside diameter.

Choose a block with angled sides, meant to form curves when butted against each other. Glue them together with masonry adhesive. They're flat on the top and bottom so they stack neatly, and some interlock for added strength. To make building stone walls easier, you can use blocks made from cast concrete and molded to look like real stone (available at any home center). The pit must be located far from overhanging trees, the house, and any other flammable structure. So the first task in building any fire pit is checking local codes on open flames. That's especially important in the parts of the country where there's a risk of brush fires. Fire Pit Parts: An Overview Illustration by Gregory NemecДЄ built-in fire pit is a glorified campfire, with sturdy walls of stone that help contain the flames and heat. Building a fire pit just takes a couple days. So if you really want to light up right, do it in style. And, why not? On cool summer nights, you can melt marshmallows and nibble s'mores while you lounge in an Adirondack chair, feet propped up on the rock ledge. These days people are going ultra-retro and getting their heat from stone-walled pits set into the earth.

Ring menu construction kit