Building A Deck With A Fire Pit
A handsome and useful fire pit surrounded by a wood deck is a do it yourself project that can be accomplished by those who are handy around the house.
Building a deck with a fire pit. The diameter of the fire pit should be no less than 3 feet and 5 feet is more than enough. For a square or rectangle fire pit temporarily lay out the first layer of concrete blocks for your design on the ground and check the layout for square. For this diy fire pit begin by spraying the inside of the container with non stick cooking spray and pour it completely full of quickly setting concrete. Ring it with stone or other fireproof material.
Install some kind of a flame resistant surface to hold the fire pit and catch sparks. Brick stone and mortar creations abound in the realm of the fire pit as well as exquisite glass and wood burning stove renditions. Position the fire pit away from furniture railings or plants that could catch fire. Some have built their deck with a cut out in which the center is filled with sand or stone with the fire pit in the center.
There are also such things as fire pit pads that you could use to surround the fire pit and protect your deck. Set one or more gel fuel canisters into the wet concrete to create the right sized space coat the canister with non stick cooking spray for easy removal. The height of the stone should be about 1 foot above the. Use a shovel to outline the perimeter and then remove the blocks.
I don t recommend doing this because the feet will get hot as well during a. On a wood or composite deck if a fire pit is allowed make sure to use a protective barrier of fire bricks pavers or a commercially produced fire mat to shield the surface of the deck from sparks and heat. Some recommend just building a paver configuration under the fire pit with the feet of the fire pit touching the deck surface. Remove the sod and dirt to a depth of about seven inches from inside the perimeter that you marked.
Fire pits are legal in most cities however each city in southern california has different ordinances for building fire pits and it s good to check the laws for your city before building. Location of the fire pit on the deck. Inlaid or above ground there are many modern fire pit models to choose from each designed to suit the spatial and aesthetic needs of your outdoor deck. A fire mat should extend at least 24 inches past the perimeter of the fire pit.