How To Make A Fire Pit

Phil Aynsley

Love the great outdoors at night? Try this hot idea – build an outdoor fire pit. It’s the perfect way to entice you and the kids out of the house and bring back the age of ritual. You know, sitting around a fire, toasting marshmallows and sharing ghost stories under the starry night sky.

These days, you can buy relatively inexpensive fire pits, then it’s simply a matter of landscaping around it. Think gravel and sandstone with granite boulders for seating, to give the space an authentic, earthy feel. Set up a tent, light the fire and bring out the billy – you won’t even notice you’re still at home!

Gather your supplies

• 200 x 200 x 400mm sandstone dimension stone

• Outdoor fire pit

• Flat granite boulders

• Split sandstone flagging

• Road base

• Sandstone gravel

• Native plants (we used kangaroo paw, grevillea, leucadendron, bracteantha)

You'll also need

Set-out paint; firewood; lump hammer; bolster; garden mix; mulch; wheelbarrow; rake; broom; shovel; matches; turf cutter (optional)

STEP 1

Position fire pit in centre of desired space, ensuring it’s a safe distance from plants and other flammable materials. Using set-out paint, mark a 2m radius around fire pit. Remove pit, then remove turf. Excavate area to 100mm.

Phil Aynsley

STEP 2

Put fire pit back in centre of area, then place granite boulders around inner edge of set-out paint circle. These boulders will be your seats.

Phil Aynsley

STEP 3

Using set-out paint and inside edges of boulders as a guide, mark another circle – the space between the 2 circles forms the seating area. Mark another circle around fire pit about 30cm from edge. Use hammer and bolster to cut dimension stone in half. Place on set-out paint around fire pit.

Phil Aynsley

STEP 4

Position sandstone flagging randomly in seating area. Fill inside marked areas with 70mm of road base and compact by foot.

Phil Aynsley

STEP 5

Spread a 30mm layer of gravel over road base, using a rake and broom to spread evenly.

Phil Aynsley

STEP 6

Spread garden mix around seating area, plant up, mulch and water well. Hose down sandstone flagging and granite to remove dust. Put firewood in fire pit, strike a match, then relax.

Phil Aynsley

Phil Aynsley