Fire pits are a great way to incorporate fire into your outdoor evenings. This addition to your backyard can be a focal point, or be used as an accent to other furnishings. If you’re looking for a different option than the usual square or rectangular fire pit, this guide will show you how to build a round one with cinder blocks.
If you’ve ever dreamed of having a backyard fire pit, this project is for you! It’s surprisingly easy to build your own round fire pit using concrete blocks. You may be able to custom-make your fire pit for under $100 depending on the building materials you choose, and it should only take a few hours to complete. So, grab your shovel and get ready to dig in. Here’s how to build your own round fire pit:
Step 1: Design and Layout
- Choose the location of your fire pit.
- Design the fire pit shape and size with a tape measure, pencil and paper. Measure the length and width, then draw it out on graph paper or any other drawing tool you have handy.
- Prepare a circular area for your round fire pit to be built in by measuring around the perimeter and marking off where each side will go with stakes or string attached to them (it’s helpful if one person holds one side while another holds another). This will help get everything straight so when you start building you won’t run into problems like having two sides too close together or too far apart.
4-8 are all steps in building up your base before adding concrete blocks: Dig a hole that is 1 foot deep plus an additional 2 inches per block height (for example: 4 foot high block = 5 feet deep) Add gravel and sand until level with ground surface Fill rest of hole with gravel/sand Smooth out top surface
Step 2: Digging a hole
- Choose a site for your fire pit and draw out the diameter of your final fire pit on the ground.
- Measure the depth of your finished round fire pit you want in feet, not inches.
- Cut a concrete block to size (this is where having two cutters comes in handy). If you are building an outdoor kitchen with built-in seating around your firepit, we recommend cutting each cinder block so that it’s 2 inches smaller than your desired depth measurement from step 2 above. You can always use extra blocks as spacers between chairs or benches if needed! Once you know the final size of your cinder blocks, mark their edges with tape so that they won’t be confused when stacking them together later on for pouring concrete into place.
Step 3: Add gravel and sand
- Add gravel and sand
Now it’s time to add a layer of gravel, followed by a layer of sand. This will help keep the fire pit in place and safe from sinking into the ground when you put big logs on it.
- First, make sure your fire pit is level by using a level or measuring tape—you shouldn’t have any dips or bumps in your base.
- Next, use a shovel to add some gravel into the depression you made above the cinder blocks. Use your hands to spread out this layer evenly across the bottom of your pit (you can also use an old t-shirt if you don’t have gloves). The goal is just to cover up those ugly cinder blocks! You want enough so that each block is fully covered with about two inches/five centimeters of rough stone around it; however, don’t fill up all four sides at once—that would take way too much effort! Instead do one side first (like east or west), then move onto another side before returning back around again for another layer…and repeat until complete.
Step 4: Add first row of concrete blocks
Once you have your cinder blocks in place, make sure they are level. If they’re not, you’ll need to adjust them before adding the concrete. You can use a straight edge to check if the blocks are flat against one another and make sure they are spaced evenly apart. The distance between each cinder block should be about 1/2 inch (1 centimeter), but this will depend on how big your fire pit is and how many people will be sitting around it. If possible, try to avoid having any cinder blocks that are too low or high as these can cause problems for people using mobility devices or those who have vision impairments
Step 5: Level Your Sand Base
If you don’t have a spirit level, use some other method to check that your sand base is level. The easiest way to do this is by using a piece of string—the same length as the diameter of your fire pit—and placing one end on top of the highest point in your sand base, pulling it tight and trying to get it horizontal. Once you’ve done this, place another piece of string at the bottom point on your sand base and check for any gaps or dips. If there’s no gap or dip between these two pieces of string when they’re pulled taut, then everything is good! If there’s a gap between them (or if there’s an overlap), then adjust accordingly until you’re happy with how things are coming together.
Step 6: Build your Round Fire Pit
Now you’re ready to build your fire pit. Level your blocks and place a level on top of each one, making sure it’s perpendicular with the ground. Add more blocks until the circle is complete, then add more gravel and sand to fill in any gaps between the blocks. This can be done by simply shoveling them into place, but using a trowel will make it easier for you later on when it comes time for maintenance and cleaning out ashes from under your fire pit. Repeat this process until you have four layers of cinder blocks in place (two on each side of your circle).
When all four layers are built up sufficiently enough that they’re even with one another and level with the ground (with minimal gaps), use a rake or broom handle to smooth out any sharp edges or uneven surfaces that might cause discomfort while sitting near them during an evening around your new round fire pit.
Final words
We hope that we’ve shown you how to build a round fire pit with cinder blocks. It’s an easy project that anyone can do, even if they don’t have much experience with home improvement. You don’t need to be a mason or construction worker to accomplish good work! As long as you follow these simple instructions closely, and buy all the necessary materials beforehand then it shouldn’t take more than a few hours for your fire pit to look amazing outside your house.
