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Author Topic: Backyard Toys  (Read 3261 times)

huh?

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Backyard Toys
« on: August 24, 2004, 08:36:53 pm »
I was just wondering if anyone out there had a fire pit in there back yard.  I am thinking about building for cooking/entetaining and was looking for any ideas.  Brick? Rock? Paver?
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Backyard Toys
« on: August 24, 2004, 08:36:53 pm »

Steve

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Re: Backyard Toys
« Reply #1 on: August 24, 2004, 08:48:41 pm »
Built one last year. I used curved block but the key is the base. I dug down in the area I wanted surrounding the pit and placed my pavers so they are flush at the top with the grass. I didn't want to have to whipper snip around the base and now I just run my mower around it.

We use ours quite a bit. I'm in need of more wood so if anyone is stopping by this way it would be muchly appreciated! ;)

Steve

bulmer4nc

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Re: Backyard Toys
« Reply #2 on: August 24, 2004, 09:02:15 pm »
I have been sort of thinking about one of those portable fireplace things - they look really cool - and we could put it totally away when the kids were awake so as to not tempt little fingers to get too close.  Still not sure - I think I'd like to see one in action, not in a store - to really decide.

Jodi
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Ruby

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Re: Backyard Toys
« Reply #3 on: August 25, 2004, 01:48:08 am »
Finally, a question I know a little something about!  

I have learned, over the years, that a hole dug in the ground and surrounded with whatever, tends to cave in.  The ground around the inside will dry out and crumble and eventually, the hole gets bigger and the pavers or whatever tend to crack.  We found a solution about 5 years ago.  We dug the hole (in our city, it can't be more than 3 feet in diameter) and lined it with sheet metal.  I don't know what thickness we used, but we were barely able to roll it into the round shape that we needed.  We sank the sheet metal in so that it was about 1-2" above ground. (in our case, the hole had to be about 2 1/2 - 3 feet deep) Then we used large stones (river rock?) to surround the outside.  The purpose of the lip above ground was so the rocks wouldn't get bumped and fall into the fire.  It has worked great.  The depth is nice because we don't have to shovel it out very often (every other yearor so-and we have a lot of fires)  Some of the rocks are just now starting to crack, but not too bad.  We use this firepit for larger things that we have to burn or when we have a lot of company.

We also have an iron chiminea that we use for just a little relaxing fire.  It has the wire mesh so you can see the fire from all sides.  It's nice, but you're very limited to the size logs that will fit in it and it doesn't put out a lot of heat unless you're right up next to it.  It looks nice but it's a pain to move (no wheels) and your hands get black.

Some friends of ours just got a portable firepit that I really like.  It's about 2 feet diameter, sits up off the ground, has 2 wheels (like a grill), it's enclosed with the wire mesh and has a cover.  I like it because it holds more logs and puts off pretty good heat.  I would get that one instead of our little one next time.

Hope this helps.


Ruby
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Tman122

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Re: Backyard Toys
« Reply #4 on: August 25, 2004, 05:50:40 am »
I used a piece of 36 inch pipe cut to a lenght of 18 inches and sunk in the ground 8 inches. Then I piled rock around the outside as stated above. But I went a step (or 2 ) further by welding some rebar as in a crate on one side about 1/4 of the way out, plus welded a small piece of pipe verticle on the outside with another that slips inside the small pipe and extends up and over the pit, it holds a pulley system and that suspends an old refridgerator shelf above the fire for cooking on. This shelf is easiely adjusted up and down with a handle on the upright pipe. It can also be turned out of the way or removed and leaned against the shed.
Retired

Buckeye

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Re: Backyard Toys
« Reply #5 on: August 25, 2004, 01:19:54 pm »
I put in a 10x10 patio in the back of our yard last year.  I used a combination of the interlocking shapes, the interlocking edge shaped, and rectangular ones as an outside boarder.  Once I dug out the area, I tamped down the soil before moving on.  Then I but down a layer of sand, and then a layer of a sand/portland cement mix over that.  I layed some long conduit down on the edges of two sides and used a long 2x4 to smooth the surface before laying my pavers.  Once I had my configuration all layed out, I poured fine sand over the whole thing with a little more portland cement and swept in back and forth to get into the cracks.  The next thing I did was rent a compactor.  I would put more sand on before compacting and it really made everything nice and flat.  I did several rounds of compacting and sweeping sand around.  
If you send me you email address I'll send you a picture of how it turned out.

Good Luck,

Buckeye

Snuggles

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Re: Backyard Toys
« Reply #6 on: August 25, 2004, 02:44:50 pm »
I went the cheap way, bought a portable fireplace from Target. http://www.target.com/gp/browse.html/ref=sc_pgc_c_6_0_1038618_2/602-6819655-0600654?%5Fencoding=UTF8&node=3048091

I have paving stone patio surrounding the tub and I just placed it about 10' away. It does what it's supposed to do, but if it's a windy day be careful. Better have good relations with the neighbors because the smoke can become an issue. All in all I like it, and the mood it sets is awesome. Good Luck.



Buckeye

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Re: Backyard Toys
« Reply #7 on: August 25, 2004, 03:05:08 pm »
As for the actual fire pit itself, I've got a Coleman just like this one.



I found that you could buy a starter kit so I added it on later.  It's basically an attachment that lets you attach a small propane tank (like from a Coleman lantern) to the fire pit.  There's a knob to adjust the starter flame - very slick.

It makes for a nice summer gathering place.

Buckeye



Hot Tub Forum

Re: Backyard Toys
« Reply #7 on: August 25, 2004, 03:05:08 pm »

 

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