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If you are starting a DIY outdoor fireplace project, there are many ideas and designs you can try to transform your outdoor living space into a warm haven. The good news is that DIY projects cost less if you have the basic skills and can easily get the required tools and materials. Starting a DIY outdoor fireplace project – 6 great ideas to consider.
Here are six great DIY outdoor fireplace ideas to consider for your first fireplace.
1. Concrete Tabletop Outdoor Gas Fireplace
You can build a simple gas fireplace with a tabletop using wood, concrete, fire glass, propane tank, burner, and a gas hook-up kit if you have basic masonry skills.
Image and Tutorial Credit: Diypete
The wood is for assembling the mold for the base, and you have to build two boxes with the smaller one fitting in the other.
The concrete goes into the space between the two molds and the top surface while leaving enough rectangular space to hold the fire glass. You can use steel to reinforce the concrete and ensure your tabletop won’t crack due to heat changes.
Consider mixing ordinary concrete yourself or buying a quick-set concrete mix like Quikrete.
Once the concrete cures completely, remove the mold and place the tabletop on a suitable flat surface. Add the fire glass in the trough and the propane tank and gas kit to complete the setup.
One notable advantage of the tabletop gas fireplace is that it gives out an adjustable flame since you can control the gas flow using the knob in the gas kit.
The fire glass helps create a beautiful flame because of its color and ability to withstand fire without popping out of the pit.
Diypete has a detailed step-by-step tutorial for this conventional fireplace, complete with a list of the resources you will need.
2. Rustic Stone Fireplace
Perhaps one of the simplest and easiest fireplaces to make is this open rustic stone fireplace. It will set you back only a few dollars if you can easily find the stones near you. This simple fireplace resembles the open camping bonfires, only that this time it’s more permanent.
Image and Tutorial Credit: Grecodesigncompany
To build the fireplace, you will need some cement and sand for the mortar to hold the stones together. The catch here involves finding stones with irregular shapes to make it easy to maintain the round or circular shape of the fireplace.
However, you might have to use a lot of mortar if the stones are too irregular and leave large gaping holes between them. The holes will have to be filled with mortar to ensure you don’t lose all the heat of the fire through them.
The rustic stone fireplace is suitable for construction in upcountry settings with a lot of open space and fewer trees and structures like houses. Due to its open nature, it’s easy for fires to jump and spread to surrounding areas, especially if there are strong prevailing winds.
If you have enough space, it can be a great backyard fire pit. But there should be at least ten feet of free space between the fire pit and the nearest structures like houses and walls.
3. DIY Outdoor Brick Fireplace
Bricks have always been a preferred option for building fireplaces because of their ability to withstand heat and adverse weather outdoors.
Image Credit: Plantedwell
You can build an outdoor brick fireplace on a backyard patio or add the patio later once the fireplace is complete. Since bricks are pretty heavy, ensure you use steel to reinforce the concrete pad on where the bricks are to be laid. Ensure you also use high-quality cement for the mortar.
Consider completing the fireplace with a chimney. It could be made of brick like the rest of the fireplace, but you can also look at other ready-made metal chimneys, preferably the types that have chimney caps for preventing entry of rainwater and leaves.
4. Portable DIY Modern Fire Pit
It’s easy to make a simple, portable concrete fire pit to get that modern feel of versatility.
Image and Tutorial Credit: Manmadediy
The portability of this fire pit makes it highly versatile for use in any external living space. Turn your outdoor area into an inviting space using the portable fire pit for lighting and heating.
You’ll need a large casting bowl to hold the concrete until it cures well enough to be removed without collapsing. Place three gel fuel cans in the middle of the pit and top the setup with a metal grate. Add a layer of river rocks or beach pebbles on top before lighting up the pit.
Manmadediy has easy-to-follow step instructions for building a DIY modern portable fire pit.
5. DIY Concrete Fireplace
The Shed has a detailed step-by-step process for making a DIY outdoor fireplace using concrete and firebricks. While the image might look simple, it’s challenging to make the fireplace if you don’t have basic masonry skills.
Image and Tutorial Credit: The Shed
However, the tutorial is easy to follow, and you can complete the fireplace in a few days. It’s advisable to build it for some days while allowing the different levels and components to cure before adding more material and weight on the top.
6. DIY Paver Backyard Fire Pit
Here’s another great outdoor fireplace idea to try with purchased pavers for the base and the side walls.
The process is easy and involves arranging the wall pavers in three courses. You don’t need to make a foundation for the pit, making it easy to relocate it to another outdoor space.
Image and Tutorial Credit: Keepingitsimplecrafts
The enclosed ground surface or floor is filled with square pavers. Pour and broom some sand on the pavers to seal the space between them and hold them together. You can top it with a grate if you would like to do some grilling over the fire pit.
Bottom Line
Starting a DIY outdoor fireplace may seem like a daunting task when you have no idea what kind of fireplace is best for your space.
When choosing a design, consider what you want to do with the fireplace. It could be for lighting, grilling, heat provision, or adding a dash of color with the flames.
Choose the design that best serves your space and fits the bill according to budget, versatility, and compliance with the law.
Do your best!
