Firepit! New Photos - YouLookFab Forum

Category

Off Topic

Welcome! Read about what to wear and how to wear it on the YLF Blog. Join the YLF Forum to ask specific questions or just chat about fashion and personal style. Or check out the curated list of things we love in YLF Finds.

Outfits Ensembles Trends Advice

Firepit! New Photos

Echo

Veteran

I am installing a firepit in our yard! Our children are now 14, 12 and 10. We had a playset in the yard with a little playhouse, a slide, and swings, but it really has not been used much for the last year or so, plus the wood was looking a little worse for wear. The kids love campfires, but I despise camping, so I figured we would do the next best thing at home!

DH used a skid loader to move the playset and then he used the same skid loader to scoop out a spot that measures about 5'X5' and is about 4" deep. So far I have used paving base and then rocks. Then I placed the pavers (which will surround the firepit and be level with the yard so we can easily mow the grass around it). Then I lifted each paver and placed pebbles underneath until I could walk on them so they barely shifted at all.

It is supposed to rain tonight, which should also help level things out. When it dries out, I will place more pebbles if necessary and then place sand under each paver.
The firepit itself we ordered from Home Depot and should arrive sometime between the 27th and the 1st. Reviews say it isn't too hard to install and takes less than a day. If all goes well, we should be able to makes s'mores in our own yard on Labor Day!

I've attached a picture of the firepit we ordered and the playset we used to have in the space, and I will post pictures of the spot I am preparing for it tomorrow (not that anyone really needs to see it, but I am SO EXCITED!). Has anyone else done this sort of project? How did it turn out? I imagine many of you have nice patios with similar things already? We're not yet ready to build the patio part of things, but one step at a time!

ETA: I am almost done. The firepit was delivered to the store more quickly than anticipated, and I was able to assemble it today. I spent an hour and a half trying to get the blocks to fit perfectly, but I finally decided that perfect just wasn't possible. So I assembled the outside walls, put the metal ring in the center, filled between the ring and the sides with rock, and then put another layer of pebbles in the bottom. Now I just need to finish the outside pavers with sand brushed between and over the top and coat the outside with a stain protector. S'mores at Echo's house on Labour Day!

This post has 4 photos. Photos uploaded by this member are only visible to other logged in members.

If you aren't a member, but would like to participate, please consider signing up. It only takes a minute and we'd love to have you.

Off Topic

24 replies

Latest reply was from Echo

carter

Veteran

What a beautiful back yard! I love the idea of a firepit. My son will stop by for s'mores! Can't wait to see progress pics and the finished project.

MsMary

Veteran

Woo-hoo!! You're gonna love it!

Yes, I've done it and am doing it again! Here's the fire pit at my former residence, and here's the plywood and garden hose standing in for the planned firepit at the new house! LOL (And the inspiration...)

This post has 3 photos. Photos uploaded by this member are only visible to other logged in members.

If you aren't a member, but would like to participate, please consider signing up. It only takes a minute and we'd love to have you.

Beth Ann

Veteran

We have a firepit in the backyard too -- it'll be used tomorrow night by six girls at my DD's sleepover party. They love to roast hot dogs and make campfire packets also!

I'm sure you'll love it and make lots of new memories in your own backyard!

Echo

Veteran

Oh, MsMary, that last inspiration picture is a dream! Just gorgeous. Sadly, mine will not be nearly as impressive, but it will be a start. The firepit and patio at your last home was beautiful as well. Are you going to copy that last photo for your new one? Aside from the mowing edge I am placing around ours, mine will be surrounded by grass/lawn. I'd like to get some chairs to surround it that can be stored in the garage when the snow flies, but that wall/bench is amazing. You have me thinking of updating when the first version isn't even installed yet!

MsMary

Veteran

LOL, Echo! We had originally left the bench out of the plan to save money, but once we got started and I saw the drawings, I realized that I just had to go for the whole shebang! So yes, the last photo is basically what I'm going to be doing. Half built-in seating, half chairs. But the fire pit itself will be square, at an angle to the bench so it will be a diamond shape instead of a square (to echo the diamond shapes stamped in the concrete patio). And it will sit on a bed of decomposed granite or gravel (haven't decided yet) instead of the concrete in the photo.

cheryl

Veteran

I love campfires and s'mores! Echo, it's going to be lovely and Mary yours is awesome, both the former and the one to be.

Kim

Veteran

Awwww, I"m jealous! Living in a house in the city has lots of advantages, but having a firepit is the only thing I want that I can't have. (I've checked. No open flames allowed in my backyard.) It's probably the ONLY reason I'd consider moving out to the country...

Have a few smores for me!

rachylou

Veteran

From deep here in the inner city of the Drought State... I've gotten stuck on all that flat green grass...

What fun!

Echo

Veteran

These pictures are after I already laid 8 bags of rock, set the pavers in place and then removed each paver in order and packed pebbles and sand under each. I then packed the inside and outside edges of the pavers with pebbles and sand and then put two more bags of rock in the center and then a bag of pebbles to keep things even. I used the level and made sure everything is ready to install the firepit. Then I packed the dirt back around the outside edge of the pavers because the whole purpose of them is to make a mowing edge around the pit.

I still need to purchase "sticky" sand to put in over the top of the pavers - I will make sure it gets into all the seams and then brush the rest away. I also need to purchase stone adhesive for when the firepit arrives. But I think I have everything else. They say it shipped yesterday, though it could take a while to get to the store given that when I ordered it the expected arrival date was the 27th - 1st. But I'm ready when it gets here!

This post has 3 photos. Photos uploaded by this member are only visible to other logged in members.

If you aren't a member, but would like to participate, please consider signing up. It only takes a minute and we'd love to have you.

MsMary

Veteran

Wow! That looks great! I am so impressed that you did it yourself!!

deb

Veteran

We have a fire pit and we love it. My favorite time is in the cool mornings of fall, winter and spring. And it is always a big hit at our parties. We never use the fireplace now, we just put a large TV on the deck and sit around the pit to watch the games. The picture is after an April hail storm we had this year.

This post has 1 photo. Photos uploaded by this member are only visible to other logged in members.

If you aren't a member, but would like to participate, please consider signing up. It only takes a minute and we'd love to have you.

Aida

Veteran

How fun! We have a fire pit in the back and enjoy it year round. I don't have a recent photo, but here's one from a year ago; the chairs are now white, and the flowers this summer were snap dragons (in fact, I take my outfit photos just on the left side there ^^). Your yard looks like a park, so lovely.

This post has 1 photo. Photos uploaded by this member are only visible to other logged in members.

If you aren't a member, but would like to participate, please consider signing up. It only takes a minute and we'd love to have you.

Echo

Veteran

deb, that is just beautiful! With the multi-level patio/garden it looks like paradise. And bringing the telly outdoors is pure genius. It would be far more entertaining to watch a game there than inside. Perhaps someday we will extend a patio around the fire pit, but I think I'd have to contract out for that. I'm not sure I trust myself to lay a patio properly so that it will not easily warp during our freezing, snowy winters!

Aida, what a beautiful combination of retaining wall, gravel area and brick patio. I had suggested an area surrounding the firepit like yours to DH, but he seems to think that would not work if the kids want to sit on the ground instead of on chairs. Perhaps in another few years we can do something similar. That's a beautiful lamp at the corner, too!

rachylou: The "grass" is actually mostly weeds! I shudder to think what would happen to my "lawn" if someone used a broadleaf weedkiller on it - most of it would be gone! But we've been fortunate this season that we've had adequate rain, and even when we do have drought years, they rarely last for multiple years like in the truly dry regions of the country.

Kim: we live in a very rural area. So much so that most people out here burn garbage, or at least separate garbage into "burnable" and "non-burnable". I realize that's not necessarily environmentally friendly, but it's hard to teach old farmers new tricks. There can be some pretty huge bonfires around here and no one calls the fire department - unlike at my mum's house where she was once grilling on her driveway, but had a vehicle parked blocking the view. Her neighbours assumed her house was burning down and called the fire department! They came, but of course everything was fine and legal (gas grill).

jackiec

Veteran

Gorgeous firepit! How fun! We don't have a firepit, but in a similar vein at our last house we were considering putting in a kids' play area (our boys were 5 & 3 at the time), but put in a considerably large & raised golf putting green. It was the best decision ever! Kept everyone busy day & night, and was a great place for guests to hang out in the evening. Ok, maybe not the same as a firepit, but similar thinking in forfeiting a playground. Enjoy your campfires

Echo

Veteran

jackiec: What a great idea! I don't think I've ever seen anything like that before, although when I was little my dad dug a hole, sunk a tin can in the yard, and made a wooden golf club for me (he was a woodworker). I bet a putting green would be fun for all ages!

Anonymous

Not as nice as some of the ones posted, but here is ours. We have used it a lot this summer because of the many cool nights we had here in PA. We added the stone around the pit earlier this summer.

This post has 2 photos. Photos uploaded by this member are only visible to other logged in members.

If you aren't a member, but would like to participate, please consider signing up. It only takes a minute and we'd love to have you.

Deborah

Veteran

Echo, its going to be fantastic. And ladies, they all look amazing. We are just looking to do this for DH for Fathers Day. I had not idea how popular this idea was until we moved to a regional area.

Aida

Veteran

Oh Jackie I love the idea of having a little putting green! Will suggest that to hubby, I'm sure he'd also be in favor ^^

Echo

Veteran

Lara, that is beautiful. I looked at firepits similar to that one, too. And adding the rocks around it looks great. Like I mentioned earlier, I wanted to do that, too, but DH didn't think it would work out so well. I guess we'll see after we have it for a little while whether we should build some sort of patio around it or not.

Echo

Veteran

Yay, I am almost done! I added new photos and an update at the top. Now I just need to fill around the pavers with sand and coat the top of the firepit with a sealant.

MsMary, how is yours coming? Or are they completing the driveway and other projects before doing the yard?

Anonymous

Echo it looks absolutely great! Enjoy a smore on me!!!

MsMary

Veteran

Wow, it looks great!

Mine is kind of on hold while we do other stuff. They have dug the trench for the natural gas line, so that's something, I guess!

Aida

Veteran

It's looking great Echo!

Echo

Veteran

Although I am continuing to look for appropriate chairs to have around the fire, in the meantime we had a test run tonight and made some s'mores. I still need to replant grass, get nicer chairs/furniture, etc. but it was fun.

This post has 2 photos. Photos uploaded by this member are only visible to other logged in members.

If you aren't a member, but would like to participate, please consider signing up. It only takes a minute and we'd love to have you.