Stone Fire Pit VS Metal Fire Pit

[Maggie Glover]

I would like some opinions on which is best and why. Then I would also lie for someone to give me an idea of about how many retaining blocks it will take to make a decent pit. I do not plan on using mortar just offsetting bricks for airflow if I do stone. MG

[DuvnDux]

Steel rusts. A buddy built one out of retaining wall blocks. I believe the circle is 12 blocks x 4 rows high = 48 blocks. Stagger the rows for air flow, it works and looks great. They put sand in bottom to keep the patio concrete clean.

[uga_dawg]

A stone one won't burn you if you touch the outside. A metal one will. Something to consider if you have little ones or dogs.

I looked at them last year, but never got around to that project. Lowes sells a kit that has stone outside with metal on the inside. I can't speak to what the advantage would be. I didn't look at it much because it was smaller than I was looking for. I think it was 36" diameter. It also seemed high compared to buying the materials seperate, but I imagine a metal ring isn't cheap.

[2thDoc]

stone with a metal liner

[Islandguy85]

Metal 55 gallon drum. Kidding, I would go stone.


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[Two Barrels]

I built one out of retaining wall blocks about 4 years ago. Outside diameter is roughly 5' and it is three courses high. I think I ended up using 17 or 18 blocks per course. I used landscape block adhesive between the courses and this has worked well. Offset your blocks just as you would brick. I also left a gap about 3" wide every 6th block to allow for some air. Since my fire pit was on dirt, I dug down deep enough to remove all the topsoil and roots. Under the first course of block, I used sand and tamped it down to get a solid level base. Inside the pit I placed about 3" of pea gravel and then sand on top to help it drain after a rain. So far so good.

I built this for less than the smaller stone kit that Lowes sells.

[USMCsilver]

I think I used 17 blocks per ring. I went three high.

Once built (without mortar), I removed 3 blocks (2/7/11 o'clock) from the bottom for airflow. Encouragement with a small sledge will possibly ease frustrations. This has been burning fires for 5 years, now.

[led0321]

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[Steelin' Ducks]

2 courses.. 12 blocks per.. no gaps.. burns great.

(Pre spring clean up)




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[skrimp]

Just remember, the higher the wall, the colder the feets.

[reeltight]

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Those things are fantastic but expensive.

http://www.carolinakettles.com/htdocs/kettles.htm

[fuzzy]

I like my kettle.

[Maggie Glover]

I built one out of retaining wall blocks about 4 years ago. Outside diameter is roughly 5' and it is three courses high. I think I ended up using 17 or 18 blocks per course. I used landscape block adhesive between the courses and this has worked well. Offset your blocks just as you would brick. I also left a gap about 3" wide every 6th block to allow for some air. Since my fire pit was on dirt, I dug down deep enough to remove all the topsoil and roots. Under the first course of block, I used sand and tamped it down to get a solid level base. Inside the pit I placed about 3" of pea gravel and then sand on top to help it drain after a rain. So far so good.

I built this for less than the smaller stone kit that Lowes sells.

I think this is the route I am going. Did you ever consider putting bars across for a grate?. MG

[fro]

Mine is metal. When I burns out I will exchange it at the scrap yard... I like warm feets

[Carolina Counsel]

A stone one won't burn you if you touch the outside. A metal one will. Something to consider if you have little ones or dogs.

My kettle does not get hot enough on the outside to burn.

[Moonlight Hunter]

I would like to get a grate made to cover the kettle to have a fire going, then throw the grate over it and grill steaks, etc.

[Simple Man]

I found a fire ring that somebody had ordered at Lowe's and the customer never picked it up. Manager offered to give it to me (about $100 value, if I remember correctly) if I'd buy the stones - so I did. This is actually 4 courses tall. I laid out the first course to get it where I wanted it, chalked around it, then excavated that area and set the first course even with the grade. It was set on tamped paver base and then I started stacking courses, using masonry construction adhesive between them. Gravel in the bottom to level with grade. It drains perfectly fine. It also gets plenty warm for the feets and will hold a good sized fire.

My biggest reason for going this route instead of the metal was that the metal ones I saw were just too shallow for my tastes. I can get a raging fire in this pit as it is now. It'll hold enough wood to burn for hours.

I've thought about getting a tube welded to the inside to hold a swinging grate that can pivot over the top of it for cooking. Haven't made that leap just yet, but it would be easy to do.

Fire Pit.jpg

[Glenn]

You need to haul them limbs off

[Simple Man]

It's a whole dang root ball. I'ma dump it in your creek 'n see if a hydrangea will grow in it.

[Two Barrels]

I think this is the route I am going. Did you ever consider putting bars across for a grate?. MG

I have two pieces of angle iron that are about 7' long and will span the pit. These are used anytime I am cooking on the pit to support a sheet of carbon steel for steaming oysters and a piece of SS expanded metal for all things grilled.