How to Build a Fire Pit

"Fire is a hearth, a beacon, a message, a gathering point," says landscape architect Anooshey N. Rahim of Dune Hai. "Its elemental chemistry is so deeply embedded in our DNA that no watcher of the flame is left not mesmerized." The heart of any outdoor space, fire pits have the additional benefit of being fairly simple to build yourself. 

Fire pits can vary tremendously in style, size, and material, from pre-made options to DIY kits to custom-designed models. As Lynn Berney and Tracy Gould of LT Design point out, "There are numerous types of fire pits to fulfill different needs; these options can be grouped into four different categories: wood-burning fire pits, propane fire pits, gel fuel fire pits, and natural gas fire pits."

Since they require little in the way of infrastructure and don’t rely on gas tanks or natural gas lines, wood-burning fire pits are the easiest to tackle on your own. Here, we take you through the steps of building your own recessed fire pit to gather around on chilly evenings. 

1. Check Your Local Guidelines

Before breaking ground, review any regulations or codes your municipality may have regarding outdoor fire pits. You may find that there are requirements for setbacks from property lines or buildings, for example.

Because wood-burning fire pits tend to be more difficult to control, an open flame is certainly not appropriate for heavily wooded areas, dense neighborhoods, or many parts of California, where the threat of unintentionally starting a wildfire is very real, notes Rahim. 

2. Determine the Right Location

Find a relatively flat area for your fire pit so that you can ensure a stable, level foundation. "Having the proper foundation for your fire pit is the key to having it last for a long time," explains Bill Samuel of Blue Ladder Development, a licensed contractor and real estate developer specializing in home renovations.

You’ll want to make sure that the fire pit is at least 10 feet away from any buildings for safety, and you’ll also need to avoid tree roots and canopies. Find out about the prevailing winds in your area, which can help you figure out the direction that smoke will likely travel. 

Architect and landscape architect Mary Barensfeld advises that you consider sight lines in the placement of the fire pit as well. For a backyard design overlooking the San Francisco Bay, she created a series of cascading wood decks, concrete terraces, a plunge pool, and a fire table from Concreteworks. "It was important to me to have the fire table visible to the client from inside, so situating the flame without the house sight lines made sense," she says. 

3. Choose a Size and Shape

"A fire element that is too small becomes a precious, finicky piece of furniture while too large of a fire element threatens to overtake all other elements of the design," says Barensfeld. To determine the best fire pit size, make sure your fire ring or bowl fits comfortably inside it, and consider its scale in relation to the overall space as well as the number of people you want it to accommodate—within reason. "Remember," says Rahim, "the bigger the wood fire, the more smoke." 

4. Mark the Dimensions

Using marking paint, a tape measure, and someone to help you hold the other end of the tape—a good opportunity to enlist the kids—outline the exact location and dimensions of the fire pit. 

5. Clear and Excavate the Area

Remove grass, sod, rocks, and topsoil from the area you’ve marked and excavate the pit. "Most basic fire pits are fine with a compacted gravel base that sits four to six inches below the surrounding surface," advises Samuel. "However, if you’re building a larger or heavier structure, you should make sure that the foundation is going to be strong enough to support the structure and prevent movement through freeze and thaw cycles."

6. Create an Even Surface