I am interested in some ideas for an outdoor fire pit. I am talking about a proper fire pit that is round and made of stone that 6 or 8 or 10 guys can sit around and solve the world's problems. I did a Google search and all that comes up are a bunch of chicken **** fire pits that are more suited for a backyard in the Heights. This is going on some acreage and so I am not really limited on space. I know there really isn't much to them, but any pictures or ideas would be most appreciated.

Well I don't really have any pictures of ours, but I'll tell you what we did and it works great.

The area around the pit and bar is all flagstone with the exception of the 3 foot diameter section of concrete in the middle that the pit sits on. Set in the concrete that holds the stone are a bunch of spent rounds randomly scattered about. (Ranch used to be a WW2 strafing range so lots of 50 cal laying around) We've also got 4 wooden benches surrounding the pit.

Now the pit itself is actually a thick walled 36" pipe cap with legs and a rim around the top welded on. We own a pipeline company and use the place for customers so it's very fitting.

The great thing I like about this set up is that you don't have rocks that crack or turn black from the fire and 2 the pipe cap is so thick that you can comfortably rest your boots up on the side of it as long as you want without them burning while at the same time emitting tons of heat out the top of the fire.

Everyone's got their way of how they would do it. Hopefully this helps in some way. If you're interested there's a place that sells pipe caps just outside Navasota, can't remember the name unfortunately.

Trinity Heads is the place in Navasota

I built one a few years ago for a customer of mine.

I built an entire outdoor "living room" with a kitchen, bar, dining area and fire pit. For the pit I poured a big concrete patio and blocked out a 40" diameter hole for the fire pit. I lined the interior with actual fire brick to prevent "popping". Then I used a flagstone to face and cap the pit. I'll see if if I can dig up some pics tomorrow when I'm at my computer.

Ah yep that's it thanks

1. Dig a hole
2. Line with cut sandstone rocks (like an old dug well) and backfill
3. Cut tree trunk(s) in stool height blocks and distribute around perimeter
4. Chill down the beer

https://imgur.com/55I3G86
https://imgur.com/zFflMvS
Our pit at Limestone, I can say when you think you have the size figured out go a little bigger.

An easy way to build a fire pit is to make a circle from retaining wall blocks from Home Depot or Lowes. Just stack 'em up. The blocks with a trapezoidal shape layout in a decent sized circle, but you can use any kind of pavestone you like:

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Pavestone-RumbleStone-Trap-3-5-in-x-10-25-in-x-7-in-Cafe-Concrete-Garden-Wall-Block-120-Pcs-29-9-Face-ft-Pallet-92369/203393499

https://www.homedepot.com/p/4-in-x-11-75-in-x-6-75-in-Limestone-Concrete-Retaining-Wall-Block-81108/100333175
[url=https://www.homedepot.com/p/4-in-x-11-75-in-x-6-75-in-Limestone-Concrete-Retaining-Wall-Block-81108/100333175][/url]

The stones would just be the border, and not in the fire itself.

Edit - ours looks like the imgur picks in the post above, except we didn't dig out the middle so we have a higher wall. Bigger size is great if you have room. We throw in logs cut from tree fall.

Out of curiosity, I watched the Home Depot video on fire pits. We didn't do anything so complicated. Just picked a level spot and stacked blocks. I suppose it can be as easy or intricate as you like.

Here's the one I just had put in... we paid someone to make it. (Not very OB of me but it is what it is)

At our place in Limestone the ground down by the dock and water starts to go downhill. As you can see about a paver and a half is the uphill side and below that it is about three to three and a half high. I like the look of building it into a slope but it is more work. Enjoyable by the water too.

Has anybody had any experience with running a gas line to the fire pit so that the fire can be lit easily. Of course every man on the OB can start a fire with 2 moist stick but I am thinking more about the wives. It would be nice if they could start the fire themselves without their husband having to do it. At my parents' house, I got them a propane bottle and a *****ly pear burner and it works great. I am just thinking a more permanent gas line may be better and easier (safer??) for the ladies to light.

Some friends of mine had a line buried but I think the line was too small and so the flame at the end would just barely light a cigarette and was completely ineffective for staring a fire.

Mines almost identical to what Badace has. Built from Home Depot. Laid the flagstone myself. Not too bad. Hardest part moving them from the truck to the back yard (2,000lbs and a landscaping wagon = many trips and a sore back)

My pit has a gas line that was run to it as a log starter just like a fireplace. I decided that it was more convenient to add a gas ring and convert it to a gas log fire pit than leave it as a wood burning one. The total cost to change it to a gas pit instead of a wood burning pit with a gas starter was less than $750 for the gas logs, gas ring and fittings, deflector, lava rock, expanded metal and cinder blocks. If you're going to add gas to the pit just make sure you vent it at the bottom, it won't explode in your face but it can explode the pipe for your gas line or make a helluva flare up if it's not vented correctly.

Rufnek said:

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Has anybody had any experience with running a gas line to the fire pit so that the fire can be lit easily. Of course every man on the OB can start a fire with 2 moist stick but I am thinking more about the wives. It would be nice if they could start the fire themselves without their husband having to do it. At my parents' house, I got them a propane bottle and a *****ly pear burner and it works great. I am just thinking a more permanent gas line may be better and easier (safer??) for the ladies to light.

Some friends of mine had a line buried but I think the line was too small and so the flame at the end would just barely light a cigarette and was completely ineffective for staring a fire.

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Sorry but I cracked up when I saw that censor.

Here's a sweet one from a ranch I went to a couple years back. Plenty of space for guys to relax and have a roaring fire.

I'd like to see a photo of that when you get time.

I worked in sales at Trinity in Navasota for 3 years. Please don't call and ask about scrapped heads or pipe caps. I got a ton of calls about them back when I was there. Typically if they end up scrapping a head they are given to the higher ups at Corporate in Dallas or the guys in the shop snag them. They do have stock heads 36, 48, 54, 60 and up to 96" OD Pressure Vessel Heads .375" thick up to 1". These are not super cheap though so temper your expectations if you call and ask about stock heads.

There are others in Texas to check with other than Trinity.

Uni-Form in Houston

FT. Worth F&D in Ft. Worth

Baker Tank Head in Ft. Worth

Commercial Metal Forming in Saginaw

So when you pour a slab for the pit like in the above picture, should you leave air-holes at ground level to allow for air to be sucked in to feed the fire?

Also, best way to clean out the ashes?

I made mine from leftover limestone from my house. No hole dug in the ground. I just lined up the stone in a circle, and staggered them as I stacked like I would any other wall, and went with it. I can make it larger if I want, It's not permanent, and I can remove stones from the top depending on where i sit so I can use the wall as a foot rest and warm my feet.

It's not rocket science, but its super handy.

I built a square fire pit the back yard. Not sure why i did a square.
Built if from brick, then lined it with stone. Left brick exposed on interior

Also,

does anyone have any input on whether placing flagstone on cinder-blocks would work for this?

My idea would be a interior ring of fire bricks (I guess if needed) then cinder-blocks with holes facing the sky/ground and stacked 3 high, and flagstone mortared to the cinder-blocks but not stacked. (I've got about 2 pallets worth of BIG pieces of flagstone I got for free and I'd rather use them like this than cut them or attempt to cut them and stack them.)

Would I need fire bricks if I am using cinder-blocks? I plan on filling the holes with quick-crete for weight and support.

I have always been partial to this one which one of my wife's student's built. Couldn't afford it when it hit auction though.

Here are some pictures of my fire pit, I like it because one side is seat height and the other side is bar height.





The pictures aren't the best but they should give you an idea.

I don't think you have to worry about air holes at the bottom. There's enough surface area to draw in air from above. Used a propane flame thrower to get it started so it wasn't like we had to work hard for a flame.



As for clean out, shovel and trash can I would imagine.

That's an awesome patio.

I'll gladly see if I can find some pics to post. I'm working on a job up here in WV right now and won't be down to the ranch for a month or so, but I'll be sure to get some good pictures then

Thanks, it was a long process but definitely worth it.