So I tore up my brick patio so we can pave it all and now I have 800 or so nice red bricks to do something with. I've decided to make a nice firepit for the patio. Anyone ever done this sort of thing before? I don't know whether to go with a round pit or a square one like in the picture below. Any comments or suggestions would be awesome.
I'm a Bricklayer! Wow I never thought my line of work would actually be useful here in the Cafe. Well its gona be tough to tell you how to lay brick using a messege board, I'll say its easy but not as easy as it looks. Both square and round have difficult aspects to them. If you build it square and get it at all out of plumb or level it will look deformed. Pretty much the same goes for a round one but they're harder to plumb. I guess it all depends how good you want it to look and if your at all artistic and somewhat of a craftsman.
Metroid wrote:I'm a Bricklayer! Wow I never thought my line of work would actually be useful here in the Cafe. Well its gona be tough to tell you how to lay brick using a messege board, I'll say its easy but not as easy as it looks. Both square and round have difficult aspects to them. If you build it square and get it at all out of plumb or level it will look deformed. Pretty much the same goes for a round one but they're harder to plumb. I guess it all depends how good you want it to look and if your at all artistic and somewhat of a craftsman.
Have you ever layed brick before?
No, but from the way he talks he's laid his share of pipe.
Metroid wrote:I'm a Bricklayer! Wow I never thought my line of work would actually be useful here in the Cafe. Well its gona be tough to tell you how to lay brick using a messege board, I'll say its easy but not as easy as it looks. Both square and round have difficult aspects to them. If you build it square and get it at all out of plumb or level it will look deformed. Pretty much the same goes for a round one but they're harder to plumb. I guess it all depends how good you want it to look and if your at all artistic and somewhat of a craftsman.
Have you ever layed brick before?
I've done a lot of woodworking and I consider myself creative if that matters. I have never laid brick and when I lay concrete this weekend, it will be the first time for that as well. I would like it to look nice (picky wife ), but it doesn't have to look commercial or even professional. Basically, what kind of concrete, tools, etc. am I going to need and what kind of steps should I take to getting it right. Which do you think looks better, square or circle, and which one is easier?
Metroid wrote:I'm a Bricklayer! Wow I never thought my line of work would actually be useful here in the Cafe. Well its gona be tough to tell you how to lay brick using a messege board, I'll say its easy but not as easy as it looks. Both square and round have difficult aspects to them. If you build it square and get it at all out of plumb or level it will look deformed. Pretty much the same goes for a round one but they're harder to plumb. I guess it all depends how good you want it to look and if your at all artistic and somewhat of a craftsman.
Have you ever layed brick before?
No, but from the way he talks he's laid his share of pipe.
Metroid wrote:I'm a Bricklayer! Wow I never thought my line of work would actually be useful here in the Cafe. Well its gona be tough to tell you how to lay brick using a messege board, I'll say its easy but not as easy as it looks. Both square and round have difficult aspects to them. If you build it square and get it at all out of plumb or level it will look deformed. Pretty much the same goes for a round one but they're harder to plumb. I guess it all depends how good you want it to look and if your at all artistic and somewhat of a craftsman.
Have you ever layed brick before?
I've done a lot of woodworking and I consider myself creative if that matters. I have never laid brick and when I lay concrete this weekend, it will be the first time for that as well. I would like it to look nice (picky wife ), but it doesn't have to look commercial or even professional. Basically, what kind of concrete, tools, etc. am I going to need and what kind of steps should I take to getting it right. Which do you think looks better, square or circle, and which one is easier?
Nice one knapp.
OK first off I would probably use type S mortor but you may need to use a different type depending on the climate where you are, there should be a masonry supply store near you tell them what your doing and ask them what type of mortor to use(dont say concrete or they'll laugh at you. ) Also regular red brick and morter wont hold up very long agianst fire it will crack. Your gonna need to get firebrick and fireclay to line the inside.
Tools masons trowel
string line
line block(you could get by without these too)
framing square
2 foot and 4 foot level(if you dont have a 4 you can get by with a 2)
joint tools(these will vary depending on the look you want, but I would recoment a round joint rather than a raked joint-much eaiser)
soft brush
sponge
hoe & wheelbarro
As far as what looks better I like both, the one in the pic is pretty cool(notice the natural gas pipe comming out of it)I like that. I guess if I had to pick one thats going to be eaiser I would say square.
I type slow so heres something to read while I type up some steps.
1) Make sure the surface your laying on is level, if its not figure how much its out and write that down. Figure out how big you want the pit to be by laying the firebrick out dry, first your mortor joints for the firebrick should be very tight like 1/8 inch. Use the square and square up the corners measure corner to opposite corner to check for square use your level or a 2x4 as a straight edge.
2) Lay your red brick out around your firebrick leaving a 2 inch gap between them. Your motor joints should be about 1/2 inch for the red brick. Square it up the same but it should be pretty much square already. You will probably find that your brick doesnt lay out, either the joints get too tight or get too big near the end just adjust it so it lays out on a whole brick--does that make sense? Now you have your first course laid out take a pencil and trace the inside of the firepit and the outside, for guide lines. It may help you to make marks where the joints are too.
You know I could be typing for dayz on this does any of what I've written make sense? I should probably just recomend a couple books to you. I'll totally keep writing if you want but it may be eaiser with pics and diagrams.
man, just wait until home depot or Lowes has a class on this. Or call them and request one on this subject. You will get much more out of it than trying to learn from the cafe no matter how experienced the person instructing you is. Bricklaying and other physical type constrution activities are best learned in a hands on method.
You could think of government workers like teenagers. You pay them an allowance, but do you get any work out them? They eat the food, put their feet on the furniture and complain loudly whenever they are unhappy.
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by Omaha Red Sox » Fri Sep 15, 2006 3:59 pm 
), but it doesn't have to look commercial or even professional. Basically, what kind of concrete, tools, etc. am I going to need and what kind of steps should I take to getting it right. Which do you think looks better, square or circle, and which one is easier?
