How to Build an Outdoor Fire Pit Using a Ventless Fire
Do you love the idea of having a fire pit in your backyard but don’t want the smoke, ash and mess it causes?
A ventless fire is the perfect way to create a fire pit in your back garden but without all the mess and hassle.
A ventless fire burns cleanly without any smoke and is cheap and eco friendly. Whether you use gas or bioethanol, ventless fires are a great way to have a fire outdoors which will give you heat and light but without all the cleaning up needed afterwards!
While you can get ready made tabletop ventless fires, or even inserts to create your own tabletop fire, for the true fire pit feel it is easy (and cheap!) to build one of your own.
With just basic DIY know how and a few tools, you can create your own fire pit using this step by step guide.
1. Pick a material for the main structure
It might seem obvious, but you want to pick something non flammable for the base of your fire pit. It is for this reason that metal is the best option but you can use treated wood for the surround if it is something thick like railway sleeper or wooden pallets. Don’t worry about paying for sheets of steel or expensive timber, you can easily upcycle or reuse things. An outdoor fire pit has been made out of a car tyre inner and even an old grill!
2. Shape your structure
Now, most fire pits are round but that’s just the way the shop sells them. The best part about making your own fire pit is you can have any shape you want – square, triangle or even hexagonal! You can fit it into your existing garden, within a raised flowerbed or even with a wide edge so you can put drinks on the side.
3. Measure once, cut twice
Before making the base, make sure the pre-bought bioethanol or gas burner you want to use fits! It should fit snugly in the fire pit and be recessed down about six inches so it isn’t completely flush with the top.
4. Install a valve
To make sure you can turn your burner on and off easily, make sure you fit a valve to the side so it can be operated without having to lift the burner and tamper with the gas or bioethanol underneath.
5. Finishing touches
Fill the base of the burner plate with lava rock or glass to give your fire pit a classy finishing touch. This is why it is important to leave a six-inch gap between the top of the burner and the top of your fire pit structure. Fill the fire pit with your chosen base material until it reaches the top.
6. Sit back and relax!
Now your fire pit is complete, the first thing to do is test it. Run it through on all settings (high to low) to make sure it works as it is supposed to before you put your tools away and then, just sit back and enjoy your new fire pit!
- Candace Osmond
