I Feel Like This is A Stupid Question, BUT... Firepits

[LifeSimpleAndSweet]

I am considering building a firepit.

There are tons of cool DIY videos and they are all pretty much the same.
It's not rocket science.
But no one is addressing the question that I have.

Once you pay for and lay down all that nice sand, or pea gravel, or lava rock,
you are going to build fires on it.
It's all going to be covered up with ash and coal.
So isn't that wasted money?

How are you supposed to clean it?
Seems like simply building over the ground is the way to go for cleaning.

 

[NC_Quail]

Excellent question! Maybe I could help, we have a fire pit.

The ash coming out of the pit isn’t really enough to make all the gravel around it grey, if that’s what you’re worried about. The ashes disperse themselves in the wind.

HOWEVER, the rocks directly around the fire that make up the fire pit do get dirty. I find that a hose cleans them up pretty well. We also shovel the ash out regularly.

Hope this helps, have fun with your new fire pit!

 

[LifeSimpleAndSweet]

Excellent question! Maybe I could help, we have a fire pit.

The ash coming out of the pit isn’t really enough to make all the gravel around it grey, if that’s what you’re worried about. The ashes disperse themselves in the wind.

HOWEVER, the rocks directly around the fire that make up the fire pit do get dirty. I find that a hose cleans them up pretty well. We also shovel the ash out regularly.

Hope this helps, have fun with your new fire pit!

Thank you for replying!

I'm more thinking the buildup of ash when you've had multiple fires. Eventually, you have to clean it out, like a fireplace, don't you?

 

[Whiskybear]

I went with the earth underneath. Drainage hasn’t seemed to be an issue, fairly smooth when I need to shovel it out.

 

[NC_Quail]

Thank you for replying!

I'm more thinking the buildup of ash when you've had multiple fires. Eventually, you have to clean it out, like a fireplace, don't you?

Oh, I see what you mean!

Yes, I agree with others that it is probably easier to just leave dirt under the fire pit. You can also put a grate in there. We just shovel the ash when it gets full; it is great for the garden.

 

[LifeSimpleAndSweet]

Thanks, so all those videos on YT, it's all just clickbait.

Make a gorgeous firepit!
Ignore the fact that you can't actually clean the stuff you pour in there.

 

[SandyRiverChick]

DIY Firepit. Love it! Initially we had a metal fire pit embedded inside the rock. Eventually we pulled it out as it was simply unnecessary. So with the dirt bottom I think maybe we've shoveled out ashes once in 5 years. Winter rain makes it leach down and it never makes a ash mess. Just burn dry wood. Good luck!

 

[LifeSimpleAndSweet]

This project should be nice and cheap then, unless I start to go crazy.
I'm thinking two layers of ten blocks... 20x2.50 = $50 and some shoveling.
I do not have any level ground here, so drainage is a non-issue.

I am thinking though of making it useable for cooking - some sort of grate.
A rotisserie would be fabulous, but I'm not sure I can make something that looks good, is budget-friendly, and works well.

 

[LifeSimpleAndSweet]

DIY Firepit. Love it! Initially we had a metal fire pit embedded inside the rock. Eventually we pulled it out as it was simply unnecessary. So with the dirt bottom I think maybe we've shoveled out ashes once in 5 years. Winter rain makes it leach down and it never makes a ash mess. Just burn dry wood. Good luck! View attachment 3518027

Thanks for the photo! You've just stacked natural stone, it looks like.

 

[Whiskybear]

This project should be nice and cheap then, unless I start to go crazy.
I'm thinking two layers of ten blocks... 20x2.50 = $50 and some shoveling.
I do not have any level ground here, so drainage is a non-issue.

I am thinking though of making it useable for cooking - some sort of grate.
A rotisserie would be fabulous, but I'm not sure I can make something that looks good, is budget-friendly, and works well.

Two pieces of rebar, an old charcoal grill grate, a little wire. Wire the rebar down two sides of the grate, lay it on the side rocks. stack brick or rocks on the wall side as needed to raise it.