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Build a Firepit on Concrete?
By admin | May 4, 2008
adowns55 asked:
My patio is constructed of a concrete slab in my back yard. Is it possible to build a firepit directly on top of my slab with out any negative effects? If so, how?
Topics: Outdoor Fireplace |
5 Responses to “Build a Firepit on Concrete?”
May 5th, 2008 at 9:03 pm
NO once concrete gets hot enough it will crack and pop away from the surrounding concrete and could put your eye out or cause serious injury. You should first lay a layer of fire brick on top of a layer of sand over the concrete patio.Under no circumstances should the concrete come in direct contact with the fire.
May 9th, 2008 at 4:31 am
As mentioned, no - you need a layer of firebrick. Depending on what you want to do with it, you could get a chimnea, or buy a patio fireplace for not too much money, but if you want to do it yourself you’ll need to raise it up a bit, preferably put a layer of vermiculite, or at least stones, underneath, and you should check your fire codes. But aside from twigs, no serious fire should be built directly onto concrete.
May 11th, 2008 at 11:35 pm
In my opinion the other answers are “overthinking” this! Concrete is a very poor heat conductor, and if you elevate the fire, say on a fire grate, you should have no problems. To be safe, just in case, I would build your fire pit, and then put a layer of about 3″ of sand, which is also a very poor heat conductor, and will shield the concrete even further. You can still add a fire grate to keep the wood off the sand.
You may be convinced you want a real fire pit, but if not, they sell several different kinds of really cool metal fire places for decks and patios, cheaper and no construction required.
May 14th, 2008 at 6:36 am
I have to agree with 80’s kids answer. You can put fire onto the concrete,but I would put down sand first. Or, if you live close to where you can get some rock, you can layer those first,then the sand. If everyone else wants to come see the fire pit that I have had for years on my concrete, y’all come on down. I’m not dead yet from exploding concrete.
May 16th, 2008 at 6:14 pm
cut out a circle and sink a tire rim, size of your choosing, layer of stone in the bottom of hole, circle of bricks on concrete around edge 3 - 4 high