Ideas for Outdoor Stone Fire Pits

Outdoor stone fire pits are a great addition to any home's yard, patio or garden and can create a whole new exterior space for entertaining and relaxing. If you are considering installing an outdoor stone fire pit, you can build simple fire pits with the materials available to you, build more advanced pits with stones you purchase and incorporate seating with round, rectangular and square designs.

Keep It Simple

The simplest idea for building an outdoor stone fire pit is to use materials from around your yard. You will need a number of large stones or rocks. The number of stones you will need depends on how large you intend to make your pit. You will also need a shovel. According to the Firepit and Grilling Guru website, you should first dig out a circular depression a few inches deep in a patch of dirt, gravel or sand, and then surround it with your stones, stacking them wherever possible. Avoid building your pit near dead leaves, dead plants and other flammable materials.

If you want to build a sturdier and/or more aesthetically pleasing outdoor stone fire pit, there are more advanced options you can use that require a bit more work. For a professional-quality stone fire place, you likely want to buy stones--such as bluestones or flagstones--from a home supply store or online retailer. According to the Reader's Digest website, you should set the first ring of stones on a sand base. Spend time fitting them together so there are no--or few--seams. This will likely require you to shape some stones with a chisel; the same goes for when you add the top layer of stones. If you want to cheat, spread concrete between the seams to ensure a strong fit.

One design option for an outdoor stone fire pit is to include a crescent-shape or semi-circle row of seating next to the pit itself, using the same type of stones. If you have a large enough space, you could even build a complete ring of seating around the fire pit. According to the Concrete Network website, you can use tiles, river rocks or stacked stone for the top surfaces of your round stone seating.

According to the Concrete Network website, rectangular and square designs for outdoor stone fire pits work best in linear spaces, such as adjacent to walls or rowed gardens. Instead of a round pit, try building a cube or trough-shaped one. For an elegant and structured look, make sure to include a row of seating that runs parallel to your pit.