[Garden Variety]

I'm looking for techniques for designing and constructing dry-laid firepits using fire-rated linings. Have seen some great designs for masonry structures with mortared firebrick veneer inside the pit, but most examples of dry-laid pits that I've seen are lined with natural stone or segmental wall block.

I've run across metal linings, both smooth and corrugated, that can be used with segmental wall block or natural stone, but I don't like the look. Would prefer a pit that's both safe and attractive and that uses firebrick inside and stone or wall block outside.

Thanks in advance for advice. Seems like everyone wants firepits these days.

[Stonehenge]

Do you do a lot of hardscapes? What kinds of things are in your company's wheelhouse as far as skill sets?

[Garden Variety]

Primarily commercial landscape management, renovation, and soft and hardscape design and installation and bid/build. We do not have masons, so we design and install only dry-laid paving and walls. Have got pretty skilled constructions crews.

The residential side of the business is gaining momentum, thus the need to add such skills as building firepits to our repertoire.

[AZTLANLC]

Adding mortar to a structure is not hard at all, just do your research about mixing and types, I know it's a little bit scary to start playing with mortar but once you do it there will be many times that you'd be glad you took the time and learned.

[Stonehenge]

They can be done in a dry-laid fashion as well. Since you're already versed in hardscapes, I probably don't need to do much more than show you a few pics for you to get the gist of what was done here.

Below is a finished pit - the vertical fire brick are up against the faces of some SRW's that make up the structure of the pit.

[Garden Variety]

Thanks. A picture is worth a thousand words! This looks like a client-pleaser. Very nice.

If you adapted this design to a raised pit, would you just add another course of vertical brick? How would you treat the outside? A couple of our clients want pits that are raised about 15" with caps.

Are the vertical bricks partially buried full bricks? Do you think there would be any issues with the caps overheating, especially since the pit is rather shallow? Last, I see that you've also lined the floor of the pit with firebrick. What are some pros and cons of lining the pit with stone vs. firebrick?

Sorry about playing 20 questions.

I saw another example--don't remember the site name--of a dry-laid pit that had the firebricks laid horizontally in a basketweave fashion. Looked like half bricks.

Thanks, Stonehenge. These are my first posts, but I've been enjoying the site for some time. You people are very generous with your knowledge and experience, and it's appreciated!

[Garden Variety]

AZTLANLC, thanks for the encouragement. Masonry could be in the offing if more of these types of projects are requested, but for now I'm designing within certain parameters.

I see you're in a cold zone too. If you were to do a small masonry-constructed firepit, say 30-36", how deep a footing would you plan? Our frost line is at 48".

Thanks in advance.

[Stonehenge]

With a small pit, you'd pour a slab with the intent of treating it like any other floating thing, like pavers. If the concrete slab is thick enough and reinforced and not huge (say a 4'x4' or 5'x5' pit), you don't need to go below the frost line - just know that it may shift with freeze-thaw just like your pavers may.

As for your questions re: the pit I posted - if the pit is going to be raised and you need to have 2 courses of fire brick, you're going to need to consider masonry and using refractory cement - it's unlikely that you could find a way to stack two courses of fire brick on end (dry-laid) and have it last any length of time (though I'd love to be proven wrong on this one - if anyone has ideas, fire away). Why does a pit need to be deeper than that, anyway?

If it must be deeper and you don't want to do wet work, consider steel street sewer hardware (manhole sleeves or things along those lines) - you'd place it in the ground at the height you want, then build around it. Line the bottom with fire brick.

As for why fire brick in the bottom instead of stone - it's a much cleaner operation cleaning ashes off a hard surface than a softer one. Plus, for the money people put toward the patio and fire pit, having something a bit higher end than what you'd find at a cabin in the woods would seem requisite.

[AZTLANLC]

Just like Jeff said it, also don't forget to add drainage at the bottom.