Brick Fire Pit Installation - Lawrence Landscape (2024)

FAQs

How many landscape bricks to make a fire pit? ›

For your bricks, the number you need will depend on your preferred size. You'll typically need around 50–100 in total. You can use rectangular bricks for a square ring, but if you prefer a circular fire pit, trapezoidal bricks look more stylish and have fewer gaps.

The best way to build a fire pit on concrete is by starting with landscaping bricks or other similar pavers that have been pre-cast. Each brick should be about 2″” larger than the diameter of the burner you are going to install in the fire pit so that it has room to expand and contract without cracking.

These types of pits call for rectangular bricks. They typically require blocks with a length of eight inches. For a 36-inch-wide square pit insert, you'll need 18 bricks per level.

You could measure the perimeter of the space and divide it by the length of the blocks. For example, if you are using 10” long blocks (0.83 foot) and your perimeter measurement is 180 feet: 180 / 0.83 = 216.87 blocks. Round up to the nearest whole number.

Some people like to build them out of the same material as their paving or other garden walls to make sure that everything matches. You'll need around 80 standard-sized bricks for a 900mm (3ft) pit. Level your bricks in between courses by tapping down when necessary.

What Do You Put in the Bottom of a Fire Pit? To create a safe, sturdy foundation for a fire pit, we use a gravel paver base. Other common materials used for the bottom of a fire pit are sand, lava stones, dirt, fire glass and concrete slabs.

If your fire pit is made of fire bricks, you won't need to use an insert. Fire bricks are made to withstand intense temperatures and are an excellent choice for permanent fire pits. If fire bricks aren't an option for you, landscaping pavers, cinder blocks, or bricks are great alternatives when used with a liner.

The average cost of a brick fire pit is between $300 and $2,200, including professional installation.

Best Kind Of Bricks For Fire Pits

Instead, your best option would be to use fire bricks (or refractory bricks). These bricks are denser and go through a kiln process to make them able to withstand high temperatures. They're larger, thicker, and wider than regular bricks, and you can find it at most brickyards.

How many bricks do I need for 100 square feet? ›

Bricks required in a single layer 4.5” brick wall of 100 square feet: In order to determine the specific number of bricks in 100 square feet, multiply the structure's square footage by 4.5. 100 X 4.5 = 450 bricks, so 450 bricks are required per 100 square feet for a 4.5-inch brick wall with a single layer.

They're large and some have a helpful bevel to them, but they're not made for high heat. They will crack and spall over time. If you make a somewhat larger fire pit with the pavers, but then make a lining of one layer of fire bricks on the inside of the pavers, the pavers will last a lot longer.

Are pavers safe for a fire pit? Brick or stone pavers provide a safe surface for using a fire pit. Concrete pavers need to be heat-resistant, as concrete surfaces of any type contain tiny air bubbles and small amounts of water that can expand when heated. This expansion can then cause the pavers to crack.

The interior of the fire pit needs to be constructed with fire-resistant materials, so fire bricks, which are designed to stand up to direct fire, are a must. The exterior of the ring doesn't need to be fire-resistant, but it does need to be heat-resistant. Regular retaining wall blocks are okay to use.