Do-it-yourself hearth for a bonfire in the country

Many gardeners dream to equip a beautiful recreation area with comfortable chairs and a hearth for a fire on their site. It is not difficult to build such a fireplace in the country, if you choose the right location, prepare the material and drawings. Also, step-by-step instructions for manufacturing will help to cope with the task.

Varieties of designs

Outdoor foci are different in both form and material. But most often the following structures are installed on the garden site:

1. The pitfall option suggests a small indentation. For greater strength, walls are covered with bricks, while they are laid in an upright position. The surrounding area is decorated with paving tiles, which will protect the site from fires. To do this, it is not necessary to take a new one, the old and even broken one is quite suitable.
2. Brick fire is perhaps the most popular. For it, fireclay bricks and the same mortar are used. Brazier can have any form, it all depends on the desire of the owners. The round fireplace centerpiece made of brick looks very beautiful. A grill is equipped in the center. For such a hearth, you also need to dig a small pit.
3. The concrete structure is made on the formwork, it can be assembled from any material at hand, for this, boards, sheets of plywood are suitable. Next, dig a hole of a suitable size, install the formwork in it, and then pour the concrete solution. After the mixture is slightly set, the formwork should be removed. At the very end, to give a more attractive look, you can cover the walls with facing material, for example, chipped stones or bricks.
4. Natural stone is not so widely used in the manufacture of outdoor barbecues, since such material is not the cheapest. But he has a lot of positive qualities. Firstly, aesthetic appearance - the building looks very nice on the site. Secondly, durability - such a center will last for many years.
5. A fire table is convenient in that in addition to a place for a fire, a countertop is also equipped on which a plate or glass can be placed. In the center of the structure, a hole of the desired diameter is made - there the fire will burn. This option is suitable for meeting with friends.

A fireplace for a summer residence can be made from old metal barrels. This is the easiest and cheapest way. But they will have to be additionally decorated to give them the appropriate look.

Choosing the right place

Before you begin construction work, you must choose the right place. It must necessarily meet the following requirements:

• the campfire should be located at a certain distance from the apartment building, utility rooms and garden plantings;
• the place should be selected taking into account the wind rose so that smoke, ash and other burning residues do not penetrate the living room;
• dry plants should be absent near the outbreak;
• the foundation pit is dug to a depth of at least 0.5 m;
• Brazier diameter should vary between 1-1.5 m;
• as a facing material, it is better to use stone or refractory brick;
• when choosing a place, it is better to abandon lowlands or hills, it is best to give preference to flat terrain.

In addition, it is worth removing all rubbish from the site, removing grass. In this case, it will be much easier to dig a hole. After that, you can proceed to the next construction phase.

For portable structures, you can not adhere to these requirements, but you still have to take into account safety rules.

Stone fire

Just before work, you need to prepare materials and tools. To make a hearth for a fire with your own hands you will need:

• shovel;
• wooden pegs;
• twine;
• concrete;
• stones of different sizes and shapes;
• construction plummet;
• roulette.

In addition, drawings are needed. They will help to establish how much material is needed to erect a barbecue. After that it will be possible to start marking.

Earth and concrete work

After marking, it is necessary to proceed to earthwork. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Dig a pit, the depth of which should be 0.5-0.6 m. As for the size and shape of the future outbreak, they are selected individually.
2. After this, it is necessary to knead the concrete mixture with the addition of fine gravel in it. An ideal mortar consists of 45 kg of sand, 30 kg of gravel and 15 kg of good cement. If there is no desire to mess with him, then you can buy a finished composition. Experienced builders are advised to take the M100 brand.
3. Then you need to pour the concrete mixture to the bottom of the pit and level it. The resulting base must be at least 10 cm thick.
4. Until the solution has set, several through holes should be made in it. They are designed to drain rainwater and other liquids. In addition, it will be possible to install suitable structures in them, for example, a grill or barbecue for grilling kebabs.

After this, it is necessary to wait until the base has dried out properly. As a rule, this takes several days, but it all depends on weather conditions. Ideally, you need to cover it with plastic wrap so that the concrete does not get wet in the rain and does not crack from sunlight.

Masonry and backfill

Suitable stones must be laid parallel to each other, fix the elements with concrete mortar. Flat stones of different sizes are best suited for the arrangement. But you should not take elements that contain porous shells or limestone - they are not suitable for a summer campfire. The optimal thickness is considered an indicator from 5 to 10 cm. As for the texture, then you can be guided by your own taste.

Then it should be laid to the desired height, and when the concrete dries, it will be necessary to fill in the sinuses that form between the recess and the outer walls. They can be filled with plain earth or sand. This should be done in such a way that there is a gap for the concrete blind area. As a rule, about 0.1 m to the ground surface is enough for it. To do this, you need to pour concrete around the fireplace and carefully level it. In the end, you need to drown the flat stones in the mixture. Now the site is considered finished.

On this construction work is completed. After drying, they carry out facing works and are engaged in the design of the space. Such an open fire will become an adornment of any yard and a favorite place of all households.

Brick hearth

You can make your own a hearth for a fire in the country from ordinary brick. It fits perfectly into the landscape design of the site. On the street you can organize a canopy, arrange comfortable chairs - you get a kind of frontal place. To erect a brick structure, it is necessary to prepare:

• brick (its quantity depends on the size of the hearth);
• fishing line;
• reinforcing rod;
• crushed stone;
• sand;
• cement;
• water
• a basin for mixing the solution.

Before proceeding with the masonry, the concrete mixture should be kneaded. To do this, mix loose components, gradually pour water into them and mix. The result should be a solution that resembles thick sour cream in consistency. Then you need to follow the step by step instructions:

1. Dig a foundation pit with a diameter of 1 m and a depth of 50 cm. After this, it is necessary to drive in the center of the reinforcement, attach a fishing line to it, and to the other end - an ordinary wooden stick. Then, with the help of a homemade compass, you should draw a circle.

1. It is necessary to remove the earth from the circled circle, sprinkle the bottom with fine gravel and level it.It is also advisable to compact everything thoroughly - in this case, the design will stand more reliably.
2. Lay out the base of the brick and the bottom layer. Each row must be checked with a building level, there should not be any differences in height. Bricks at the bottom should fit snugly together. Fix the elements with a heat-resistant cement mortar.
3. It is necessary to start laying walls. Bricks are laid so that they slightly overlap each other. Lay the last row with a protrusion of 5-10 cm above the ground.

Leave the fireplace for a day to dry. During this time, it is necessary to periodically spill the surface with water. At the end, you can cover the structure with decorative stone or broken tiles, and sprinkle gravel around the hearth.