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Small Cabin Forum / Member's Projects and Photos / Moving and improving fire pit
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Say hey
Member
# Posted: 17 May 2015 12:07
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We currently have 30" od pipe 18"-24" tall with rocks just stacked against the pipe. We added a deck and I need to move the pit area and thought I could do something a bit fancier, I have fake stone leftover from the foundation I want to use.looking on Pintrest and Goggle nothing jumps out. Part of out problem is we built in a meadow and ANYTHING , woodpile,shed fire pit looks so stark. With
No foliage or trees to catch your eye you are drawn to the woodpile or whatever,
So the pit needs to look good, I have seen a pit with a stone back wall and elevated stone seating forming a 1/4-1/3 circle from the left and right
Again this may be too much
Overwhelming
Any ideas...pictures?
I can always just move what I have.....but ya gotta have a project

Thanks

TranquilMan
Member
# Posted: 18 May 2015 12:53
Reply 


Hi Say Hey,
I had to move my first attempt at a fire pit because evening on-shore breezes always filled the cabin with smoke. So first tip is to understand the prevailing wind directions.
I did a lot of canoe camping in remote parts of NW Ontario and always enjoyed collecting rocks and building nice cooking fire pits wherever I camped. It always bothered me how little thought folks before me put into the fire pit. Taking them apart and rebuilding was always a hobby of mine while on canoe trips.
Anyway here's a couple of pics of mine. It has two burning areas. One is a large circle of rocks about 4 feet in diameter for burning brush and wood scraps. Attached to it is a smaller fire pit for cooking. A couple of pieces of pipe support grates and a large flat rock at the back is a warming area and a place to put a pot or frying pan. I made the pit wide enough to accommodate my metal reflector oven that has been used to bake pizza, bannock and even apple pies. I love this fire pit and sit out many evenings after dinner with my guitar and a glass of scotch.
I went out to open my cabin a couple of days ago and found that the resident snapping turtle had laid eggs in the pit so I guess he like it too.
Good luck with your project.
Tranquil Man
fire pit, rum, guitar
fire pit, rum, guitar
fire pit
fire pit


TheCabinCalls
Member
# Posted: 18 May 2015 13:58
Reply 


We had to move ours too. The first one was just a ring of granite boulders with sand around it. We moved it up the hill a bit to give better airflow through it and to give us a better view of the water. It also doesn't hurt to have it farther from the water for runoff reasons.

Only men spent time at the firepit before. Now people hang there even when there is no fire.

I wish I could have afforded more of a fireplace with chimney to get the smoke up and out. But we were given some pavers so it worked out.

Make sure you keep the fire away from native grasses in the meadow.

Also make sure you plan for a prep area.

Good luck!
AFTER
AFTER
BEFORE
BEFORE
Roaring
Roaring


Say hey
Member
# Posted: 18 May 2015 18:48
Reply 


Tranquil Man
I like the cooking area idea , our builder fashioned a similar ring when he stayed in his camper during the build. He got me going on Dutch oven cooking as I watched him prepare many a meal while sipping a Jameson's or rum
The Cabin Calls
Nice job with the pavers, I thought about doing an apron like yours with flat stones, my friend did this at the base of the front steps and it looks great.
You are absolutely correct about fire and meadow,we have had to stop burning
In the pit as early as July 1 in dry years. After the first year I had a lid made for the 30" pipe so you could snuff out the fire at bed time which seems to come earlier as the years march on.
Thanks for the pictures, to you both.......hope the rain and snow stops so we can actually go to the cabin soon!
This site is almost as cool as the cabin

Pookie129
Member
# Posted: 19 May 2015 05:32 - Edited by: Pookie129
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Just re-dug mine out this weekend.....

Dug wide and oval(ish), shin to few inches below the knee kinda deep - used the dirt to level out the area around the fire pit, then used pea gravel as a base (had some left over from last year) and then used medium and larger boulders to line the inside of fire pit, and then used flagstone pieces around the the outside - outline of the fire pit, and then filled in and around with more pea gravel.

Used 2 large fire brick stones in the middle of the fire pit for a fire base and inverted one of the larger pieces of flagstone around the pit to give me a ledge for dutch ovens and or other cooking equipment.

Had all the material on site and on hand, so the cost was nadda.

Will post pictures later, can't seem to get them off my phone. Edit - photos included

Initially, I wasn't liking how it was looking, but by the end, I have to say it looked pretty good. Thankfully the local fire ban was just lifted, so I was able to give it a test run and it produced a great fire
photo_2.JPG
photo_2.JPG
photo_3.JPG
photo_3.JPG


justincasei812
Member
# Posted: 19 May 2015 08:09
Reply 


Thought I had a few more pictures of the fire pit at the cabin. Nothing special but it works. I think it is 5-6 ft. around. Here is another one from home
971907_3825078685361.jpg
971907_3825078685361.jpg
10696159_10203874961.jpg
10696159_10203874961.jpg


SE Ohio
Member
# Posted: 20 May 2015 09:28
Reply 


My neighbor wanted me to build this setup so he could use it

I think with a bit of landscaping, and maybe an upwind windbreak, this would be really nice.
Neighbors suggestion
Neighbors suggestion


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