How to Make a Concrete Fire Pit

Combine a metal bowl and a concrete base to create a stylish, modern fire pit.

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With a sweet design and hard work, this backyard comes to life with a concrete chic fire feature, seating, walkway, landscaping, and vibrant plants on Yard Crashers.

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We build a concrete form then filled it with gravel and a metal fire bowl to create this unique fire pit.

Before building a fire pit, explore local community ordinances regarding fire pits. Don’t forget to alert your insurance agent, too. In drier regions of the country, fire pits can impact insurance premiums. Choose your site carefully — keep flames at least 20 feet from surrounding structures or plants, including overhead trees.

Materials + Tools

gravel
fire pit metal bowl
flagstone
pebbles
wood stakes
type 2 cement
type "S" mortar

rebar
2x12 boards (see length below)
forming nails
2x6 boards (see length below)
steel wire
wire mesh
mallet

1. Grade Area

Make sure you have a solid foundation. Add base rock or sand to make area level.

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With a sweet design and hard work, this backyard comes to life with a concrete chic fire feature - area marked with orange spray paint for the fire feature grade area.

2. Build Concrete Exterior Form

Nail together four 4-foot lengths of 2x12 boards to make a square. Set on the graded area. Build a second square out of 2x6s cut at 4-foot lengths (Image 1). Set one square on top of the other and secure them with 2-1/2'-long forming stakes set on the outside of the form. Use two stakes per side (Image 2). These will also secure the form to the ground, keeping it from shifting. Make sure the square sits level.

With a sweet design and hard work, this back yard comes to life with a concrete chic fire feature - contractors attach the wood pieces to make the surrounding base of the fire pit.

With a sweet design and hard work, this backyard comes to life with a concrete chic fire feature - contractors luse a level and hammer to construct the outside square base of the fire pit area.

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With a sweet design and hard work, this back yard comes to life with a concrete chic fire feature - contractors attach the wood pieces to make the surrounding base of the fire pit.

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With a sweet design and hard work, this backyard comes to life with a concrete chic fire feature - contractors luse a level and hammer to construct the outside square base of the fire pit area.

3. Build Concrete Interior Form

Repeat same steps for the inside frame but make it 8 to 10 inches smaller. Attach the upper and lower frame squares using foot-long sections of 2x6 boards nailed to the inside of the frame. (Image 1) Set frame inside the exterior frame, making sure it sits even on each corner, creating a 4- to 5-inch gap (Image 2). Stake in place, installing the stakes on the inside of the frame. Make sure the entire frame is level.

With a sweet design and hard work, this backyard comes to life with a concrete chic fire feature - fire feature interior wooden square form - Yard Crashers back yard design.

With a sweet design and hard work, this backyard comes to life with a concrete chic fire feature - view of wooden square interior while contractors use a level to keep the outside even and level before pouring concrete.

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With a sweet design and hard work, this backyard comes to life with a concrete chic fire feature - fire feature interior wooden square form - Yard Crashers back yard design.

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With a sweet design and hard work, this backyard comes to life with a concrete chic fire feature - view of wooden square interior while contractors use a level to keep the outside even and level before pouring concrete.

4. Add Reinforcement

Hammer 20-inch pieces of rebar into the corners of the square as well as along every foot inside the frame (Image 1). Make sure the rebar is securely in the ground and sits below the edge of the frame.

Run 4-foot pieces of rebar horizontally between the vertical rebar. Tie these together with steel metal wire. This will make a grid (Image 2). Cut the wire with wire cutters.

With a sweet design and hard work, this backyard comes to life with a concrete chic fire feature - level is used to keep base even and straight before pouring concrete on Yard Crashers.

With a sweet design and hard work, this backyard comes to life with a concrete chic fire feature on Yard Crashers.

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With a sweet design and hard work, this backyard comes to life with a concrete chic fire feature - level is used to keep base even and straight before pouring concrete on Yard Crashers.

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With a sweet design and hard work, this backyard comes to life with a concrete chic fire feature on Yard Crashers.

5. Add Wire Mesh or Matting

For extra reinforcement, add wire mesh or matting. Cut these pieces to fit inside the form. Tie to the rebar grid with wire.

6. Pour Concrete

Pour concrete inside the frame (Image 1). Tamp down the concrete to removed air holes; you don't want any spaces inside the form. Smooth off the top with a trowel. Use a mallet to tap the forms while concrete is still wet — this releases the concrete from the forms while drying. Let dry for 24 hours (Image 2).

With a sweet design and hard work, this backyard comes to life with a concrete chic fire feature. Inside view of the interior of the wooden design after concrete has been poured inside to form base around fire feature on Yard Crashers.

With a sweet design and hard work, this backyard comes to life with a concrete chic fire feature - concrete has been poured into the interior of the wooden design to form the outside of the fire feature on Yard Crashers.

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With a sweet design and hard work, this backyard comes to life with a concrete chic fire feature. Inside view of the interior of the wooden design after concrete has been poured inside to form base around fire feature on Yard Crashers.

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With a sweet design and hard work, this backyard comes to life with a concrete chic fire feature - concrete has been poured into the interior of the wooden design to form the outside of the fire feature on Yard Crashers.

7. Strip Forms

Once the concrete is dry and set up, carefully remove the wood forms.

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With a sweet design and hard work, this backyard comes to life with a concrete chic fire feature on Yard Crashers. Concrete base that surrounds the interior of the fire feature area where the bowl will be placed.

8. Add Finishing Touches to Concrete Frame

Add a thin layer of mortar along the outside of the frame to add a smooth finish (Image 1). If desired, cut pieces of slate to fit the top of the frame and mortar in place (Image 2).

With a sweet design and hard work, this backyard comes to life with a concrete chic fire feature. Contractor smooths out concrete mortar on sides of fire feature exterior using sponge. Rocks and bowl sit inside the interior of the project.

With a sweet design and hard work, this backyard comes to life with a concrete chic fire feature on Yard Crashers. Contractor adds a slate top to the concrete base using a level.

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With a sweet design and hard work, this backyard comes to life with a concrete chic fire feature. Contractor smooths out concrete mortar on sides of fire feature exterior using sponge. Rocks and bowl sit inside the interior of the project.

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With a sweet design and hard work, this backyard comes to life with a concrete chic fire feature on Yard Crashers. Contractor adds a slate top to the concrete base using a level.

9. Fill With Gravel

Add gravel about three quarters of the way full, so the top of the fire bowl will be flush with the top of the concrete frame.

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With a sweet design and hard work, this backyard comes to life with a concrete chic fire feature - close up of the square concrete base filled with gravel to make a fire pit in this landscape design on Yard Crashers.

10. Set Fire Bowl in Place

Add or subtract gravel accordingly to bring the fire bowl to the correct height.

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With a sweet design and hard work, this backyard comes to life with a concrete chic fire feature on Yard Crashers. A concrete square base was made to surround the concrete bowl sitting in the interior of the fire feature design.

11. Add Decorative Rock

Add large cobblestones, such as Mexican pebble, along the outsides of the bowl until only the top rim of the bowl is exposed. Add a little flagstone or slate to cap the concrete frame, and this fire feature is complete.

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With a sweet design and hard work, this backyard comes to life as with a concrete chic fire feature - a bowl and decorative rock are placed in the center of the square fire pit while designing this back yard on Yard Crashers.