New Backyard Addition {Fire Pit on a Budget}
I hope everyone had a wonderful Memorial Day weekend? Here at the Butler house we enjoyed a quite weekend by ourselves just hanging out in the backyard. Since moving into our new house there are a lot of things we still need to work on. The Backyard being one of them. Now that we have taken care of weed and pest control it's was time to start working on decorating the backyard a bit. Starting from scratch is always hard but a fun journey no less. I was challenged by Walmart to see what I could come up with to spruce up our backyard for $150. Since we spend a lot of family time in the backyard I wanted to make sure to spend it on something that I knew we would use.
Awhile back I remembered seeing a Brick Fire Pit at Lowe's, but it was a bit pricey. So this was the perfect opportunity for me to try and come up with something on my own. In the Spring and Fall we pitch up our tent and do a lot of backyard camping, so a fire is a must.
I wanted to start with a ready made fire pit so I went online to Walmart.com and read all their fire pit reviews. We ended up deciding on the Better Homes and Gardens "32" in Fire Pit with a 90% Customer Satisfaction and some pretty good reviews.
Off to Walmart we went and purchased all of the materials. I say materials like it is a lot, but really it wasn't much at all. All that we needed was the fire pit, landscaping bricks and wood. I even put it together all by myself. Since being married I have come to realize one thing if you want something done there will be times that you just have to DIY.
No worries because it was really easy. I didn't want to use just the fire pit as is because it always makes me a nervous wreck thinking of all the things that could happen (tipping over or someone running into it). I thought adding bricks would be the perfect solution. I chose grey landscaping bricks to match our house.
Off to Walmart we went and purchased all of the materials. I say materials like it is a lot, but really it wasn't much at all. All that we needed was the fire pit, landscaping bricks and wood. I even put it together all by myself. Since being married I have come to realize one thing if you want something done there will be times that you just have to DIY.
No worries because it was really easy. I didn't want to use just the fire pit as is because it always makes me a nervous wreck thinking of all the things that could happen (tipping over or someone running into it). I thought adding bricks would be the perfect solution. I chose grey landscaping bricks to match our house.
Get started by finding the ideal place in your back yard for your fire pit. Make sure to pick an area where the ground is even and clear from any debris and your house. We started by laying out 10 bricks into a circle. You will want to encircle the fire pit.
We thought three rows of bricks was sufficient. For the second row of bricks you will want to start laying the bricks off center from the first row. This will make your bricks more sturdy. Do the same with your third and final brick layer. Make sure all the bricks are flush together with a tight fit.
Now it's time to add the fire pit. We added the bottom base into the fire pit, but chose to leave off the middle part. There really wasn't a need for it or the fire pit would of been to tall. Finally we added the fire pit bowl and it hung perfectly into the bricks. Add the metal grate and fire screen and your done. Now it's time to enjoy your new fire pit.
We thought three rows of bricks was sufficient. For the second row of bricks you will want to start laying the bricks off center from the first row. This will make your bricks more sturdy. Do the same with your third and final brick layer. Make sure all the bricks are flush together with a tight fit.
Now it's time to add the fire pit. We added the bottom base into the fire pit, but chose to leave off the middle part. There really wasn't a need for it or the fire pit would of been to tall. Finally we added the fire pit bowl and it hung perfectly into the bricks. Add the metal grate and fire screen and your done. Now it's time to enjoy your new fire pit.
Total Cost for Decorative Fire Pit = $127.20Here it is..... our new backyard fire pit on a budget. I think it's a lot safer than just using the fire pit alone not to mention how much prettier it looks. We used the fire pit over memorial day weekend and we had such a great time roasting marshmallows for Smores.
I tried to snap a few photos of the kids in action but the wind had picked up, so I thought it was best to put the fire out. I can't wait until our next backyard camp out.
Note: Make sure to check your city's guidelines on fire pits if you live within city limits. Many cities allow them, and will have the guidelines posted on their city website.
I even had a bit left over to purchase a hanging flower basket and a decorative flower pot for the patio table. Sometimes a little color really brightens up a place. Now that we have our fire pit its a small start and I am itching to do more. Next will be a new umbrella for our patio table, a small backyard garden and something fun for the kids. What projects are you working on for your backyard?Here's the Cost Breakdown
Better Homes & Gardens '32' Fire Pit
with Metal Grate & Log Tool- $75.00
Grey Landscaping Bricks - $1.74 x 30 = $52.20
Box of Wood for Burning - $6
Hanging Flower Basket- $5
Flowers & Ceramic Pot - $7.36
Total = $145.56
I am an official Walmart Mom. Walmart has provided me with a GC and compensation for my time and efforts in creating this post. Participation in this program is voluntary and the opinions stated above are entirely my own. Check out my fellow Walmart Moms for more great ideas on sprucing up your own backyard.
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