A hearth for a fire in a country house made of stone, metal, brick: a step-by-step construction scheme + photos of finished garden fireplaces

Varieties

Depending on the design, the hearths can be divided into stationary, portable, recessed and outdoor versions. These structures can take various forms:

• rectangular;
• square;
• round.

The latter is the most popular, due to the ease of cleaning the inner surface and the increase in cooking options.

According to the material of manufacture, the foci are divided into the following types:

• stone;
• brick;
• metal.

Video “Do-it-yourself fire pit”

From this video you will learn how to make a outdoor hearth for a fire with your own hands.

Regular buildings

Regardless of the design features and the material from which the structure for the fire will be made, it is necessary to go through all the stages of work:

1. Determination of a place for a fire. It is important that it be removed from other buildings at a safe distance. Smoke and sparks from the fire should not reach the buildings of the suburban area.
2. The choice of material. The solution to this issue is influenced by the desired appearance and availability of the material.
3. Implementation of design work. Includes decisions on the design features and dimensions of the future hearth.
4. Foundation device.
5. Masonry walls or the manufacture of a metal case.

Do it yourself

The process of making a future campfire site is available to any summer resident. Anyone can equip a hearth on a personal plot with their own hands.

To perform the work, you need to prepare in advance the material from which the construction is planned. The manufacture of the base is possible in the presence of sand and cement. The following tools are needed to solve this problem:

• shovel;
• measuring devices;
• trowel, spatula;
• welding machine for a metal structure;
• drill with a special stirring nozzle.

Of stone

To make a stone hearth, you must perform the following work:

1. Mark the selected place for the installation of the structure. It would be better to lay out such material in a circle, the outer diameter of which is from 1 to 1,5 m.
2. The top layer of soil is removed with a shovel to a depth of 15–20 cm. After that, the surface must be cleaned of weed roots.
3. Next, you need to designate the internal contour of the building and pour a concrete base under it with a height of 10–15 cm. The internal diameter is designated so that it is possible to make internal brickwork with a small gap from the external laying of stones.
4. After the core has dried, we lay out the inner contour of the hearth with fireclay bricks, using ordering. In order for the inner diameter to have a clear round contour, it is necessary to hammer the reinforcement in the center of the hearth. With the help of a rope, the inner radius is controlled when laying refractory bricks. Keeping the same distance on all sides will allow you to get an internal cavity of a round shape.
5. The height of the inner masonry must be made 15 cm less than the design size of the hearth. For laying refractory bricks, a sand-clay mixture is used, which will not crack at high temperatures.
6. Maintaining the gap, it is necessary to lay out the outer masonry of natural stone to the full design height. The gap between the masonry is filled with heat-resistant material. Usually use quartz sand with glass or fine gravel.
7. The upper part of the inner masonry and the gap are laid with the same material from which the outer masonry is made.
8. For safety, the area around the hearth must be paved with any fire-safe materials. It can be gravel or brick laying.

The outdoor hearth is ready, it remains to pick up a grid or grate of the appropriate diameter in order to cook a fragrant dish on fire.

Brick

The construction of a brick hearth differs from a stone one in the exclusively used material for external masonry. You can use white silicate brick, but red is better. The latter has thermal insulation properties. This quality will allow you to enjoy the iridescent flames of a garden fire for longer.

As in the stone version, the internal masonry is made of fireclay bricks on clay mortar. The height of the hearth is at the level of 60–80 cm from the ground level. The external laying of bricks is carried out with an ordinary mortar with a small addition of lime. The gap between the masonry is covered with heat-insulating material.

The original shape will differ in the hearth of a square or rectangular shape. When using brick for the outer surface, the correctness of the outlines will be emphasized by the straight lines of the masonry.

In the ground

The arrangement of the structure in the ground will have slight differences from the stone and brick structure:

1. The soil of the future round building must be removed to a great depth – 40–60 cm. In this case, the diameter of the pit should exceed the size of the inner masonry by 7–15 cm.
2. After excavation, it is necessary to add crushed stone of the fraction to the bottom (20–50 mm) and compact it tightly.
3. Using the central post, lay out the inner cavity with refractory bricks with clay mortar.
4. Fill the gap between the masonry and the ground with rubble. Lay with red bricks flush with the ground or with a slight elevation.
5. The bottom is best closed with a round metal sheet for any hearth design. This will allow you to clean the inner surface of coals and ashes without much effort.

metal bowl

A garden with a hearth in the form of a bowl will be fabulous and unique.

For self-production, you will need a part of a metal sphere, hollow inside. This form is hard to find. You can use a sheet of metal 2-4 mm thick, cut out a large circle, then make cuts from the edges to the center to half the length of the radius and bend the edges at an angle of 20-40 °. You will get a bowl that needs to be equipped with legs and installed in a safe place. The finished product is recommended to be painted with fire-resistant black paint. With little effort and no cost, we get a portable hearth.

Concrete

The manufacture of a concrete structure will require a lot of effort, but in terms of cost it will not go far from a metal bowl:

1. Depending on the desired height of the future building, it is necessary to dig a hole. Given that the manufacture of round formwork can cause great difficulties, the concrete hearth is made in a square shape. Accordingly, the pit will have the same contour.
2. The base is covered with crushed stone, then leveled.
3. After that, you need to make formwork for the contours of the outer and inner walls. The width of the future concrete structure will be 30 cm.
4. The internal cavities are reinforced and connected with metal profiles and meshes.
5. It is necessary to pour concrete, let it set and remove the formwork.
6. After the walls have dried, a metal container is installed in the inner part and sprinkled with rubble or pebbles from all sides.
7. The surface of concrete walls is covered with decorative tiles or other finishing material.

Decor options

The design of the source of open fire must be carried out using fire-resistant materials. Using a ready-made site for evening gatherings will require the manufacture of a hearth in the style inherent in the selected area. This may be the exterior finish of the fire source with the same material that was used in the construction of the site.

Installing a fireplace in a new place will require creating a cozy environment around it that matches the landscape design of the suburban area. An example of such a design can be the arrangement of benches around the fire. The decoration of the hearth and places for recreation should be harmoniously combined.

After finishing all the work, you can sit in your favorite garden near the fire, without taking your eyes off the playing flames. Using a metal mesh that can cover the hearth will allow you to cook meat or fish with a pleasant smell of smoke. And to prepare more serious dishes over the fire, you need to install a tripod. Use a hook and chain to hang a pot or cauldron. Now you can cook kulesh and talk about life.