There was an existing fire pit in our back yard when we bought our river house. It was a nice thing to use a few times every summer. But, the rest of the time it was an eyesore and an exercise in maintenance to keep the weeds under control.
We have been working hard this summer to improve our back yard with a new tree deck and a painted pergola. The next step was to address the fire pit.
An additional and significant problem with this fire pit, is that our favourite furry white friend is constantly rummaging in the cooled black wood chipping to find pieces of wood to chew on. As a result, we seem to have burnt pieces of wood all over our back yard. We also have a white and often wet dog, with black paws wanting to come in the house. This was the real reason we were anxious to improve the situation.
Options for Fire Pits
There were a number of different fire pit options. We had a raised fire pit with legs that we brought from our last house and I really did not like the look of a raised orb in the middle of the yard. We thought of building one, but we didn’t know if we would be able to find a lid to fit in a custom size.
I found this Sunnydaze Crossweave Fire Pit Camping Ring on Amazon. It is 36 inches in diameter, so it is a little smaller that the existing stone surround that we plan to keep, but that is ok. The design is simple and I liked the fact that the pattern allows air to circulate.
It is 12 inches high. I am hoping this is enough of a deterrent to keep our dog Lola out of the fire pit. If not, I have a back up plan in mind. But let’s not go there yet.
Steps to Installing the Fire Pit
The first step in installing the fire pit surround is remove the debris and dig down a few inches. This is to remove existing weeds and to level the surface.
The Sunnydaze Crossweave Fire Pit Campfire Ring was easy to assemble. It also came very quickly when I ordered through Amazon. We set that in the middle of the fire pit.
Next we added three inches chipped stone around the outside of the enclosure. This cleans up the area and helps to deter weed growth.
We had a couple of old wooden chairs that are so comfortable and perfect for the fire pit. @GerainttheWelsh put a few screws in to tighten them up and I gave them a lick of black paint. They work perfectly beside the fire pit.
It has been so hot here lately, we have not tried the fire pit yet. So, I don’t know if Lola will reach into or go into the fire pit to get blacken bits of fire wood. If she does, I have a plan. I will let you know.
Always
Leslie
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