Your outdoor living spaces are much more important than you may think.
When the weather turns warmer, you may find yourself longing to sit outdoors and just soak in the wonderful warmth.
Even on colder evenings, it’s great to be able to sit outside and enjoy the nighttime. If you have never considered your outdoors and what you can do to make them better, now is the time.
This great collection is sure to have the right backyard barbecue idea for you.
Jump to:
- 1. Cheap And Simple Rock Bowl Fire Pit
- 2. DIY Glass Top Fire Pit Table
- 3. Easy Patio Paver Fire Pit
- 4. Easy And Inexpensive Tabletop Fire Pit
- 5. Homemade Steel Box Fire Pit
- 6. DIY Cinder Block Fire Pit
- 7. Decorative Concrete Fire Pit
- 8. DIY Patio With Included Fire Pit
- 9. DIY Stone Fire Pit
- 10. $10 Upcycled Fire Pit
- 11. Shopping Cart Fire Pit
- 12. Rustic Wheelbarrow Fire Pit
- 13. DIY Fire Pit From Tree Rings
- 14. DIY Brick Fire Pit
- 15. Large Squared Fire Pit
- 16. Self-Feeding Fire Pit
- 17. Tractor Tire Rim Backyard Pit
- 18. Gas Fire Pit Table
- 19. $40 Cinder Block Fire Pit
- 20. Lovely Stacked Paver Outdoor Fireplace
- 21. Upcycled Pallet Fire Pit Table
- 22. Small Flower Pot Fire Pit
- 23. Large Boulder Fire Pit
- 24. Easy $20 Fire Pit
- 25. Overlaid Stone Fire Pit
- 26. Vertical Drum Fire Pit
- 27. DIY Fire Table With Glass
- 28. Stone And Metal Fire Pit
- 29. Whiskey Barrel Fire Pit
- 30. Metal Bucket Fire Pit
1. Cheap And Simple Rock Bowl Fire Pit
This is a smaller take on the traditional fire pit, and it’s perfect for smaller yards or patios. You use quickset concrete to create a bowl which will house the fire pit. Then you’ll need rocks – maybe river rocks or even rocks that you dig up out of your garden – as well as a chafing dish gel fuel pack, and a few other supplies.
Use a large can to make the hole in your concrete bowl, which is where you will put the flame. I love how simple this is and it’s small so it is completely portable.
Tutorial: b3hd
2. DIY Glass Top Fire Pit Table
Maybe you prefer something more modern when it comes to your fire pit. This glass top fire table is perfect for your patio, and is just beautiful when it is completed. The base of the table serves to hide the propane tank which fuels the fire.
I positively love the tiles on top of the table, but you could forgo those if you wanted. This is the perfect choice if you don’t have much of a backyard but still want that cozy fire to sit around at night.
Tutorial: moderustic
3. Easy Patio Paver Fire Pit
If you want a more traditional fire pit, this patio paver version is great. You dig a hole in the ground, fill it with pebbles and then add patio pavers to the sides of your metal base to create the pit.
This is great if you have room in the backyard for it and you can build this one to hold real wood if you prefer that to gas. It’s a little more work than some on the list, but you should be able to easily finish it in a day – maybe a weekend depending on how hard you work at it.
Tutorial: bowerpowerblog
4. Easy And Inexpensive Tabletop Fire Pit
This tabletop fire pit is cheap and easy to make. You use a can of gel fuel to light it and the box looks much like those gorgeous tabletop water fountains that you see, complete with beautiful stones and a glass encasement.
You can make the entire thing for around $25, and that’s if you have to purchase all of the materials. Imagine how much you can save if you have a few of the necessities already on hand! It’s a smaller, more personal fire pit, but a fire pit nonetheless.
Tutorial: theartofdoingstuff
5. Homemade Steel Box Fire Pit
If you prefer something a bit more indestructible, this steel box fire pit is right up your alley. It is built with sheets of 12 gauge hot rolled steel and costs just about $100 for all of the materials. It’s also a relatively easy and pretty quick fire pit to build.
There is some welding required for this one, and it may rust – although that would just lend to the rustic style of it – but it’s virtually impossible to destroy so it’s there for the long haul.
Tutorial: the-brick-house
6. DIY Cinder Block Fire Pit
You don’t have to have a fire pit form to create this accessory for your backyard. You can build the form out of a number of things – such as cinder blocks. Here’s a great fire pit that only requires you to dig a shallow hole in the ground.
Then, you fill the hold with cinder blocks in the pattern or size that you want. This entire project, including the cinder blocks, paver stones that sit on top to give it decoration, and the concrete mix only costs around $75.
Tutorial: caroleknits
7. Decorative Concrete Fire Pit
This decorative DIY concrete fire pit is really gorgeous and pretty cheap to make, too. You will need some gravel, a fire pit metal bowl in whatever size you want your fire pit to be, and some flagstone for the decorative top.
You’ll build a wooden frame to mold the concrete, which is not nearly as difficult as it sounds. All in all, this is a really easy fire pit to make and you can have it finished in less than a weekend. It’s really elegant with the square shape and the flagstone on top, too.
Tutorial: diynetwork
8. DIY Patio With Included Fire Pit
This project is for the entire patio area with a fire pit in the center. The patio is created with pavers and it’s simply gorgeous. As you are building in the patio, you start preparing for the fire pit and the center of the round patio holds your fire.
Imagine having a totally new patio with a fire pit built right into it! This would solve your problem of where you should put the fire pit and it’s really beautiful when it’s finished.
Tutorial: countryfarm-lifestyles
9. DIY Stone Fire Pit
e an old wishing well that you would see in a fairy tale with the stones that are used. It’s not terribly time consuming, but the stones are a bit more expensive than some of the other materials that you could use.
It’s a gorgeous concept, though and one that you may just want to consider.
Tutorial: diynetwork
10. $10 Upcycled Fire Pit
I love this idea! The entire fire pit will only cost you about $10 if you already have the main material – which is the drum out of an old washing machine. Even if you have to buy the drum, it won’t cost much to get a broken old machine.
You use the drum as the actual pit which has these amazing little holes all through it so your fire will glow beautifully. If you’re looking for a really inexpensive way to build one, this old washing machine drum fire pit is perfect.
Tutorial: houseandfig
11. Shopping Cart Fire Pit
If you’re really in a pinch for cash and you need a fire pit quickly, this shopping cart version is great. While it’s not something I would prefer, it does get the job done. I think this one would be wonderful for camping.
You’ll need an old shopping cart, and that’s about it. Put a screen on top and you’re all set. You even have a space underneath to store extra wood and supplies.
Tutorial: instructables
12. Rustic Wheelbarrow Fire Pit
An old rusty wheelbarrow, the metal kind, makes a great choice for a creative and unique fire pit. You can place the wheelbarrow on a concrete surface to make it safer and then just fill it up with wood to light on fire.
Choose a steel wheelbarrow, which you can get at most flea markets for around $5 or so, and make sure you use one with a steel wheel – you’re looking for an old-fashioned style.
Tutorial: misseffiesdiary
13. DIY Fire Pit From Tree Rings
You can typically pick up concrete tree rings for around $2 per section.
These make the perfect base for your fire pit. You just add a small round grill to the center and you’re practically all done. The total cost of this entire fire pit, including decorative stones to finish it off, is only around $50 or so depending on the specific stones you choose. It’s a really easy project, too.
Tutorial: instructables
14. DIY Brick Fire Pit
Along the same lines as most of these fire pit projects, you can use bricks to create a beautiful accessory for the backyard patio. Just dig your hole and then line it with bricks. If you have bricks leftover from another project, this one won’t cost you anything.
Many times, you can get bricks really cheap – even free in some cases – if you find someone tearing down a building that has them. Once you’re finished layering the bricks, just add gravel to the center of your pit.
15. Large Squared Fire Pit
This DIY fire pit is rather large – much larger than some of the others on the list, and requires quite a few materials. When it is finished though, it is absolutely phenomenal. If you tend to entertain larger groups of people then you definitely want a fire pit that leaves room for several chairs around it.
This one will give you plenty of room for everyone. If you don’t need it this big, you can always cut it down a size or two.
Tutorial: rachelferrucci
16. Self-Feeding Fire Pit
This self-feeding fire pit is genius. If you need a fire pit rather quickly and you need to be able to entertain instead of sitting there watching the flames all night, this is perfect. With the right amount and the right type of wood, this thing will burn for up to 14 hours!
You just need to create a wood holder – or you could use a circular firewood holder – and then light the bottom. As the fire burns, the wood will rotate downward. While this may not be your choice for a permanent backyard fire pit, it is certainly the perfect one for camping!
17. Tractor Tire Rim Backyard Pit
If you happen to have an old tractor tire rim, you can use that to build an amazing fire pit. If you don’t, you can probably pick one up for just a few dollars. Check recycling stations. You could use a tire rim from a car if you don’t want a very big fire pit, too.
Just use the tire rim as your base and layer bricks, patio pavers, or stones around it to create the design that you want.
Tutorial: tractorbynet
18. Gas Fire Pit Table
Instead of spending hundreds of dollars for a fire pit, you can make one with a few supplies from your local home improvement store. This one looks like those more expensive ones – like the ones at Wal-Mart for more than $500, but it will only cost you around $100 or so.
You just need a metal garden patio table and a small fire pit that you can pick up for about $50. The fire pit is integrated right into the table.
Tutorial: wcwelding
19. $40 Cinder Block Fire Pit
You really don’t have to spend a lot of money to make it look like you did. You can easily build this DIY cinder block fire pit in just a couple of hours and the total cost is only around $40. You’ll need fire resistant cinder blocks, about 24 of them.
You also need a couple of bags of red lava rock and a small bag of mortar or concrete. That’s it and this fire pit looks like you’ve spent a small fortune on it.
20. Lovely Stacked Paver Outdoor Fireplace
This paver fireplace is simply beautiful. You just stack your patio pavers into the design that you want and use the opening for your fire area. Be sure that you’re not building huge fires in this one, especially if you plan to stack it up next to the house.
The teardrop design is gorgeous and this one is so easy – you can have it finished in just a couple of hours.
21. Upcycled Pallet Fire Pit Table
Here’s another wonderful table that doubles as your fire pit. I love the idea of grilling at the table and this one is made from recycled pallets, so it may not cost anything at all if you have the pallets on hand. Note that this one is short and on wheels.
I think you could also add longer legs to it to create a table that you could sit at or serve from. The shorter one is also great though if you need to be able to move your fire pit around from place to place.
Tutorial: 1001pallets
22. Small Flower Pot Fire Pit
You can create a fire pit out of just about everything – including those old ceramic flower pots.
If you have a rather large flower pot, you can use that to create a small fire pit for the patio. If you don’t have one, these are not terribly expensive and you can often find them at yard sales and flea markets.
You just fill the flower pot with river rocks, which you may be able to find for free if you live near water, and then add a can of gel fuel for the flame.
Tutorial: theblueeyeddove
23. Large Boulder Fire Pit
If you have access to rather large boulders, those are perfect for creating this enchanting backyard barbecue pit.
You just line them up in a circle and fill the center with pebbles or gravel. I love the simplicity of this one and if you need to move some larger stones out of your yard or garden area, that’s even better.
You could build this one with no money and still have an amazing backyard fire pit that you’re sure to enjoy.
24. Easy $20 Fire Pit
This rather large fire pit shouldn’t cost more than $20, and that’s if you have to purchase all of the materials to build it. You may already have most of them on hand and if so, your cost will be significantly less. You basically just dig a huge hole and insert galvanized tin.
Then just lay bricks or thin patio pavers around the edges. There are a few additional steps, but the overall project shouldn’t take you more than a couple of hours and it’s likely the least expensive fire pit on the list.
Tutorial: thecoastalhomestead
25. Overlaid Stone Fire Pit
You don’t have to dig a hole in the backyard to have a great fire pit. You can simply take a few rough rocks and overlay them, stacking them up a couple of feet high. Be sure that you’re using some sort of masonry adhesive if your stones don’t feel like they will stay put.
You can do this on a stone patio and not have to worry about digging a hole and filling it with gravel. This is a great way to use up those stones that you have to remove from your yard or garden area.
Tutorial: ourfairfieldhomeandgarden
26. Vertical Drum Fire Pit
For a cheap and really easy fire pit, just add a vertical drum that you can make or purchase.
These are easy to make from metal grating. You just have to fold it into a circle and fasten with a few bolts.
This is a great take on the washing machine drum fire pit, but a great alternative if you don’t have a washing machine drum to use. The wire drum contains your fire and you can use stones for the bottom.
27. DIY Fire Table With Glass
Did I mention how much I love fire pits that are also tables?
This is such a wonderful idea and there are so many different ways that you could create a fire pit that also doubles as a table. I love the stone design on this one, and the center flame is propane so there’s no worries of ashes from wood getting into your food while you’re sitting there.
This may take a while to create but it will be very well worth the effort.
Tutorial: moderustic.com
28. Stone And Metal Fire Pit
This stone and metal bowl fire pit sits atop a wooden base and is gorgeous. You place a metal bowl inside a slightly larger cement bowl and then put the entire thing on a relatively sturdy wooden legged base.
I like how so many different elements work together on this one and it’s a really cheap and easy fire pit to make, particularly if you have most of the supplies already. All in all, it should take you just a couple of hours from start to finish.
Tutorial: inkrustandsawdust
29. Whiskey Barrel Fire Pit
I can’t stress enough how important it is that you use an empty and clean whiskey barrel for this one! If you are using an authentic whiskey barrel, that is. You can find these barrels in so many places, and you only need half so you could actually build two fire pits from this one design.
You will also need a metal bowl to hold your fire. The tile surround on this one is amazing – and you can do whatever design you want here. Overall, this is a really neat looking, rustic country styled fire pit that is sure to be the center of your backyard.
Tutorial: soyouthinkyourecrafty
30. Metal Bucket Fire Pit
If all else fails, you have the option of just using an old – or new – metal bucket to create a wonderful fire pit. Just make sure that the bucket is sturdy enough to handle the fire and place it on gravel or in a location that is safe for the heat. A wooden box filled with rocks or small stones is a great center point for the metal bucket fire pit, and gives the whole yard a nice country look.
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