Revived Fire Pit

Introduction

A few years ago, I found a junk steel fire pit in front of someone’s home. I stopped, looked it over and loaded it into the van. I wanted a fire pit but didn’t want to spend a lot of money to buy a good one and the cheap ones are terrible. Even though they rust out because of their design, I would make their design better.

I created this instructable to improve an ordinary Fire Pit.

Read on for a Revived Fire Pit.

Next Supplies & Tools

Supplies:

1) Cement,

2) Stainless Steel Bowl.

3) Primer and High Heat spray paint.

4) Floor sanding disk,

5) Water (Not Shown)

6) Trash Can Lid (Optional, Not Shown)

Tools:

1) Tin Snips and scissors,

2) Wire Wheel.

3) Drill (Bits – Optional).

4) Trowel,

5) Buckets,

6) Screen (for Sifting),

7) Spray water bottle,

8) Chalk (not shown).

Next Measure & Cut

In this step you will create the opening for the Bowl to make the removable Ash Pit. I will explain the Floor Sanding Disc, in the next step.

1) Place the Bowl upside down on the Fire Pit, use the Caulk to draw a line around the rim of the Bowl.

2) Use the Tin Snips to cut along the inside of the line and remove the metal.

3) Place the Bowl upside down on the Floor Sanding Disc, use the Caulk to draw a line around the rim of the Bowl.

4) Use the Scissors to cut the inside of the circle out of the Floor Sanding Disc.

5) Place the Bowl on the Floor Sanding Disc in the hole of the Fire Pit to test the fit.

Now you have a removable Ash Pit.

Next Cement

In this step you will mix and apply the Cement over the Fire Pit. I am using the Floor Sanding Disc because I wanted, should I say, needed something for reinforcement. The Floor Sanding Disc is light weight, flexible and is what I had on hand. There are other benefits from adding aluminum oxide to cement. But may not be applicable under these conditions.

1) Combine dry Cement and Water into a Bucket to make a stiff mix (not too watery and not too stiff).

2) Apply the stiff Cement mixture with your Trowel over the Floor Sanding Disc and Fire Pit. I applied the mixture in 3 sections; the bottom half, the top half and around the hole. I added more around the hole for support.

3) Sift the dry Cement of larger stones. Use the finer Cement mixture as the finish layer.

4) Apply the finish layer of Cement. This Cement mixture is not as stiff as the first layer.

Next Sanding

There is not a lot to say about sanding. I used an Electric Drill and Wire Wheel to spin through this step. There was a lot of rust on the top of the Fire Pit. The Dome was rusty.

Yes, I did not sand the Center of the Fire Pit top before adding the Cement, just the top Edge and the underneath of the Fire Pit.

Next Paint

Paint the exposed metal. I used 2 coats of Krylon High Heat Max, over the exposed metal and the Cement.

1) Read directions on can.

2) Follow directions from can.

3) Apply second coat of paint on all metal.

4) Let Dry.

Next is an optional step Make Fire Grate

This step is optional the grate has thinned and wouldn't stand up to the sanding. I opted to make a replacement grate. I had some odd Shelving Brackets with a vertical tip on the end. The tip helps keep the logs or sticks from rolling too far.

Supplies

Black Marker, Threaded Rod, Nuts, Shelving Brackets and Blind Rivets (Pop Rivets)

Tools

Hammer, Center Punch, Electric Drill and Bits

1) Use the Marker to show where you want the holes. Use the Center Punch to mark the hole.

2) Use the Electric Drill and make a hole, the diameter of the Threaded Rod, through the Shelving Bracket.

3) Thread a Nut on to the Rod.

4) Slide the Threaded Rod through the Shelving Bracket hole with the vertical tip up, to the Nut.

5) Thread another Nut on the Threaded Rod to lock the Shelving Bracket from moving.

6) Repeat Steps 3 - 5 on each Threaded Rod for each Shelving Bracket until the Fire Grate is the length you want.

Next Observations & Summary

Observations

 I have had a couple dozen fires. The bowl works great to build the fire and catch the ashes. When it rains the Trash Can Lid prevents the water from collecting in the bowl, any water runs down the sides and through the hole for the Ash Pit. I left the fire pit outside all winter. Snow or water did not gather at the bottom of the fire pit. When I finish having a fire I place the Trash Can Lid over the Ash Pit to the smother the fire, see the last image.

The benefits of this design are:

1) Dispose of the ash easily.

2) The gap between the Ash Pit and the cement prevents water from collecting in the fire pit.

3) The bowl is separate from the fire pit which reduces the heat transferred up the fire pit sides. The cement also has poor thermal conductivity properties which reduces the heat absorbance of the fire.

Summary

I am very satisfied with the results.

This model Fire Pit is a Living Accents 29 in. W Steel Round Wood Fire Pit, retails from $109 to 179 USD. My cost was $20 USD in supplies plus about 2 hours of time. When all is said and done this is an inexpensive Revived Fire Pit.