Create A Custom Fire Pit

This post was originally published on DIY Network’s blog Made + Remade in August 2012.

The initial plan for my DIY flagstone patio called for a custom fire pit using simple pavers, but I abandoned the idea once I realized how much the flagstone itself would cost. Layering an extra few hundred dollars in my chosen pavers seemed unnecessary, plus it would have limited the use of the space. Change in plans aside, it’s not a decision I’ll regret – there’ll be plenty of opportunities for a formal fire pit in my future, and next time I’ll do better planning upfront for it. There are so many great ways to approach a fire pit in your backyard, so I’ll be keeping my eyes peeled.

On a related note, I spent my Saturday touring a beautiful home in Rochester, NY (featured here); the homeowners not only had a flagstone patio very similar to my own, but they had also built a custom fire pit in the middle of it. I really liked the aesthetic of the whole arrangement.

From the big rocks that you could prop your feet on, to the tree trunk side tables, it’s a livable, comfortable, and completely DIY-able scene.