EASY STEPS TO MAKE A FIREPIT FEATURE AREA

Don’t just plonk in a firepit – make it the focal feature point by doing it first, then adding your creature comforts.

Here’s how

STEP 1 Use mattock to lift old pavers from the area and remove.

STEP 2 Use tape measure and marking out paint to mark grass for new garden beds outside paved area. Use spade to cut grass on marked line, then remove it.

STEP 3 Using pegs, set up stringlines to mark outside limit and level of bricks that

will surround landscaped area. Start with 1 parallel to an adjacent feature and work from it. Use line level to get right brick height – 50mm below finished level of area. Excavate trench inside of stringline and about 130mm below it.

STEP 4 Mix brickies sand and cement in wheelbarrow in 4:1 ratio. Add water and blend to create mortar. Lay bed of mortar in trench and press Bricktor mesh into it.

STEP 5 Lay bricks in bed so top corner is just off the stringline. Butter end of a brick before laying it against the next. Fully fill gaps and haunch brick backs so they are well supported. Ensure outside face is clear and the mortar flush with it. Repeat to lay bricks all around area.

STEP 6 Find centre of your area and lay bricks around it in a circle with a radius of 390mm. Use long spirit level so they are same level as perimeter bricks. Leave for 24 hours so mortar sets.

STEP 7 Excavate area so ground is 50mm below bricks. Spread 60mm thick layer of roadbase; compact with plate compactor.

STEP 8 Excavate inside firepit ring. Roughly line inside of hole using paving stones or bricks held in place with mortar. Make final depth 300mm.

STEP 9 Set out sandstone slabs in chosen design with slabs overhanging firepit hole. Centre firepit bowl and use as a guide to mark a

circle 20mm larger than it is on the slabs. Carefully use angle grinder fitted with diamond cutting blade to cut slabs to create circle. Wear protective gear. STEP 10 To retain crushed granite, use 150mm steel edging attached to bricks 50mm higher than them. Join steel using supplied joining plates and Tek screws with bendable corner pieces there. Drill 6mm holes through steel that coincide with brick centres. Space screws about 600mm apart. Hold against bricks and drill through these into bricks with 6mm masonry bit. Insert red wall plugs and screw with 40mm screws. STEP 11 Set stringline parallel to 1 side and 10mm above edging. Lay paving slabs on a bed of mortar, measuring back to stringline so they’re square. Tap slabs down with mallet and ensure they’re level. Use small trowel to haunch slabs so they’re fully supported. STEP 12 Using runny mortar mix, grout gaps between slabs. Wet pavers first and use sponge to wipe off excess. Repeat a few times, changing to clean water each time. Leave for mortar to set.

STEP 13 Spread out a layer of granite to about half the depth of the area. Compact layer with plate compactor then repeat to make granite same height as steel edging. Tamp corners down with a slab offcut and mallet. STEP 14 Fill firepit hole with pebbles until the bowl can sit on them flush with sandstone. Fill garden beds with your choice of plants.

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STEP 11

STEP 5

STEP 3

STEP 6

STEP 12

STEP 2

STEP 13

STEP 10

STEP 7

STEP 4

STEP 8

STEP 1

DRAW THE EYE WITH AN INDUSTRIAL-STYLE FIREWOOD STASH. SANDSTONE IS AN IDEAL FIREPIT FRAME – AND FAIRLY EASY TO CLEAN!