backyard fire pit

[Domicron]

So i'm in the middle (hopefully soon to be end) of redoing most of my house. new kitchen, basement, appliances, bathroom, bigger walk in closet, seems like everything. and it seems like it'll never end.

anyhow friday i got a deck company over to take a look at rebuilding the aging deck. it's for a ranch style house, roughly 1000 square feet (so it ain't gonna be cheap) and i love it, but it's old. now i plan to buy a decent gas grill, for convenience, but i also want to build a firepit. they're fun to sit around, and who doesn't love to burn things?

now i live on a half-acre with a big back yard, and my deck is also large, so my question is: if it were up to you, would you build a firepit into the floor of a wood deck for convenience or would you build a little area into the lawn for the fire pit so it feels more 'campy'?

right now some of you might be pissed at me for saying i'm going to buy a gas grill, but tough **** it's happening. what i was thinking though is that in Hong Kong, 'grilling' looks like this:


where people build a fire, put food on little sticks and roast them themselves. instead of the midwestern way where the grill is basically a large cook top used for cooking a large meal at once. so i figure if i get a fire pit like:


i could have something that's fun to sit around and usable for more asian style cookery.

do any of you guys have any experience with a backyard/patio fire pit and any advice you'd like to share with me?

would you build the pit into the deck or further out into the lawn? would you go with a more serious grill or something more fun to relax around?

[hockeytownfan]

Man, a gas grill in Kansas. Must not be in the KC metro area (or are in Olathe).

[Domicron]

Man, a gas grill in Kansas. Must not be in the KC metro area (or are in Olathe).

i'm in overland park. and if i wasn't planning on a fire pit i'd have a kettle grill (i still might). but seriously if i'm going to cook 2 burgers or a steak or something i'm not breaking out charcoal. but having both is a better option...honestly grilling isn't usually something i consider unless i have friends over; given how easy it is to get great flavor using cast iron.

gas will give me a convenient way of cooking meat when i don't want the house to get too smoky.

[gymjunki3]

i like how every guys sausage is pointing at that girls front bum.

[Domicron]

i like how every guys sausage is pointing at that girls front bum.

it's not my pic, but it's the way it should be, right?

[deadpool9]

Fire pit in the yard. I did mine for about $75. Just make sure you don't put river rock into the bottom, it will explode.

[jorwick]

Firepit in the yard if you have a grill. Will be used more for entertaining and relaxing than regular cooking. Also adds a secondary area for more seating if needed/wanted in yard.

[Jcart159]

I have one of these in my backyard. Was very simple and pretty cheap to build. I just bought those rounded slabs of stone and placed them into position, no mortar or anything to glue them together.

Have never used it to cook food but it works great for hanging out by the fire. If you are looking to use it more often as a cooking apparatus then I might lean towards something that looks like the first picture because it would make cooking so much easier.

[Domicron]

Thanks for the input guys, i think you guys are right with the yard placement...with a big yard it'd kind of be a waste to build it into the deck, and then if i have a kettle or gas grill it'll be even more redundant.

did you guys build a stone base around it? or just have it sticking out of the grass?

[JeepCreeper]

did you guys build a stone base around it? or just have it sticking out of the grass?

A stone base around it will provide level area for chairs, if the yard is uneven.

[deadpool9]

I just have mine in the grass with some adirondack chairs around it.