10 Simple DIY Backyard Fire Pit Ideas

Fire pits have long been a staple in backyard decor. Synonymous with marshmallow roasting and the retelling of scary tales, burning wood in a bonfire is a tradition cherished by many. And with the colder months ahead of us, what better way to keep toasty while enjoying the outdoors than being huddled around an open flame. 

Whether you’re looking to build your own fire pit from scratch or reinvent your current pit with DIY accessories, these simple backyard fire pit ideas are sure to keep you cozy. Marshmallows and spooky stories not included.

Have you ever wondered how to build a fire pit patio with pavers? Serena of Thrift Diving, a DIY home improvement blog, shares a simple way to create a DIY fire pit, complete with its own designated patio and walkway. Using pavers and gravel, the final product is a sophisticated campfire area ready to be lit.

Maybe you already have a permanent fire pit in your backyard and are simply searching for a way to repurpose the area when a fire isn’t in use. Well, this simple DIY backyard fire pit tabletop might just be your solution. The tabletop is crafted from four 1-in x 8-in x 8-ft boards held together with additional wood and metal brackets. After being sanded and stained, the finished tabletop slides on and off your existing fire pit, converting the unit into a rustic outdoor coffee table. 

Don’t know what to do with those spare cinder blocks lying around from your last home DIY project? Why not upcycle them into the DIY backyard fire pit of your dreams.

Take it from Joy of the Artful Homemaking blog, who did just that. The DIYer shares how to build your own fire pit out of 16 cinder blocks. All that’s required before laying the stones is clearing an area in your backyard for this fixed addition.

When thinking of how to build a fire pit cheap on a limited budget, a pallet probably isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. But that didn’t stop 99Pallets, a DIY blog, from turning an old pallet into a functional fire pit table. The simple DIY requires a pallet, tiles (they can be concrete or ceramic), and a metal pot insert to house the fire. And the best part, the pallet gaps create cubbies to store extra seasoned firewood.

If creating a fire pit from scratch isn’t your thing, then perhaps a DIY backyard fire pit that features a fire pit insert may be your way to go. Zoe, from the Crafted By The Hunts blog, shares seven simple steps to build your own fire pit table you’ll want to cozy up around on a chilly evening. And to make this DIY even better, the entire project comes in at $120, which is a fraction of the cost of purchasing a fire pit table.

Sticking with the fire pit insert DIYs, Mike Montgomery of YouTube channel Modern Builds shares the process of building a compact fire pit that runs off propane. The base of this DIY outdoor fire pit is crafted from wood that folds down when traveling. The top of the pit where the fire insert sits is made of glass fiber reinforced concrete. But that can easily be replaced with regular concrete or even wood to create a cohesive rustic look.

Maybe you’d prefer to barbeque over your fire pit instead. There’s a DIY for that too! Billy from YouTube channel I Like To Make Stuff details an easy tutorial to create a metal grill that moves up and down a steel pole, adjusting to the size of the flame. From sausages to steaks, grilling over a fire has never been so easy.

Perhaps the most unconventional DIY backyard fire pit on the list, Rhonda of the Hallstrom Home blog shares how simple upcycling a used wheelbarrow into a fire pit can be. All that’s required is filling the bucket of the wheelbarrow with sand to prevent the metal from burning when logs of wood are lit. And if that’s not convenient enough, the wheels of the wheelbarrow make this fire pit portable!

Turning tire rims into a fire pit may seem like a challenging build, but one DIYer details an easy and affordable way to transform worn-out rims into an innovative DIY backyard fire pit. While some metal cutting is required, welding isn’t, as the two rims simply interlock with each other to hold the unit together. 

Picture this, you’re sitting around a campfire roasting marshmallows and enjoying the warmth heating you up on a cool fall night. Now imagine that fire was crackling inside of a washing machine drum. That’s exactly what one DIY family did using an old broken washing machine and other spare materials around their house. The result is a crafty DIY outdoor fire pit that makes for one cool story.