How To Build Backyard Custom BBQ Pits

By Cynthia Reed


Building a backyard barbecue, either above ground or below, can be as simple or complex as you want. Folks who love to cook outdoors enjoy owning custom BBQ pits. A pit can also serve as a smoker. For fairly little money, labor, and time, you can make your own backyard barbeque pit. You can be as detailed or simple in your design as you wish. Start by making a plan keeping safety in mind, and plan construction so that you end up with a quality pit.

Choose the location that will work for your backyard. You want to have a good location that is level and not too distant from the house. You do not want to carry food and grilling utensils very far.

Additionally, make sure that the smoke created by the firs does not make its way into surrounding homes. Make sure you keep fire safety in mind. Avoid constructing your pit beneath trees or low hanging branches. Keep the pit a reasonable distance from buildings and fences.

Choose the type of pit that you want to build. Make sure that you have adequate space for your choice. Make sure you consider the cost of tools and materials and the time you will need to build. You want to have the time and everything you need to finish the project. Ask family and friends for help with the job. When the pit is complete you can treat them to BBQ.

Draw out the plan. Make it simple or complex depending on what you prefer. Search online for DIY plans. If you are not an experienced builder, start with a simple blueprint. Lay the plan out in the location you have chosen to get an idea of its shape and size. You may decide on a rectangle shape with waist high sides. You can add a cooling rack or smoker if you like.

Once the plans are outlined, get your materials and tools together. For simple designs there is no need for a lot of tools. Typically you will use mortar, bricks, a shovel, level, a grill grate, and some type of cover for your pit when your are not using it. You may also want to use sand, paving slabs, bricks, and. Gravel.

Begin by digging a hole for your pit that is no bigger in diameter than the grill covers. You can make the pit as deep as a cinderblock or brick placed vertically. The best shapes for a pit are a square or rectangle. Bricks or cinderblocks are used to secure the sides when placed around the interior edge. Mortar is used to hold bricks in place preventing them from falling inside the pit.

It is important to ensure that the grill will sit flat on top of your pit. You can create a defensible space around your pit by laying slabs or gravel on the grass at the edge of the pit. You can also clear away the grass around the pit instead of laying gravel. You can now enjoy the barbeque cooked on your DIY pit.




About the Author: