Share
An outdoor dining and fire pit area built using timber and Colorbond fencing sheets.
The project
Here is a basic D.I.Y. gazebo and deck for an outdoor dining space with a small fire pit area that I put together during lockdown 2.0. A great way to renovate a little space in the backyard.
I started by relocating an old shed that was mostly holding junk, giving me access to an almost flat concrete slab to fix some 90 x 90mm x 2.4m treated Pine posts to.
The frame is a very simple butt-jointed rectangle with 90 x 35mm MGP10 Pine and I used 90 x 22mm treated Pine decking boards.
For the roof I used ten Colorbond fencing infill sheets in Monument.
I colour matched some exterior paint for the framing. The decking boards and seats got three coats of walnut timber stain.
The fire pit area sits a little higher than the dining space, which was dictated only by the uneven slope of the slab. I used a piece of 190 x 35mm MGP10 as base board at the end of the dining area to create the raised platform look. It makes it look more like two segregated areas, although this did mean I had to make some makeshift stairs from some old sleepers which I coated in stain after a thorough sanding.
The fire pit is a Jumbuck conical fire pit also from Bunnings, which fit the small space perfectly and the colour also matched the frame. I added some wire balustrade around the whole area to further divide the two spaces and to stop my nephew from getting into mischief.
Finally, I painted some old timber bed frames and fixed them vertically to create some vertical gardens using mostly succulents, as it is a difficult spot to water.
I also used some fairy lights and wired in a single light over the dining area to make it a nice little spot at night.
If I could give any advice after having completed the project, it would be to measure the width of your table and chairs together before developing the space. I measured the table, forgetting that the chairs that matched it were quite wide and as such barely fit, so we have to use different chairs with larger numbers.
How to build a low-level deck
Experienced Workshop member Adam points out the issues you'll need to consider and how best to plan in How to build a low-level deck.
Community member womby36 made detailed plans on paper before creating this timber deck and gazebo over existing pavers.
Workshop member Tom created this backyard covered patio with low-level deck when he replaced his old brick pavers.
You have made that area into something a lot nicer 
How do shed always seem to take up unnecessary stuff? A big improvement and I do like how you have seperated the two areas!
Dave
