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A fire pit area built with Merbau decking, marine ply for planter boxes, and sealed pavers.
The project
I replaced my garden shed with a planter box/floating bench bonfire area. All materials bought at Bunnings. The total cost was around $3100.
We were worried that the marine ply on the inside of our planter box would rot over time, so we lined the planter box with plastic. However, the plastic is holding all the water in and has killed my plants. I have since dug out the soil and drilled drainage holes through the plastic and plywood.
Merbau decking leaks heaps of tannins and it stains everything, including the pavers. I washed all the tannins out of the wood and then had to use grey paving paint to paint over and seal the pavers. This was cheaper than buying new pavers. Since sealing the pavers, you can wash any excess tannins straight off.
The bench turned out amazing and looks awesome with the festoon lights at nighttime.
How to build a fire pit
Experienced Workshop community member Adam has shared his knowledge in his step-by-step How to build a fire pit, which also includes a full list of the tools and materials you'll need.
More inspiration for your fire pit project
Community member sannear used Besser blocks and pavers when he built his backyard fire pit with bench seating.
Workshop member cmp3121 built an outdoor fire pit area with hanging chairs.
You'll also find more creative ideas from community members in our Top 10 most popular fire pit projects and Top 10 most popular outdoor entertaining projects.
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