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Merbau panels built for seating on concrete blocks around a garden fire pit set on a white pebble setting.
The project
My partner and I built a beautiful sunken fire pit or conversation pit using decking boards, concrete blocks and white pebbles. It’s perfect for roasting marshmallows on cold winter nights, or for relaxing with friends on a sunny afternoon.
Steps
Step 1
The first step was to measure out the size and depth we wanted the fire pit and dig the hole. We also had to remove an old brick path and a clothesline.
Step 2
We next dug a trench and filled it with cement to secure the concrete blocks.
Step 3
Then we added two rows of heavy concrete blocks for the base.
Step 4
Creating the frame using lengths of timber was a matter of trial and error in deciding exactly what we were looking for in a bench seat.
Step 5
We finished the back of the seat and starting adding the decking boards. We used the same Merbau decking boards for the deck we built earlier in the year.
Step 6
We finished the decking boards and added some strips along the concrete blocks to complete the look.
Step 7
Once the seating was finished we added some final touches including painting the concrete blocks white, putting a weed mat on the dirt and adding white pebbles. We only put a weed mat at the bottom to allow drainage instead of black plastic. We live in Perth, so it’s only sand under that, which means the water drains straight through.
Step 8
Later on we added festoon lights, and now we love hanging out in our backyard; summer, winter, night or day, the fire pit is the perfect place to hang out.
If anyone else wanted to tackle this project, I would say go for it. It really wasn’t too difficult. The hardest part was trying to figure out measurements for the angled back rest. Unfortunately, I don’t have any official measurements written down because we were really just making it up as we went along.
Our dog Billie loves to have a sunbathe on it, too.
Before and after
How to build a fire pit
Experienced Workshop community member Adam has compiled a comprehensive guide How to build a fire pit, including steps and a full list of tools and materials needed.
More inspiration for your fire pit project
Community member bennybennybenny used weed matting under cottage stones for his backyard fire pit area.
Workshop member Prawns built a sunken fire pit and barbecue that you can mow right over.
For more creative ideas, check out our collections of Fire pit outdoor entertaining areas and Outdoor bench seat ideas shared by Workshop community members.
