DIY Network

Fire-Pit: Measurement, Quarry Trip From "Rock Solid" episode DROC-104

Every good yard could use a fire pit...right? In this episode of Rock Solid, stone masons Derek Stearns and Dean Marsico will be building one using Connecticut green stone and New England field stone. They will even be adding a seating area to make this a super hot setting.

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	Before, the backyard was nice...
	but, there was plenty of space to make it even nicer!
	Stonemasons Derek and Dean discussed the project...
	and ultimately built a fire pit...
	where friends and family will gather for years to come.

Materials:

string
tape measure
line spray paint
spade shovel
flat shovel
mixing hoe with holes
iron rake (flat)
mud shovel (an old shovel used for shoveling concrete and mortar)
levels: bullet, 2 ft. and 4 ft.
trowels (1 per person)
1/2" jointer
chipping hammer
stone hammer
wheelbarrow
safety glasses
utility knife
black stove paint

3,000-4,000 lbs. New England fieldstone and Connecticut green bulk stone (Alternative: 1 pallet New England fieldstone)
4, 80 lb. bags of premixed gravel mix concrete
20 ft., 1/4 inch reinforcement bar (rebar or rerod) cut into 2 ft. pieces
10-12, 80 lb. bags of pre-mixed mortar mix
60 fire brick
1 yard mixture of 3/8 inch crushed stone and 3/8 inch riverbed
3 rolls landscape fabric/mesh

Measurement and Trip to Quarry

Note: Measurements will change with project, so Dean and Derek recommend bringing your measurements (such as length, width, and depth) to the quarry and having them determine how much material you’ll need to complete the project.

1. Begin by determining the size and shape of your fire pit as well as the location. In this project, Dean and Derek build a retaining wall 18 inches high, 12 inches wide, with a diameter of five feet. They locate the fire pit away from low lying branches and twenty feet away from anything combustible in accordance with local fire codes.

Safety Alert: Check your local fire codes before building your fire pit.

2. You’re ready to go to a quarry or stone yard to pick out your material. Take your measurements to the quarry, tell the quarry what materials you need, and they’ll figure out the quantities.

3. Dean and Derek choose a mixture of New England fieldstone and Connecticut green stone from the quarry’s bulk pile. The bulk pile is a pile of stone where the customer picks out individual stones. An alternative to bulk stone is stone sold in pallets. Palletized stone is a pallet (approximately 1.5 tons) of premium stone sorted by workers at the quarry. It is more expensive, but will save you labor time because you don’t have to pick out every stone for your project.

4. If you choose to hand pick your stone, look for two types: face stones and capstones. Face stones are stones that have a smooth edge or slightly rounded edge to form the face of the wall (figure A). Capstones are stones that are smooth on top and have a flat or slightly curved edge to form the top or 'cap' of the wall (figure B).

Figure A

Figure B

5. Pick up other materials for your project, have 20 feet of 1/4 inch rebar cut into two foot pieces, and pick up any tools that you were unable to acquire at a local hardware store. Dean and Derek recommend having the quarries deliver the material to your project location.

Next: Prep Work

RESOURCES :

Plymouth Quarries, Inc.
Website: www.plymouthquarries.com