DIY Network

• Place the mortar on the floor surface, and carefully lay each brick following the chalk lines as a guide (figures C and D), thinly buttering the adjoining brick surfaces as you go.

• With the first course of bricks laid (figure E), begin laying in the second course.

• Lay the second course with the long, smooth side of the bricks exposed (figure F), following the string line as a guide. The smooth side of the brick will provide a good adhering substrate for the installation of the Tennessee blue-stone, later on.

• Apply an ample amount of mortar for securing the second course of brick, making sure that the mortar remains the right consistency as discussed earlier (figure G).

• Continue building in this manner until you have five courses of brick built forming two sides of the fire pit (figure H).

• Lay the bricks to create a stair-step effect at each corner (figure I). This will allow the adjacent sections of wall to fit together properly, jigsaw-fashion, for a nicely finished corner.

• Continue laying courses of bricks to form other two walls of the fire pit (figure J).

• As you come to the ends of the walls, where the corners come together, you'll encounter situations where you'll need half a brick (or a portion of brick) to finish a section of wall. To solve this dilemma, simply use the gap you're attempting to fill to measure and mark a single brick to size (figure K), then break the brick to the appropriate length with some solid taps of a brick-mason's hammer (figure L).

Safety Alert: Always wear eye protection when breaking bricks in this manner, as chips will likely fly when the brick is struck.

Figure K

Figure L

• Set in a course of cinder block on the inside of the fire pit. This will form part of the support for the bowl-shaped concrete floor of the fire pit. The "bowl" will slope toward the center drain, where rainwater can drain off so that the fire-pit doesn't fill with water.

• On top of the course of cinderblock, three courses of brick are laid in. Only the top course will be exposed in the finished pit, since much of the fire-pit interior will be filled in and built up with mortar.

• A final course of brick is installed, with the bricks situated perpendicular to the others to form a top cap (figure M).

• After the top cap as been laid, use scrap bricks and mortar to fill in the center of the pit. Pile bricks and mortar into the center of the pit, one layer at a time (figure N), until the proper height has been reached. Remember to slope the mortar on all sides toward the center-drain of the fire pit.

• Fill the center with mortar and slope the mortar toward the center of the fire pit. Use a trowel to smooth out the mortar on top for the finishing touch (figure O).

• With the top cap complete, and the center portion filled in with a sloping mortar surface, the brick-and-mortar portion of the fire-pit is complete (figure P). Later, blue-stone veneer will be added to the outside of the pit.

In the episode that follows, Tennessee blue-stone veneer is added to the fire pit and counter unit, and the framework for the outdoor bar is built.

Important: Included in this segment are the steps in this outdoor home-improvement project as shown in the episode. These steps are general guidelines that are applicable for similar construction projects. For any construction projects, there may be procedures, specifications, equipment, etc. that are specific to the specific site and circumstances. There may also be variations according to the type and brand of materials you select. Always consult local building codes when undertaking significant home-improvement projects, and read and follow the manufacturer's directions and precautions that come with any materials, tools or equipment you decide to use.

Next: Next: Stone-Veneer Prep Work