Man uses concrete rings, builds impressive backyard addition

In pursuit of an impressive-looking fire pit, but you're stuck with a small yard and a small budget? Thanks to Dewey Lindstrom, anyone with $50 can construct this fire pit from materials found at a home and garden supply center. The project requires absolutely no digging, measuring or concrete mixing. The fire pit can be used as a temporary structure, or it can remain in place for years.
Lindstrom was inspired to create a fire pit when his family moved to an area where there were restrictions around the types of fires they could start. "Our family still loves to sit outside around an evening fire in the backyard. But we didn’t want to spend a small fortune on a pre-manufactured patio fire pit or a contractor built unit," he wrote on the Instructables site. "We were also not sure where we might permanently want the pit located. We needed something we could take down and move to a different spot without a lot of trouble or expense."
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Although it may seem like a good idea to construct the entire exterior ring first, follow the steps in the order of the instructions to ensure the fire pit is safe and level. Construct it on a concrete pad or on level ground free of grass and weeds. Never build a fire pit near combustibles or low-hanging trees.
Materials
- 4 concrete tree rings 14 inches in diameter
- 6 concrete tree rings 24 inches in diameter
- 2 cubic feet of decorative rock
- Small charcoal grill 14 inches in diameter
- Screwdriver
Instructions
1. Arrange three 24-inch concrete tree rings to form a circle. Ensure the fluted design of the concrete is at the top.
2. Fill the circle with decorative rock, forming a 2-inch-thick base layer.
3. Place two 14-inch concrete tree rings together, on top of the decorative rock, to form a smaller circle in the center of the larger circle.
Dewey Lindstrom
4. Ensure the top of the 14-inch ring is level with the top of the 24-inch ring. Add or remove decorative rock until the edges are level.
5. Stack the two remaining 14-inch tree rings, upside-down, on top of the concrete ring formed in step 3. Interlock the first and second row using the fluted design.
Dewey Lindstrom
6. Stack the three remaining 24-inch tree rings, upside-down, on top of the concrete ring formed in Step 1. Interlock the first and second row using the fluted design of the concrete.
7. Fill the 3-inch gap between the 14-inch rings and the 24-inch rings with decorative rock.
Dewey Lindstrom
8. Remove the legs, if necessary, from a 14-inch diameter charcoal grill, unscrewing them with a screwdriver.
Dewey Lindstrom
9. Adjust the bottom vent of the grill to accommodate airflow; increase airflow for a larger fire or reduce airflow for a smaller fire. (Adjust the vent only when the grill is completely cool.)
10. Insert the grill into the center of the inner ring.
Dewey Lindstrom
Here's what it looks like with the lid on.
Dewey Lindstrom
The fire pit should be ready to go.
Dewey Lindstrom
11. Place a few pieces of wood in the center of the grill, and start the first of many fires in the new fire pit.
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Dewey Lindstrom
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