Now in its 90th year, Lasher Tools has been the leading manufacturer and supplier of quality hand tools in the gardening, DIY, agriculture, construction and mining industries in South Africa. As part of its birthday celebrations, Lasher is bringing Edgars Club members nine tips a month, with advice on gardening, home hacks, maintenance and more. Whatever your gardening or DIY requirements, Lasher has a tough reliable tool to get the job done right.

This month we show you how to build a fire pit, and you’ll need:

• Builders line
• 3M straight edge
• Spirit level
• Hand stamper
• Plate compactor
• 230mm electric grinder
• 3 x masonry cutting discs
• Sponge
• 6 x bags cement
• 10 x wheelbarrows of river sand
• 3 x wheelbarrows of building sand
• 4 x wheelbarrows of concrete stone 13mm
• 650 cement paving bricks, mixed colours
• 100 clay pavers for fire pit
• 5mm diameter x 5mm thick round pipe
• 2 litres plaster key
• 10mm round steel bar 1m + 200mm lengths

Lasher tools.

• Broom
• Hosepipe
• Pick
• Spade
• 280mm brick trowel
• 4 prong fork
• Wheelbarrow
• 1,8kg club hammer
• 175mm Gauging trowel
• Round nose shovel
• 100mm brick bolster
• Joint trowel 8 x 500mm
• Aluminum plastering hawk 300mm x 300mm
• Rake
• Hacksaw

Download our visual guide HERE.

Step 1

Now in its 90th year, Lasher Tools has been the leading manufacturer and supplier of quality hand tools in the gardening, DIY, agriculture, construction and mining industries in South Africa. As part of its birthday celebrations, Lasher is bringing Edgars Club members nine tips a month, with advice on gardening, home hacks, maintenance and more. Whatever your gardening or DIY requirements, Lasher has a tough reliable tool to get the job done right.

Step 2

Using a Lasher pick, scarify the area to a depth of 150mm. Remove all grass and vegetation with your four-prong fork, round nosed shovel and rake.

Step 3

Level the area to be paved. Use your 3m straight edge and spirt level to ensure that any water run off takes place at the lowest point. Use a hand stamper or plate compactor to compact the earth and ensure it is as flat as possible. Mark an outer circle of 1.8m in diameter and an inner circle of 1.6mm. Dig a foundation of about 200mm x 200mm between the marked lines.

Step 4

Make a mix for the foundation using the 3.5 wheelbarrows of 13mm stone and the 3.5 wheelbarrows worth of river sand. Mix in the three bags of cement adding water and cast the foundation using a spirit level to ensure the concrete is level.

Step 5

Mark the outside brick line at 1.7m from the centre peg to build the outside wall of your fire pit. Secure the 50mm piping from centre of the pit to outer wall and ensure that the exit is at the lowest point for effective drainage. Build a single brick wall on top of the foundation layer and joint with a jointer trowel. Allow a day for the wall to dry.

Step 6

Fill and level the total area and use the stamper to compact the ground. Lay a screed using 25mm river sand ensuring that the screed allows water to run off from the centre to the outside of the fire pit.

Start by placing the full bricks lengthways against the edge of the foundation wall for the first row. Then move on by packing the paving bricks from the outside in.

Using a 100mm brick bolster break the paving blocks in half and lay the half bricks end-to-end for the next couple of rows. Alternate colours every couple of rows until you are nine rows in and a small circle or sand remains in the middle.

Step 7

Remove earth so that the central circle is 200mm deep below the paving to form the central area for the fire.
Pour a concrete floor of about 100mm in depth in the centre and level.

Step 8

Cut pavers in half with an angle grinder and use these to build a double brick wall to contain the fire. Top with a full brick.
Prepare a fire-resistant grout for the pit using one part river sand, one part building sand and one part cement and apply to fill the gaps between the bricks with a sponge and water.

Step 9

For the outer area of the pit, prepare grout using the three wheelbarrows of river sand and one bag of cement. Don’t add water.
Using a hard-bristled broom, sweep the mix so that it fills the open joints between the bricks. Compact the bricks using the plate compactor so that the grout sifts to the base of the bricks. Using a hosepipe spray water in front of the machine to set the mix.
Repeat the process one more time before spraying with a low-pressure hose to wash off the residue from the surface.

Allow 10 days for the construction to dry before using the fire pit.

Happiness is handmade.

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