How To Build A Brick BBQ Fireplace

Bricks are great for building because you can build almost anything out of them. They are especially great for building bbq pits and fireplaces. Because of their durability and their capability of with standing high amounts of heat. The main thing to consider when building a fireplace with bricks is not to enclose the entire structure. The fire that is being held inside needs to have access to air. The air is what circulates and makes a fire burn, with out air a fire will go out quicker than it gets started.

Things you will need:

String, spray paint
Tape measure
Shovel
Bricks
Mortar
Level
Cold chisel
Brick set chisel
Hammer
Rag
2 Adjustable metal grates

Mark an area on the ground measuring 4-by-3 feet. Dig out this area 4 inches deep.

Measure and cut for 2-by-4 boards to fit inside this hole. You will need two boards that measure 4 feet, and two that measure 2 feet 10 inches.

Position the boards in the hole, so that they create a box frame.

Pour concrete into the hole. Use a scrap piece of the wood you cut to level off the top of the concrete. Place the scrap wood on top of the 2-by-4 frame, move it back and forth over the top of the frame until you have scraped the excess concrete off the top. Remove any concrete left over.

Remove the excess concrete from around the frame and let the concrete inside the frame dry for an entire day.

Remove the 2-by-4 frame. The concrete should be solid now and won’t need the wood to hold it in place.

Pick up a scoop of mortar and slap it down in one of the 3 feet corners on the concrete base. You will need the mortar to cover an 8 inch area 4 inches wide.

Place a brick down into the mortar. It length of the brick should run down the 3 feet side. Check that the underneath of the brick is covered in mortar. Use a level to be sure that this brick and every brick here after is level. Be sure to line the brick with the corners of the base.

Place the bricks around three sides of the base. Be sure to add mortar underneath and between each brick. Stop when you reach the fourth side.

Place one brick on both sides of the fourth side of the base. This should leave an opening approximately 3 feet wide. This will be the opening in which you will use to clean out ashes, and scrap food that falls through the bbq grate, it will later have a door to cover the opening.
Stagger the next 4 levels. You will need to break a brick in half in order to finish the opening you created for the door.  You should now be left with 5 layers of bricks and an opening 3 feet wide.

Fill the empty space you made for the door with dry bricks. This will provide support for the top layer of bricks until the mortar dries.

Place another row of bricks on top. Continue around the entire form. Do not apply mortar to the stack of bricks you have in the opening. These are only there to provide support until the mortar dries.

Place the metal rack down on top of the dry bricks. You should now have 6 layers of bricks with a metal rack sitting on top.

Apply the mortar to the top of the bricks. This will cover the part of the rack that is resting on the bricks. It will make the rack permanent. This rack is only used to hold the fire. Any pieces of wood or used coals will fall through the rack and into the bottom portion of the fireplace. The door will allow easy access to clean.

Place a seventh row of bricks on top of the mortar.

Stagger the next three layers. The two 3 feet sides will need a space for venting. On the eight row from the ground, leave out the center brick on the 3 feet sides. On the ninth row leave out the two bricks that stagger the missing brick in the eighth row. On the tenth row leave out the center brick. This should create two plus symbols in the side of the fireplace, and will provide plenty of ventilation for the fire.

Offset the bricks in the eleventh row. Instead of centering them directly over the tenth row, scoot them over a half an inch. This will create a ledge on the inside of the fireplace for the grate to sit on.

Finish applying the twelfth row of bricks. Only apply three sides on this row. This will leave the front open to provide a comfortable area for cooking.  

Build a door for the fireplace from wood, scrap metal, or leave it open. If you leave it open, you will want to place the opening at the top for the grill on the opposite side so fire coals don‘t drop down and land on your foot. If you use wood for the door, remove it when cooking.

How to break a brick
Measure and mark a line around the entire brick. Place an X on the side of the brick that you will be using. The mark will help you keep that side better in tact.

Score around the brick on the line, using a chisel, and hammer. You do not need to go completely through the brick. A quarter of an inch deep is plenty, if you go further into the brick it may cause splitting.

Place a brick set chisel in the center of the scored line. Hit with the hammer. It should break the brick right down the line.
Break away any stray pieces of brick that did not come off with the brick set chisel.




You may choose to fill the area on row eleven with a shelf for cooking tools or additional cooking space.

Be creative when building this you could widen the plan and provide enough space to add storage, and even a full counter.