How Many Bricks Do You Need For A Fire Pit: Calculator

Whether you’re building a fire pit in your backyard or on your patio, there’s one thing that is always needed: bricks.

How many bricks do you need for a fire pit? This is a question that many people ask themselves when they are building a fire pit.

The answer to this question depends on the size of your fire pit and how much money you want to spend. If you are not sure, then it’s best to buy more because you can always return them if necessary.

This article will help you determine the number of bricks required to build a fire pit and then teach you how to assemble them.

How Many Bricks Do You Need For A Fire Pit

You’ll need 80 bricks for a 3-ft (36″ inch) diameter fire pit. Face brick with holes (“cored”) is easy to split with a brick hammer. It’s easier to form the curve of the pit walls with half bricks.

Half Bricks are used because they create the rounded look that most people desire when it comes to their outdoor fire pits or campfire ring.

Read More: [DIY] Cinder Block Fire Pit Ideas, Cost And Plans

Half bricks have four rings high and are laid long-side down just like full-size brick pavers but half the height at only two rings deep instead of four.

This will give your structure an appearance similar to what you would find if all of your brick pavers were cut in half with every other row removed from the top view giving you a perfect half brick look.

The typical 8″ x 4″ x 2.25′ brick pavers used in a fire pit has four rings high, with bricks laid long-side down and an extra ring of bricks on top, radiating inward.

These calculations include a .375 inch gap for mortar space between bricks to give it a clean appearance.

Face brick is generally priced at $6 – $10.50 per square foot when installed. The cost of 1,000 bricks might range from $340 to $850.

On average 1 brick will cost you between $0.50-$0.60 per brick excluding delivery. Most individuals spend between $500 and $600 for 1,000 solid bricks.

How Many Bricks Do You Need For A Fire Pit

Size Of Fire Pit and Number of Brick Needed

Fire Pit Diameter	Number of Bricks Needed	Cost
27″	61	$33.55
30″	67	$36.85
32″	71	$39.05
33″	74	$40.70
36″	80	$44.00
39″	87	$47.85
42″	94	$51.70
45″	101	$55.55
48″	107	$58.85
51″	114	$62.70
54″	120	$66.00
57″	127	$69.85
60″	134	$73.70

How Many pavers Do You Need For A Fire Pit

Additional Costs

Add-Ons	Average Cost (Materials Only)
Lava Rock	$20 – $50
Fire Glass	$30 – $100
Safety Screens	$40 – $300
Rings	$50 – $250
Fire Grates	$50 – $280
Built-In Seating Area	$1,500 – $3,000

Fire Pit Brick And Block Ring Calculator

Brick, Stone, and Block Fire Pit Ring Calculator: We have created this simple brick ring calculator and fire pit calculator to help you determine how many blocks or bricks you will need for your fire pit.

Check Out Our Other Calculators:

• Free Concrete Slab + Bags Needed Calculator
• Free Pea Gravel Calculator
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• Patio Paver Calculator + Cost

The fire pit brick and block ring calculator is a great tool to calculate the number of bricks needed for your backyard project.

By inputting some basic information into this easy-to-use online tool, you can get an estimate on the number of masonry blocks or bricks required for your fire pit in just seconds.

What Bricks Should I Use For A Fire Pit?

An aboveground fire pit, kiln-fired brick is the best to use for a fire pit. These bricks generally heat rate of 1800°F and can easily endure the heat of a fire.

Landscaping brick that has been kiln-fired is safe to use as well as stone pavers can also be used.

There are four main types of bricks that you want to choose from. These include fire brick, ceramic fiber block, insulating masonry units (IMU), and castable refractory.

Which one is the best for your project depends on how hot it will get around the fire pit?

The hotter it gets, the more heat resistant or heat-absorbing a brick should be used. If you have an average-sized fire pit that does not get too hot then any type of brick would work just fine!

A good middle ground between durability and affordability would be IMUs . They are typically made of shale rock with some insulation inside them so they won’t break down as quickly but still last long enough to give you plenty of use out of them.

Fired clay or heat resistant bricks (red)

Used for ovens and furnaces but not usually used as a building material due to poor insulation properties; can be painted though

Kaolin clays

Refractory ceramics such as kaolin clays have very high melting points around 3000 degrees Fahrenheit, so they could potentially explode if you put them into an active fire pit with flames reaching that temperature range.

However, most clay products will not explode in a fire pit due to lower temperatures

Fire bricks (red)

Are used for maintaining high temperature, so they will have low porosity and good insulation properties which makes them safe but also durable enough to withstand the flames of an active bonfire or fire pit.

There are no studies that show how long red brick takes before it explodes when put into a blazingly hot fire. If you wish to use fired clay products around your fire pit, be sure to check with the manufacturer’s recommendations first.

Can I Use Regular Bricks For A Fire Pit?

Yes, a fire pit may be constructed with regular bricks. It’s a very low-cost alternative that can be found just about anywhere. Fresh standard bricks can also endure a high amount of heat, retain little water, and allow water vapor to pass through.

They can also be used to make a fire pit with no masonry work required like mortar and grout. However, bricks do have their drawbacks.

They are heavy and will require the use of burners that produce high heat output. Also, they may not look as nice or clean compared to other materials such as stone or metal for example.

Does A Fire Pit Need A Liner?

You’ll definitely want to use a fire pit liner if you’re planning on keeping your fire pit in place. If your fire pit is constructed of fire bricks, you won’t need an insert.

Fire bricks are designed to endure high temperatures and are perfect for permanent fires.

When it comes to fire pits, you have many options. For example, the base of your fire pit can be made from stones or brick that are mortared in place using a type of mortar called refractory cement.

This is an excellent method if you’re planning on building your own fire pit and want something durable and aesthetically pleasing at the same time.

Will Red Bricks Explode In A Fire Pit?

Unless the other materials or the concrete surrounding the bricks somehow prevents the pores in the brick from clogging, which causes water to be trapped within the fire pit, red bricks have a very low chance of exploding. At extremely high temperatures, red bricks are prone to cracking or breaking.

However, unless the fire is extremely hot and burning at a very high temperature for an extended period of time, it might be possible that a red brick can explode in a fire pit.

What Can You Use Instead Of Firebrick?

The protective bricks used in most fireplaces to withstand the immense heat produced are called firebricks, but they aren’t the only material that can be used in this way. There are some alternatives, such as sandstone and soapstone.

Old red clay bricks, as well as refractory concrete, are excellent heat deflectors. To warm the hearth and home, any of these can be used in place of the firebrick.

Ankar Sandstone

Ankar is a type of sandstone that comes from a volcano. It can be found on the Indonesian islands. This is a popular alternative to firebrick. It is gray-green in color, rather than the typical color of firebrick. It has a rough surface with a fine-grained tone.

Red Clay Bricks

In addition to firebrick, simple red clay bricks can be used as an alternative. They have excellent heat retention in ovens, for example, and can be used for baking or roasting. They efficiently retain the heat from any wood burning, so they function similarly to firebrick in a hearth.

Refractory Concrete

Another option for heat retention is refractory concrete. Haydite makes a similar product with the same name. Haydite is an aggregate that the company creates by heating shale rock in a very hot kiln.

It is mixed with cement to create concrete that is highly insulating, strong, and resistant to extreme heat. This alternative has been used all over the world for more than six decades.

Soapstone

A man named Benjamin Thompson worked to improve fireplace performance at the end of the 18th century. One of the items he used was soapstone.

It works because it can quickly absorb the heat from a fire but sends it out at a much slower rate into the house.

Soapstone’s efficiency is so high that masons and architects prefer it over other materials when looking for the most energy-efficient heating system.

Reference: Patio and Shed