Firepit how long till I can build on the base.


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Old 05-25-19, 08:45 AM
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Firepit how long till I can build on the base.

I’m building a fire pit in my garden, yesterday I poured a foundation for it.

the next step is I’m going to build a 4 course brick wall, line the base and inside with refractory tiles using fireclay to set them and then cover the outside with a bunch of left over slate.

since this is really my first time working with concrete, I’m not sure how long I should wait for it to cure.

Its 5cm in height, 126cm in diameter (hopefully), has a 4mm mat and I used a simple 1:2:3 mix with a fair amount of water.

I did this yesterday evening (Friday), would Monday evening be ok to continue working? (yes I leveled it off better after taking this pic)

 
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Old 05-25-19, 10:07 AM
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Unless you are drilling into it, you can start setting your block the next day.
 
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Old 05-25-19, 04:47 PM
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Are you saying your concrete footer is only 5cm thick?
 
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Old 05-26-19, 01:17 AM
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Yes, the mold is 5cm high, underneath is some concrete infused dirt (I put it in the wrong place originally and so had to scrape the whole thing off the next day which I just dumped underneath the correct area) is that a problem?

it shouldn’t have to withstand more weight than firewood. I figured 2” would be plenty, but like I said, this is my first venture with concrete so....uh oh?
 
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Old 05-26-19, 04:09 AM
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I would have gone thicker, at least 4".

What are the pipes/hoses sticking up?
 
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Old 05-26-19, 04:26 AM
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5 cm (2") is very thin for poured concrete. But, it's just a fire pit so I wouldn't bother changing it now. Go ahead and start setting your brick. If this pit will burn real wood I'd try to wait a month after the project is complete before building a big fire to allow time for the concrete and mortar to fully cure. If it's a gas fire that's won't heat the brick too much then you could flame on sooner.
 
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Old 05-26-19, 06:40 AM
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Well darn it. And here l I thought I was doing everything right.

is it worth it to try to pour another 5cm on top? Is that even something you can do? Or just go with the brick directly. There shouldn’t be any shear forces on it in theory.

yes it’s going to be wood fire only so I’ll wait a month.


marq1, those are conduit for some accent lights which I was planing on putting in the second or third course of bricks. I was careful to only run it around the outside, not under the part where the fire will be, desperately hoping the won’t melt.
 
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Old 05-26-19, 08:39 AM
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desperately hoping the won’t melt.

Well, in my fire pit (8' dia, constructed of 24" boulders) some of the fires I have had contributed to local global warming.

Having anything close to a wood fire is likely to melt the conduit or wire, I would urge caution, that could be a lively experience!
 
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Old 05-26-19, 04:25 PM
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No, don't bother pouring another layer on top. It won't adhere well to the more cured batch below. Just build your fire pit and enjoy. The important question is what beverage will be used to christen your new build?
 
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Old 05-26-19, 06:58 PM
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Marq1, well aren’t lively occasions the reasons we pay for circuit breakers?

Pilot. If it were summer, it’d be beer but since it’s getting cool down here in the Southern Hemisphere it’ll probably be a nice glass of Malbec.
 
 

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