Make a simple fire pit for your patio with clean-burning EcoFuel and piled river rocks.
By Michelle Kaufmann
Who doesn’t love a tranquil fire, especially one you can enjoy outdoors. Unfortunately, the smoke produced by backyard fire pits is yet another source of air pollution.
The majority of our beloved wood-burning devices emit particulates at the very eco-unfriendly rate of 20 to 60 grams per hour of operation. This smoke contributes to problems such as smog and even respiratory disease.
However, by building your own eco-friendly outdoor fireplace it’s possible to enjoy the warmth and beauty of an outdoor fire knowing you’re not releasing anything harmful into the air.
For this project, instead of burning wood to make our fire, we’re going to use clean burning EcoFuel, which is environmentally friendly and 100 percent biodegradable. It’s similar to what they burn in those pricier eco-friendly indoor and outdoor fires you can buy, but this is way less expensive. Each can of fuel costs a few dollars. The only other things you’ll need are a big boxy metal or ceramic planter box and some river rocks.
VIDEO: See how Michelle assembles this eco-fireplace>>
1. First choose where you want your fireplace to go and then place your planter there. It’s a good idea to put it on top of a small, sturdy table or other surface so it’s not right on the ground.
2. Fill your fireplace most of the way with something like a cinder block or two or a slightly small planter turned upside down. Leave 2 to 3 inches of space below the opening and make sure the surface inside is level. This will make the whole thing a little less heavy than if you filled it completely with rocks.
3. Spread one layer of river rocks over the surface you’ve created inside the planter.
4. Open 3 to 5 cans of fuel and place on top of the first layer of river rocks.
5. Surround the cans with additional river rocks so that you hide the sides of each but leave the top exposed.
6. Once the sun begins to go down, light each fuel can with a long lighter. Then just sit back, and enjoy.
This fireplace is best enjoyed with a good bottle of wine and a group of friends and family gathered around on a warm summer or autumn night.
Download instructions for this project from Michelle Kaufmann's blog >>
Provided by Michelle Kaufmann - http://www.michellekaufmann.com
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