Have you ever planned to build your BBQ grill? You might have thought about different recipes or maybe making a grill pit, but what about a brick grill? With a little bit of masonry experience, you can create a do it yourself brick grill.
You will end up saving a lot of money with a Brick grill because BBQ grills don’t come cheap. Plus, creating some delicious recipes on a stove you have built with your own hands feels pretty awesome, but where to start?
This guide will help you with this little do it yourself project to make you the ultimate pitmaster in your circle.
So, keep reading to find all about it!
How to Make a Do it yourself Brick Grill – Step-by-Step
So, how can you make a do it yourself brick grill from scratch? There are various ways of doing this, and in this brief guide, we will mention a few ways to do it yourself brick grill.
An inbuilt grill of bricks in your patio is something that you will cherish, but it might not come in very handy during the winter. So, maybe you’re still giving it a thought.
Why not start with the most straightforward brick grill and consider it a trial and then decide whether you need it or not.
A trial brick grill
Normally, you will need some bricks as well as a cement-sand mortar. On the inside, there will be another layer of bricks to keep heat retention at its best.
Going for the first time, you can always lay out those bricks without any mortar and check the ideal height by either increasing or decreasing the courses that you will need for your project. This way, you can also make adjustments to the depth and width of your brick grill.
For the simplest of brick grills, you will need these materials:
- Paving slab.
- Grilling grid.
- Bricks.
- Metal sheet or tray for the charcoal.
Preparation of the area for the construction
You need to clean the area and level it to provide some support from the entire structure. You need to have a stable foundation, but it’s a trial to go for a paving slab.
Lay the first course of the braids to form the base of the grill. This is where you will place the wood to fuel your barbecue. After that, you need to step up a charcoal tray. You can use any cast iron sheet as it’s a trial version.
You can put this tray right on the two front rows of the bricks to cover the entire surface. Now leave the back course of your bricks uncovered for some extra support.
Align the bricks with a similar pattern on the inside of that tray for holding it in place. You can use the spirit level to check if both courses are evenly aligned.
After that, go with another course of bricks and start thinking about setting the grill up. You can use brackets and metal rods for support here. You can also turn your bricks sideways and create a ledge for outing your grill.
Now, lay a couple of courses in addition for shelter from any winds to keep the fire burning and the ashes well contained. Your food will remain covered from dead leaves or dust as well.
These two courses will hold your trial do it yourself brick grill as it’s a temporary structure for trial BBQs. So you are all done here, and it’s time to enjoy your barbecue.
Round brick do it yourself a brick grill
You may go for the round brick grill for your current construction and add a preparation table as well. The materials you need for this are as follows:
- A couple of concrete plates (500mm x 500mm)
- 12mm waterproof plywood (1200mm x 60mm)
- 128 bricks
- 32 pieces of burnt clinker tiles (150mm x 150mm)
- A round BBQ grill kit with 380mm diameter.
- 12 pieces of self-tap screws.
First, you need to figure out the base area and get rid of the sward. Fill it with gravel and lay two layers of concrete plates horizontally.
After that, lay a course of bricks without using any mortar and check the level and evenness of the construction. There need to be at least 13 courses of bricks in this construction.
The plinth of your barbecue grill is an S-shape so lay the first course (8 bricks) right on the base in a way that they cross the edges of these plates. For the second layer, use 8 whole bricks and one in half.
Begin with the half brick right at the front and the other half at the back. Now lay the rest of the 11 courses similarly. The last or 13th layer will use all the whole bricks. You will have to cement a large-sized paving block right on top of these walls for the prep work table.
Right on top of your cement block, you can lay those 32 clinker tiles and align your bricks in a hexagon. Again, a tray and a grate made of cast iron are best for this setup.
You can lay them on the course of the bricks and hold them in the place with another course right on top. If you want to make it more durable, you can go for a special kind of fastener.
It includes drilling holes outside your cast iron grid and screwing the self-tapping screws. And put this grid on the bricks, making sure that about 15mm of the screw is coming out.
Building a permanent do it yourself brick grill
Tools Needed
- Trowel.
- Digger.
- Tamper.
- Lawn rake.
- string,
- Stakes.
- Batter boards.
Materials Required
- Bricks.
- Paving slabs.
Choosing the location
For deciding where to build the brick grill, you have to give it a little bit of thought. This is important because it will be permanent, and you can’t take it away later on. So, you need to plan appropriately.
It shouldn’t be too far from your house or kitchen so you can bring in whatever you need as quickly as possible. But it shouldn’t be that close either; else, all the smoke will go inside. Your patio will be a good location because rain and winds will stay out of your BBQ.
If you are planning to eat outside, there needs to be a dining table or a sitting area. But the sitting area has to be away from the heat as well. This heat can damage the furniture too. Also, keep your grill on an established path because you don’t want your lawn to get threadbare.
Determining the size
You have to determine the size, and for that, you have to decide the type of BBQ grill kit you will use here. The grilling grate needs to be of the same size. Place the grate on the area where you want your grill and lay down one layer of bricks right around that grate.
Building the base of the grill
It’s time to prepare the base of the grill. If you build your grill inside your patio, you don’t need to worry about the base. But if you are building it in the open air, you will need a concrete base or slabs. Hence, it needs to hold heavy barbecue construction on it.
Method 1
You can dig out around 8 to 10 inches of soil and then level the soil using a tamper. Next, you have to lay the area with gravel, and it needs to be 5 to 7 inches thick.
Try to compact it with your tamper. Then, mix in quick-drying concrete and use a trowel to level the concrete. It will cure in around 2 days.
Method 2
Here you will need batter boards and a string for laying your foundation out. It will ensure your base is sturdy and level. You will have to attach the two boards at a 90-degree angle.
Drive your stakes right into the place just outside each corner at around 8 to 10 inches. You can attach angles and top boards to these stakes and levels. Connect the parallel boards with string held in place using a weight.
You can use 2×10 boards and 2×4 stakes for locking them in place. Now pour the quick-drying cement within the form. You can also use steel bars for additional durability. Finally, use a trowel for smoothening the concrete and allow it to rest and cure for about 42 hours.
Method 3
This method involves laying down paving slabs, and this is a much more durable method. Plus, you won’t need to wait for the cement to set in as well. However, you can start cooking on it way sooner.
But you will need to spend more money in getting these quality paving slabs. So the best option you can explore here is paving slabs made out of natural stone because they are very sturdy.
Laying the foundation
Mark down the area using the string lines and attach the angled top boards to the stakes. Check the level and connect the parallel boards using the string and hold it with a weight. Here you won’t have to make the wooden form.
Preparation of the soil
You can start getting your soil up, and it needs to be at least 10mm in thickness. So, the slab needs to be 30mm. There will be room for a 20mm dry mix of cement and sand and a 50mm of 10mm dust aggregate for the base. This will make a solid base for the slabs to lay on.
Spread it all with a rake and compact it with the width of the hole and check the level. After that, make the cement mixture and mix 1 part cement and 9 parts of sand. And set the height of the string to the finished slab. Keep checking the level and spread the mixture evenly.
Laying those slabs
Now fill in the joints after laying the slabs and use cement as and for the filling. This time the mixture needs to have 1 part cement and 5 parts of sand. Just brush the mixture into the sand and push it down. Keep doing this until the joints are nice and full and sweep the access off.
Lay the courses of the bricks
It’s time to lay the courses, as you have already gone through this process. Just dry-fit the first layer of bricks and try to leave even spaces. The mortar mix here will have 1 part cement and 4 parts of sand. Using a black dye will give it a nice appearance.
Top 5 Do it yourself Brick Grill Ideas
Are you looking for some ideas for do it yourself brick grill? Here are a few to explore.
● Do it yourself brick grill with roof
You can go for a do it yourself grill with a roof, and it will keep your food safe from winds and rains, and you can cook in almost any season.
● Do it yourself brick grill with side table
Having a side table for doing a little bit of prep work is always handy. Therefore, when making your brick grill, you can always add a side table or space for your prep work.
● Do it yourself brick grill with a prep area on top
Why go for a side table when you can make some area right on top of your grill. This will make your prep work and handling the grill more conveniently. Just make your top bricklayer a bit thicker.
● Do it yourself brick grill with utensil box
You won’t have to go to your kitchen and bring in the utensils because you will have all of them hanging around right next to the brick grill that has hooks installed right into it. You can also make a space for it with the brick grill.
● Do it yourself brick grill with storage space
Why not have a big storage space right next to your brick grill. You will only need to have the right amount of space available for this, and keep in mind that the brick grill will be a bit bigger in this scenario.
Do it yourself Brick Grill Material – Concrete Block vs Brick vs Stone
So, which materials are better for the brick grill? You have three options here to choose from, and these are;
Concrete blocks
These are the least expensive of all three and are 4-inch thick, and have a smaller footprint. Costs can rise significantly if you go for cast-stone or natural stone veneer. But keep in mind that it needs to be rated for outdoor use.
Bricks
Another option to consider here is bricks, and they look pretty nice. They can retain heat as well and are made of fire-hardened materials. But you will need to handle them well, especially when it comes to leveling.
Stone
These are the most durable and most expensive, but they have excellent heat retention. You will also have to spend a lot of time searching for the right kind of stone with adequate shape and size to fit snuggly during your construction.
FAQ
Do you need planning permission for brick BBQ?
Yes, you need to check your local building codes associated with open flames, especially in areas prone to brush fires.
Can you use a BBQ as a fire pit?
Yes, you can use a BBQ as a fire pit as well, and you will only use a few household tools to do that. In addition, some BBQs have a distinctive globe shape that is ideal for such fire pits.
How much does it cost to build a brick grill?
How many bricks do I need for a brick BBQ?
For a brick grill that is 10 courses high, you will need around 100 to 120 bricks. The one we mentioned above needs 128 bricks.
What bricks can I use to build a BBQ?
For the outer wall, any brick will work out for the firebox. You need to go for the firebricks because they are completely fireproof.
Conclusion
So, feeling driven enough to build a do it yourself brick grill? The process is pretty simple; you need to have the right amount of space and use suitable materials for this project.
Do not rush through the process, and everything will be fine. Instead, plan everything right in the beginning and follow that plan strictly, and you will be cooking on your brick grill in just a few days.
