If you want to be the envy of all your neighbors, a smoke-free fire pit is the perfect way to enjoy an outdoor campfire without the unpleasant smell of smoke sticking to your clothes. Plus, it’s easy to build. If you’re looking to improve your backyard meeting place or need to cook something safely while camping, you’ve come to the right place.
Things you should know.
- Get pavers, an artillery ring and ground stone to build a sturdy pit on concrete.
- Try lighting a Dakota fire if you’re camping or need a temporary fix. Dig a hole in dry soil and then dig a second feeder hole and make both connect.
- Avoid building a fire pit on gravel or river stones, as these materials can explode if heated due to moisture retention.
Method1. 1.Use pavers
Buy a gunner ring to create the inner core. This element, which is also known as galvanized garden bed, is a steel circle that is used to light simple campfires. It is also often used as a raised pot and comes in a variety of sizes, so you should buy one that matches the size you want the well to be.
- You can buy it online or at a tractor supply store. It may also be available at a local building or gardening supply store.
- Make sure the original steel ring is hollow. Some of its variations have solid backgrounds, but that detail doesn’t work for this project.
- A hoop that is about 1 m (3 ft) wide and 30 cm (1 ft) high will serve to light an excellent bonfire.
.2Drill holes around the top edge of the hoop
Take a 2 to 5-inch (1 to 2 cm) cup saw and connect it to a drill. Drill a hole about 2 to 8 inches (1 to 3 cm) from the top of the hoop. Then, drill an identical hole on the side. Continue to work in a circle around the edge of the hoop. The measurements don’t need to be exact, but try to drill each hole about 5 inches (2 cm) away from each other.
- Wear goggles. When drilling the ring, some metal shavings can shoot through the air.
- The holes will be located at the top of the well. Keep this in mind as you work.
- As long as the holes are located in a symmetrical circle at the top of the hoop, their size and the distance between them is not that important.
3.Sand the holes to make the ring safe to the touch.
You’re going to detect a lot of rough edges in the area where you’ve drilled the holes, so take an orbital sander and turn it on at its lowest setting. Slowly move around the holes with the sander to smooth them and dull their edges.
- Do not remove your glasses, as some metal shavings can fly away while sanding.
- This procedure is not technically mandatory. It simply serves to make it safe to touch and move the hoop. If you don’t plan to move the hoop, feel free to skip this step.
4.Paint the inside of the ring for a unique style with spray paint.
f you like the metallic look of galvanized steel, you can leave it as it is. However, if you want to paint the inside of the well, you should use spray paint specifically formulated for conditions of intense heat. Shake the can, hold it 30 to 40 cm (12 or 16 inches) from the metal, and spray the inside of the ring with smooth, even strokes.
- You can get heat-resistant spray paint at most home improvement stores or online.
- It may be necessary to apply several layers to achieve an opaque appearance. You should wait at least 1 hour between each layer.
- Black and brown look good, but sleeker, brighter colors are likely to get dirtier too quickly.
5.Place the ring where you plan to install the fire pit.
As long as the floor is flat, fire-resistant and not located near your home, it should work for this project. If you have a concrete slab nearby, it should work too. If there is grass throughout the garden, you should lay pavers where you plan to install the well. Any heat-resistant material can do, but traditional bricks, stone, concrete, granite and slab are the most ideal.
- Do not place your fire pit on gravel or river stones, as these materials retain moisture and explode if heated.
- If you must install pavers, you should check with utility companies before digging to avoid hitting a gas or water line.
6.Stack a layer of cobblestones to form a circle around the hoop.
Leave a gap of about 2 to 5 cm (1 to 2 inches) between the outside of the ring and the inner edge of the stone. That gap must be maintained as you move upwards. When you light the fire, smoke will flow through the holes you have drilled in the hoop and into this gap. Complete a single row of cobblestones on the ground around the hoop.
- If you wish, you can use bricks instead of pavers. The most popular stones for this project are tappered a bit along the sides so you can stack them in a tighter circle.
7.Remove 3 of the pavers at the bottom of the circle.
It is necessary for cold air to enter the space between the stone and the hoop. To let this cold air in, you need to remove 3 stones equidistant from the bottom row of cobblestones so that there are spaces between the stones.
- Another alternative may be to remove a single cobblestone and then separate all other stones evenly to leave a gap of 2 to 5 cm (1 to 2 inches) between each of the cobblestones.
8.Continue stacking the pavers until they reach the top of the hoop
Place the next row of pavers so that the center of each stone rests on the joint between two stones below it. This way, when you get to the spaces where you removed the cobblestones, two stones will come together in the middle. Continue stacking the pavers until you reach the edge of the hoop.
9.Place wider pavers over the top to cover the gap and achieve a cohesive appearance.
Once you’ve reached the top of the hoop, you need to confirm that the 2 to 5 inches (1 to 2 cm) gap between the hoop and the pavers is preserved. Then, place a row of larger pavers to cover the opening at the top. In this way, you will close the gap and create the opening you need for the fire to burn without emitting smoke.
- Openings at the bottom allow cold air to enter. This cold air rises and warms up quickly in the fire. Holes in the hoop will draw air from the fire into the opening as cold air pushes it down, eliminating smoke formation.
10.Use the same pavers and remove one to achieve a conical style.
If you don’t have larger pavers or want to use the same stone, remove a stone in the top row so that the bricks are closer to the center of the hoop. This way, you’ll also give your fire pit a narrower look at the top. As long as you cover the space between the hoop and the outer stone, you’re ready to go.
- This design will also work with larger pavers, so you can choose the look you prefer.
11.Fill the bottom of the well with crushed fireproof stone.
- Any type of large fireproof stone can be used for this project. Volcanic rock is the best. Fill the bottom of the well with the stone and spread it with your hand or a shovel so that it is even. In this way, you will give the wood some space to breathe, so that a large amount of oxygen can fuel the fire.
- The use of gravel and river stone is not recommended, as they retain too much moisture and can explode if you heat them to fire.
- Now you can use your fire pit and enjoy the smoke-free flames!
Method2.
12.Dig a hole about 4 to 5 m (12 to 16 ft) deep in dry soil.
Try to make the opening a little smaller than the hole, especially if you plan to cook something over the fire. Dig down and use a shovel to shape the hole as needed.
- If you plan to cook over the fire, the width of the hole should be smaller than the pot or pan.
- Place the hole under a tree canopy to disperse smoke even better. The Dakota fire hole will minimize smoke, but it won’t be 100% smoke-free.
- This technique will not work if there is no wind or if it has rained recently and the ground is wet.
13.Cover the edges of the opening with stones if you are cooking.
If you plan to cook any food over the hole, gather stones and small rocks. Line the edges of the hole you’ve dug with the stones and try to keep them at about the same height so that the pot or pan sits evenly. This will allow heat to escape through the gaps in the stones while you cook so that the hole doesn’t explode.
- If you don’t have access to stones, you can place thick branches around the edge of the hole if you prefer.
14.Identify the direction of the wind.
The quickest way to find out is to get your finger wet and hold it high. The side that dries faster and feels cooler indicates the direction of the wind. Another alternative is to turn your face slowly until you feel the wind over your eyes, or hold a small strip of cloth to see where it blows.
15.Dig a feeder hole in the direction of the wind at an angle of 45 degrees.
Stay 25 to 40 inches (10 to 16 cm) away from the hole you’ve dug in the direction the wind is blowing from. Take the shovel and start digging a second hole that is about 20 cm (8 inches) wide. You should dig at an angle of about 45 degrees towards the bottom of the first hole.
- This second hole will let air enter the bottom of the first hole. In this way, the fire will be fed with oxygen and cold air, which should burn the fire while much of the smoke dissipates.
16.Connect both holes underground.
Continue digging with the shovel until you reach the bottom of the first hole. If you can’t dig evenly, you can fill the hole with a little more soil to level the bottom. If you dig below the level, go back to the first hole and dig a little deeper until you find the connection.
17.Light a small fire at the bottom of the vertical well.
Look for twigs, chips, and other materials to fill the bottom of the first hole. Stack the wood on top and light the fire. The air from the feeder pit will help ignite the fire while expelling some of the smoke before it has a chance to get out of the hole.