Fire rings add a decorative touch to any fire pit that you build in your backyard.
They come with many different designs that allow air flow and hold in wood for backyard campfires.
They are typically made of steel, they are rustproof, and they should last for years and years and hold up under the weather.
If you take time to build your site correctly, your fire pit will provide you with years of usable service.
The tips in this article will help you design, build and dream up your perfect campfire site in your backyard using only a fire ring.
A fire ring is a round piece of steel usually three feet in diameter and usually about a foot tall, and it can have intricate designs cut into the steel that provide a fantastic light show when you burn wood for your fire.
They are also coated with a paint or product that will help keep the ring from rusting in the elements.
The ring sits above ground and the designs in the ring itself help with air flow and help the fire get enough oxygen to burn efficiently.
Building a site with just a fire ring is an inexpensive way to have an elegant looking fire pit in your backyard.
A solidly built fire ring with a nice design will last you for years and provide you with years of pleasure while sitting in front of a fire.
Using a fire ring means that you will not have to build up a cement wall around your outdoor campfire.
The fire ring will hold the wood and the fire in place out in your backyard.
The first thing you should do before you construct a fire pit in your backyard is to check and see if they allowed in your city or town.
Many cities outlaw fire pits to prevent fires from spreading.
Be sure to follow all laws, rules and regulations before you build your site.
You may need a license in some areas as well or a permit to burn wood.
Pay attention to drought conditions and be aware that fire can easily spread.
Make sure that you leave plenty of space between the fire pit you're building and any trees, shrubs or bushes that could catch fire.
Keep your site away from any structural buildings as well.
Your campfire area should be free and clear of anything that could catch fire.
Once again check your local zoning laws to make sure that you have enough space between your site and any objects that are flammable.
Next, you'll want to build a nice base to install your steel ring.
This means you will need to dig a hole in the ground and take out any grass that exists there.
The whole should be about one or two feet wider in diameter than the fire ring that you purchase.
Put a tie rod in the center of where you want to dig your hole.
If you have a fire ring that is 36" in diameter, you will need to make the hole at least one foot wider than that, or 48".
If you want a hole that is four feet in diameter you should pound a tie rod into the ground in the center of where you want your hole.
Next, cut a string that measures half your diameter when tied to the iron rod in the center.
If you have a four foot diameter hole cut a string that extends two feet from the center rod.
Spray paint a circle where the string ends, around the rod in the center of the hole.
Dig out the sod or grass that is in the painted circle.
Fill this whole with a couple inches of sand and tamp the sand down until it is hard and firm.
Once the sand is in place take the new firing and inserted in the sand.
Make sure your fire pit is level and sturdy against the ground.
Be sure to center the firing in the hole that you dug out of the grass or turf.
Next at a couple inches of gravel on top of the sand and tamp this down as well.
Also add gravel to the outside of the ring and tamp that down as well.
When you look at the complete fire ring in your backyard it should appear that the ring is nesting in a sea of gravel.
The gravel will help ensure that no flying embers get loose and catch the surrounding areas on fire.
The gravel also adds an elegant look to the fire pit area.
When you purchase a fire ring as with everything else in life you get what you pay for.
You want to look for a fire ring that is constructed with heavy gauge steel and then coated with a rust inhibiting finish that will hold up under the extreme temperatures of a fire pit.
Expect to pay about $200 for a very good fire ring for your fire pit.
This fire ring should last years and years providing you with a maintenance-free product that holds up well with the elements.