DIY Fire Pit Makeover in One Day For Less Than $100

This post is sponsored by Duraflame.

On my most recent visit to The Blog Cabin, I took the kids along to help me with some yard work. When we got there, they asked if we could have a camp fire at night like we used to when they were little and we spent our summers at the cabin. I checked out the old fire pit and decided it needed some work before we could safely have a fire. (Click here if you're wondering what The Blog Cabin Project is all about). 

It hadn't been used in years and wasn't in good condition...

(Before)

(Before)

The sad look on their faces prompted me to move the "Fireplace Makeover" to the top of the "Cabin Makeover Project To-Do List". If we're going to be there working on the weekends, we may as well have a little fun at night around the fire. My goal for the fire pit makeover was to keep it simple and budget friendly. I wanted to use what was already there and just improve upon it. The new fire pit had to be easy to put together. Time is of the essence with every project at the cabin due to the travel time back and forth and my busy day job. I allowed myself one day to get the job done. And, it was just me and my boys (ages thirteen and ten) there to do the work. 

Are you ready to see what we came up with?

Here is what me and the boys created in one day with less than $100...

(After)

Here's a look behind the scenes look at how this simple fire pit makeover came together ...

My little guy Max started us out by cleaning out the ashes and debris from the old fire ring. After it was clean, we decided to continue digging to make the hole for the logs a little deeper. At this point in the process, we decided the best part of working on projects at The Blog Cabin, is that we can do them in our PJ's! The squirrels up there don't seem to mind.  

Once the hole was prepped, I grabbed a can of high heat grill spray paint and applied two coats to the old metal ring for a fresh new look.  

 I ordered one ton of rocks to be delivered by the local landscape supply company. They were waiting for us when we arrived, however they, were waiting for us at the end of the driveway. Luckily, we had an old wheel barrow up there and we used it to move the rocks, three at time down the driveway and into the back yard. This was the most time consuming part of the process, but it gave myself and my boys (both wrestlers) a good workout. We placed the largest rocks around the ring first. Once we had a pleasing shape we layered on the small rocks. 

After all the rocks were in place, I filled in the ring with pea rock to create a nice, new base for firewood. I also surrounded the base of the new fire pit with a ring of pea rock to create a safe transition between the fire pit and the grass. 

It was tempting to run into town and buy new chairs for our new fire pit. Instead, I decided to stay true to my goal of keeping this project budget friendly using what we had. The old rusty chairs that were there had definitely seen better days, but they weren't completely gone. We gave them a second lease on life by scrubbing away the rust with a wire brush and spray painting them in a pretty green color with rust protection paint. 

The new green chairs blend into the scenery nicely, letting the new fire pit be the star of the show. We decided our first fire at The Blog Cabin will be a special event. We'll be heading back to the cabin in July and will celebrate the resurrection of the old fire pit with friends and family!

Here's the breakdown on the project cost...

One Ton of Rocks $65
Spray Paint $10
Pea Rock $20

My friends at Duraflame offered to sponsor this project and also sent me a box of goodies for our
very first fire pit party! Stay tuned, I'll be sharing the event right here on the blog!

 To see more posts in The Blog Cabin Series, please click here:

Introducing The Blog Cabin Series

The First Project at The Blog Cabin-The Bed

The Blog Cabin Living Room Makeover

The Blog Cabin Dining Room

Installing New Laminate Floors at The Blog Cabin 

DIY Firepit In One Day For Less Than $100

Our First Campfire at The Blog Cabin 

We currently have openings for new Online Design Projects (E-Design). If you're interested in getting started on a room makeover in your home, please click here to make your reservation.

*Duraflame provided me with compensation to facilitate this post.