DIY Backyard Brick Barbecue

The backyard barbecue is a great feature to add to your garden or backyard. It’s so relaxing to gather with your friends and family in the backyard, enjoy a piece of BBQ beef, grab a glass of beer, and enjoy the time. Instead of spending extra money buying a new barbecue grill in local stores, why not try building your brick barbecue grill? And we have found a great DIY project for you.

This brick barbecue looks cool! This brick barbecue is a simple, practical, and permanent DIY BBQ that is perfect for your outdoor entertaining. It’s inexpensive, easy to build, convenient to use, long-lasting, and requires low maintenance. You can choose your desired shape and size for the barbecue to suit your need and available space. You can get more details on this DIY project here.

Also, check out this video tutorial.

Tools

01. 4′ Level

02. Hoe

03. Cold chisel

04. Tape measure

05. Trowel

06. Square

07. Wheelbarrow

08. Stiff Brush

09. Float

10. Straightedge

Materials

01. Gravel

02. Metal Barbecue Grates

03. Mortar

04. Bricks

05. Cement

Step 01.

Pour the Concrete Slab

Using metal grill grates as a guide, determine the size and placement of the brick barbecue. If you desire a barbecue with walls thicker than one course of bricks, account for that now. Mark off the area and remove all grass and debris from the site. Excavate the area to a depth of 8″. Use the tamper to level and compact the ground. Add pea gravel to a height of 3″, then compact and level with a tamper.

Mix fast-drying cement according to the manufacturer’s directions. Pour on top of gravel until the hole is filled to ground level. Smooth and level the cement pad using a trowel. Allow cement to cure for 24-48 hours.

Step 02.

Dry-Fit the Bricks

Dry-fit the first course of bricks before setting them in mortar. Lay the bricks end to end around the perimeter of the concrete slab, leaving a half-inch gap between each brick to account for the mortar. Make sure the bricks are perfectly square at the corners. Mark the outline of the bricks to use as a guide while laying the bricks.

Pro Tip

Lay the bricks and hose them down with water for 30 minutes before laying them. This will prevent them from soaking up excess moisture from your mortar.

Step 03.

Lay the First Course

Prepare premixed mortar according to the manufacturer’s directions. Trowel a generous layer of mortar along the marked lines where the bricks will sit. Lay the first brick by pressing it gently into the mortar. Apply a layer of mortar to one end of the next brick before butting it against the first and pushing it into the mortar. Remove excess mortar as you work. Continue working in this fashion until the first course has been laid around the entire base of the barbecue. Check to ensure the course is square, plumb, and level, adjusting a brick by tapping with a trowel handle.

Step 04.

Lay the Next Two Courses

This and the remaining brick courses will be built only on the outside and rear walls, leaving the front open for access to charcoal, ash, and grill grates. Apply mortar to the top of the previous course. Lay the first brick by pressing it gently into the mortar, and stagger the joints. Bricks may need to be cut with a cold chisel or wet saw for a proper fit. Continue laying bricks until this and the following course is completed.

Step 05.

Lay the Final Courses

Make sure the top and final course are laid with solid bricks. These will serve as the grill grate support ledges. Having a few at different heights allows extra cooking space and various heat intensities. Continue laying bricks in this fashion until the desired height is reached. Starting with the fourth course, and continuing with every other method, turn some of the bricks, so they jut out into the barbecue.

Step 06.

Finish the Barbecue

After the final course is set and before the mortar has dried, “strike” the joints with a jointer to create the familiar concave depression in the mortar. Once the cement is almost cured, use a stiff brush to scrape off the remaining bits of mortar.

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