DIY Fireplace Reviews – FL and UT

It Started in Florida

Let’s talk about two beautiful DIY fireplaces built by the same people, years apart, in two different states. These fireplaces transformed their backyards into such welcoming areas. But first, let’s meet our player

outdoor fireplace pizza oven DIY — Combo fireplace and pizza oven DIY

s. Husband and wife team, Marko and Kelly, were customers of Backyard Flare years ago and they built a stunning DIY outdoor fireplace and pizza oven combo when they lived in sunny Florida. They used a Backyard Flare construction plan and the backyard was positively changed forever. The structure drew lots of accolades from Backyard Flare followers and it was definitely a beautiful, one of a kind, fireplace. It’s easy to see why so many people were raving about it. It was so different than most.

DIY outdoor fireplace pizza oven — The red color on the oven adds so much to this design.

I have seen lots of pizza ovens and most are earth tone colors. Marko and Kelly decided that a bold and deep reddish color would look great on their oven instead of keeping it like everyone else’s ovens. I have to say, I was impressed with the color choice. It worked so well with the surrounding area and it brought a pop of color not seen anywhere else in their yard. Coupled with the dark tones of the accent tile and the light color stucco, it was a hit. I’m sure it made a huge impact in the sale of their home, bringing in more money on the sale, than they would have had with a plain Jane backyard.

And then They Moved

Now fast forward a few years, with Marko and Kelly relocated to the great state of Utah. They bought a new home and needed to bring the backyard up to a standard they were used to. The new fireplace structure, although smaller than the Florida fireplace, is no less impressive.

Utah outdoor fireplace diy pergola — Utah backyard with DIY fireplace and pergola

The fireplace sports a square topped firebox and an equally wide firewood storage void under the hearth. Natural stone is on the horizontal surfaces, including the top of the fireplace. Keeping with the earth tone feel, Marko and Kelly added a wood mantel and a beautiful faux stone veneer.

outdoor fireplace diy wood mantel storage — This fireplace sports a wood mantel and a firewood storage void.

It’s not just the fireplace that brings the total feel to the backyard. The natural flagstone table in front of the fireplace draws the earth tones to the patio. A huge pergola with a large outdoor table is the perfect place to have an outdoor dinner or just a place to sit and really relax. The white picket fence in the background with the bold green grass, adds contrast to the whole picture. The large boulder wall behind the fireplace and the slight hill with natural vegetation adds to the rustic look as compared to the veneer on the fireplace. The bold color on the pots to the sides of the fireplace make the structure appear to be wider than it is.

DIY outdoor fireplace fire — In action with a raging fire.

This is such a beautiful fireplace and I am sure this backyard will create lots of great memories. Great job Marko and Kelly. We are sure you will continue to enjoy your backyard paradise and we hope you will continue to share your fireplace with us.

Kudos Go Out

Special thanks to Marko and Kelly for sharing these great photos with us and allowing us to share them with the world. Also, thank you to all our faithful readers out there and to those who just found us. We can help you with your outdoor fireplace dream. Visit our website at www.backyardflare.com for some great inspiration and fireplace ideas.

Check us Out on Social Media

Please follow us on Facebook and Instagram for lots of cool info and fun pics and video. Thanks for reading and as I always say…happy building.

-Dan

The Perfect S’more

Is there a day that goes by where you don’t contemplate the perfect S’more or the ingredients that it takes to construct one? I don’t think so, as these quandaries are what keep lots of people up at night. I often lie there for hours at a time, beads of sweat collecting on my forehead, while I count marshmallows and small squares of chocolate. Did I break the graham cracker perfectly, so the two sides are equal? Is the marshmallow gooey enough? The perfect S’more…oh my…so much to consider.

Funny to think about, and “no” I really don’t drive myself into crazed sleeplessness over something as simple as a S’more. Having said that, I thought this would be an amusing blog post to write about how to build the perfect S’more and to get some feedback on what constitutes your perfect S’more.

So Many Questions

What is the perfect roast level of the marshmallow? How much chocolate is necessary for these tasty and crunchy dessert sandwiches? These seem like crazy questions and an over analyzation of a simple sweet snack, but really think about what you do when you build the perfect S’more. You make a lot of micro decisions when you are in the S’more frame of mind.

Marshmallow on a stick — Marshmallow on a Stick

You will usually impale a helpless marshmallow on a skewer or metal stick and hold it over the open flame without mercy. The question lies; however, do you hold it just outside the flame or catch it on fire? Do you require a golden brown slow roast, or do you prefer the stick mounted flaming marshmallow ball like a torch used by Indiana Jones? How long do you let the marshmallow burn before you blow out the flame? Is there a point when too much burn is too much, and intending to start over, you resort to flinging the sticky mess off the stick for the dog to devour?

Do you prepare your graham cracker and chocolate before the marshmallow torture or do you yell at others in panic to get your cracker and chocolate ready? If you’re like most, you do the latter. You were so focused on the marshmallow torture and open flame that you “tunnel-visioned” yourself out of paying attention to the chocolatey crunchy portions of the sweet treat. Remember that your failure to prepare the cracker and chocolate should not constitute an emergency on the part of your family and friends.

S’more (Some More) Questions

Do you forget and leave the graham crackers open, so the dog gets into them, “Pavlov Dog Style”? Do you viciously eat a good portion of the chocolate beforehand, and then realize that there may not be enough to go around? Are you the one that puts the hot and sticky marshmallow skewer down on the chair in haste not realizing that it will glue itself to the seat cushion?

With so many things to consider, should we as humans even be stepping into the tough decisions necessary to build the perfect S’more? Is it better done as a team event? This blog post has not done anything except make me hungry for a S’more and nervously anxious at the thought of building one. I hope the next time you decide to make the perfect S’mores that you talk it over first with your guests. Think about logistics and have a game plan before indulging in such glorious delicacies.

Or just have fun. S’mores are a great way to share memories with family and friends. Leave a comment and let us know some of your S’more memories or thoughts. We’d love to hear them.

Build Your Own Marshmallow Fireplace

Please visit www.backyardflare.com if you are interested in a DIY fireplace or outdoor kitchen construction plan. They are perfect places to build a fire necessary for your marshmallow torture. Thanks for reading, and as always…happy building.

Dan

Vintage and New Outdoor Fireplaces – They’re Everywhere

outdoor stone fireplace, house is gone — What stories can this AZ fireplace tell?

Outdoor Fireplaces – What History Can They Tell?

I have been traveling quite a bit lately. Additionally, I have been fortunate enough to have gone to some really neat locations. Just a few visited in the past few months are Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, Winterpark, Colorado, El Paso, Texas, and the Grand Canyon in northern Arizona. When I go to a new place, I love the opportunity to walk around and explore the old and new.

One thing that seems timeless is the fireplace built in an old house lot. They still stand, absent the house or an old cabin. I love walking around these towns and noticing great outdoor fireplaces built in new areas, at shopping malls, at apartment complexes, and even outdoor patios of fancy bars and restaurants.

Vintage Fireplace — Old fireplace in a WV city park

The old vintage stone fireplaces through their cracks and stains can sometimes tell a silent story, letting your mind wander at how much they have seen and been witness to over the passing years. Who graced the hearth and seating around these graceful structures? What conversations and decisions took place in front of the fire?

Imagine the fireplaces in the homes and parks of West Virginia that kept home owners and those fighting in the civil war warm. They used them every day during the harsh winters. Imagine the fireplaces in the Grand Canyon lodges that kept tourists warm during the 1930s when the park was really becoming a destination. Now those are old fireplaces with stories too abundant for us to even imagine.

How About the New?

Shopping center outdoor fireplace — Fireplace spotted in an AZ shopping center

But let’s think about how we can create our own memories and stories around an outdoor fireplace. When you spot an outdoor fireplace at an outdoor shopping center, stop and check it out. Sit on the hearth and if it is providing heat, enjoy it for a few minutes. Relax and even grab a drink if you have time. Become the history that can be told by that fireplace 100 years from now.

Pay attention to where you are and if you see an old or even a new fireplace that needs to be in a photograph, take a pic and send it to us at, dan@backyardflare.com. Let us know where and how you found it.

Thanks and as always, happy building!

Outdoor Fireplaces and Draft Problems

Outdoor Fireplace Draft

I was surfing the web the other day as I do quite often and I noticed differences between good and bad drafting structures. If you know what to look for, it’s very apparent, an it almost always has to do with the outdoor fireplace draft. Some of the best looking fireplaces seemed to be the dirtiest. I started paying attention to the fireboxes of some of these fireplaces.

Gas Fireplaces – The Good and Bad

A lot of fireplaces are designed and plumbed to burn natural gas or propane. Gas fireplaces are easily controlled and can be turned on and off quickly. This can also be problematic if the structure isn’t built correctly.

Even with a gas fireplace, burning either natural gas or propane, which are very popular, soot build up can still be a problem. This occurs if the fireplace does not vent well. Heat rise in a fireplace is most often referred to as the draft. The single most important aspect of any fireplace, inside or outside, is its functionality and whether the smoke rises effectively. This will be either through the chimney or out the front of the firebox and up the front of the structure.

Now some may think that because a gas fireplace doesn’t produce smoke that it shouldn’t matter. The truth is that gas fireplaces are sometimes dirtier than a wood burning fireplace when it comes to soot discoloration of the structure.

Pay attention to the inside of outdoor fireplaces that you see around your town. Stick your head inside and look up. Do you see a tiny chimney opening, or a large opening that will collect the smoke before allowing it to evacuate upward? Most of the time, there will be very apparent issues with regard to the path of least resistance. When a firebox height in is equal to the chimney opening, you will have problems with a bad draft.

Importance of a Good Fireplace Draft

The smoke or invisible soot from a gas burn will exit the structure through the front when draft is affected. This smoke and/or soot will travel right up the front of the structure and the front will turn black. A wet rag and some dish soap can easily remove the soot from a fireplace. It’s just a hassle to deal with.

If you’re interested in building a beautiful outdoor fireplace in your backyard or if you just want to explore the possibility and learn more about them, please visit us at www.backyardflare.com. Thanks for reading.

Three Phases to Plan Your Backyard

Building Your Backyard

If you have ever wondered how to go about building your backyard to perfection, then keep reading. We hope this article will give you a bit of guidance.

For many, their backyard area is an eyesore. Others just need a bit of spicing up. If you are in either category, you can achieve the perfect backyard if you adhere to the right phases in the right order.

Building your backyard
Phase One
planning

The first phase is planning the layout. Step back and really look at what you have. This will be a great time to brainstorm with a tablet of paper and pencil to sketch out different scenarios. By drawing different layouts on a piece of paper, you can compare the different possibilities and see what works the best for your space. You may find that certain layouts will make better sense than others. Talk your ideas over with family and friends and take in their ideas. You never know, you may not have thought of everything.

Building your backyard
PHASE TWO
gathering

The second phase is gathering what you will need to get the job done. This includes everything from a construction plan, the tools necessary, and the materials needed to build your project. If you are wanting to build a masonry structure, have the vendor deliver the blocks, mortar, and cement on a pallet to as close to the work site as possible.

The tools needed are sometimes specialized so you won’t have too many other opportunities to use them again. These will be trowels, masonry cutting blades, etc. Borrow what you can and don’t buy them if you don’t have to. If you must buy a tool, buy cheap, and even if you must buy two, it still may not be as expensive as one professional grade tool.

Building your backyard
PHASE THREE

The third phase is the best part, the building of the project. A solid foundation is paramount for many masonry structures due to their weight. A lack of stability under a masonry structure could result in shifting and cracking. The building phase is a great time to get help from family and friends. Sometimes a pizza and beverages go a long way.

The building phase will be the part everyone will see so definitely take your time and pay attention to the small stuff, the detail, the minutia. It’s the attention to detail that will make your project a stand-out backyard.

When you get to lighting and irrigation make sure you don’t have too much of the project finished. This is especially irritating if you have to rip out some of the progress to add electrical and water lines.

While building your backyard, pay attention to the phases and your project will turn out to be the talk of the town thus your neighbors and family will be in awe. Be careful because you will then be the go-to for the how to.

If you need any assistance on a masonry structure like a fireplace, kitchen, pizza oven, and want a DIY construction plan, visit www.backyardflare.com. Building your backyard does not have to be a chore or burden. We’ll help you along the way and give you the insight you’ll need to get it done and on a budget. Happy building.

Cinder Blocks Explained

Cinder block sizes vary and many different shapes are available for your outdoor projects. There are short ones, tall ones, solid ones and some are made with holes/voids. Not only are they different sizes, but some that are classified with the same dimensions can be slightly different allowing them to be used in a different manner.

You can build outdoor structures such as fireplaces, kitchen, and pizza ovens using primarily the blocks that are described in this article. Just for a bit of clarification, most people will call them cinder blocks but there is a slightly more technical term for them. They are sometimes referred to as concrete masonry units (CMU) by the folks that make them and sell them. When shopping for these blocks, you only need to call them cinder blocks though and know a little about how they are sized. The cinder blocks sold in the United States are sized in inches.

Cinder Blocks and Sizes Explained

8x8x16 Block

The most common cinder block is an 8x8x16 as seen in the adjacent picture. These measurements are the depth, height, and width respectively. Most construction projects, needing any structural integrity, will be built using this size block. These blocks have voids, designed to be filled with concrete, which provides great strength.

8x8x8 Block

These 8x8x8 cinder blocks are perfect cubes that are widely used in conjunction with the 8x8x16 cinder blocks. These blocks also have voids which allow them to be filled with concrete.

Some have notches manufactured into them for rebar, but the notch will not be used most of the time. When you are building using a running bond/staggered pattern, these will certainly be useful.

8x4x16 block

An 8x4x16 cinder block is half as tall as standard 8x8x16 cinder blocks, so they are very good to incorporate into your structure. These cinder blocks are used as a transition block when only a little bit of height is needed as they are only 4” tall. These blocks also have voids.

4x8x16 block

4" block used for your outdoor fireplace — 4x8x16

Occasionally, you will need a cinder block that is only 4” in depth. These cinder blocks are measured 4x8x16. They have much smaller voids in them which makes them harder to fill with concrete.

A lot of cinder block walls are constructed using these blocks.

8x2x16 cap block

Use these cinder blocks for finish work and solid surfaces. — 8x2x16 cap block

One of the last widely used cinder blocks is an 8x2x16 cap block. When you only need to add a couple inches to your structure or to close off a section, you will use these blocks. These cinder blocks are solid and are also used when a flat surface is needed for finish work.

If you are interested in building an outdoor fireplace or kitchen there are great ways of building them. Cinder blocks are just one way of constructing them, but it’s a fantastic way to build a structure with great integrity and strength. Visit www.backyardflare.com for great outdoor fireplace designs, ideas, and DIY construction plans.

Build a Stunning Outdoor Living Area

Build Your Stunning Outdoor Living Area

This week’s backyard profile goes out to Adam in the great state of Washington. What a great job Adam did, building his stunning outdoor living area, with the help of Backyard Flare and their design team. But… Adam went the extra mile and he constructed an outdoor destination complete with a fireplace, outdoor kitchen, and patio cover on steroids.

Wood framing of patio cover — Patio cover is framed

The blank slate started with the building of the wood framed pergola. A pitched roof with a decorative underbelly and drop lights covered a large footprint. This cover offered the living area with a respite from the sun or the probable Washington State rainfall. The support beams of the patio cover were stained darker than the wood slats. What a great look.

Pitched roof patio cover — Patio cover with pitched roof

Finishing the Patio Cover

Brilliant white trim accented the beautiful gray tone siding and then fantastic light sconces were set on the vertical corner sections. These lights provided ample light and amazing ambiance for the outside of the patio cover. A rugged transition to the ground was accomplished by covering the bottoms of the corner pillars a great faux stone veneer.

Outdoor Living Area — Great looking flagstone walkway

Flagstone was laid in an erratic pattern to form the approach to the covered patio. The earth tone colored stone was broken into large sections and then placed into the soil.

Outdoor Kitchen Construction

One corner of the structure was used as a partial wall for a very large outdoor kitchen. The structure was then equipped with a stainless-steel drop in barbecue grill, stainless access door, and several linear feet of counter top for cooking preparation.

Outdoor Fireplace Construction

Afterward, lots of cinder block was delivered for the Backyard Flare designed fireplace. Adam used the construction plan from Backyard Flare to build his fireplace structure with ground level storage voids. Subsequently, these storage voids worked well aesthetically on each side.

After the cinder block rough build was completed to the top of the two-tiered chimney stack, the veneer was then applied. This veneer matched the veneer used on the outdoor kitchen and the bottoms of the patio pillars which added a great overall look. The horizontal surfaces of the fireplace were covered with a dark stone, complimenting the veneer perfectly.

Outdoor fireplace design — Backyard Flare designed fireplace

A mantel was added to the front width of the fireplace and then veneer was added to the structure. Adam took a blank section of his yard and then transformed it into a very welcoming outdoor living area. I’m sure he and his family and friends have spent many days and nights making great memories.

If you would like to build an outdoor structure such as a fireplace or outdoor kitchen visit us at www.backyardflare.com. We will help you with all your design needs and can take most of the guess work out of it. Thanks for reading and we hope to hear from you. Happy building!

Cinder Block Measurement Mystery

Cinderblock Construction

Building with cinder block is the most versatile way to construct both a functional structure and a structure with great strength and integrity. Cinder block, otherwise known as a concrete masonry unit (CMU), can be purchased at most home improvement stores such as Home Depot and Lowes. The prices for CMU at these big box home improvement stores are most of the time very comparable to local block vendors.

Close to Backyard Flare, LLC here in Tucson, Arizona, is a block manufacturer/vendor named AZ Block. At the same location where they manufacture the block, you can enter the facility to buy direct instead of dealing with a middleman. This at times can make the block more cost effective for the DIY builder.

Picture of 8x8x16 cinder blocks. — Common 8x8x16 cinder block with voids. Great block for fantastic strength and structural integrity.

The most common block used to build the fireplaces is referred to as a 8x8x16. This is literally the size of the block in inches. Now there is a small “but…”” involved though. The block is not exactly 8x8x16. In fact, the block measures 7 5/8” x 7 5/8” x 15 5/8”. Notice that 3/8” is subtracted from each measurement. This is comparable to a 2×4 piece of wood not actually measuring 2” x 4”. They are actually 1 ½” x 3 ½”.

Continue reading “Cinder Block Measurement Mystery”

DIY Outdoor Fireplaces at a Glance

Assess Your Outdoor Space

Do you have a boring or just unattractive backyard? Is your outdoor space mostly dirt or is it missing the focal point or pizzazz it deserves? This is the time to get off the fence of indecision and build your own outdoor fireplace. The DIY outdoor fireplace is a great way to transform your backyard. With our assistance, you can get the backyard of your dreams.

DIY Outdoor Fireplace built by homeowner using a Backyard Flare construction plan. — http://www.backyardflare.com

Imagine hosting parties and gatherings around a beautiful outdoor fireplace. This can be a reality centered around a transformed backyard living space, thus you will literally be creating an extension of the inside living space into your backyard. Build today and then begin enjoying what you deserve.

DIY Outdoor Fireplace Plans

Visit us today at www.backyardflare.com for lots of great information and an assortment of great looking construction plans. One of these construction plans is sure to look amazing in your backyard.