Your DIY Outdoor Fireplace Headquarters - DIY Fireplace Plans and Kits by Backyard Flare, LLC - Tucson, Arizona

Ready to DIY Your Backyard?

DIY Outdoor Fireplaces Are Within Reach

There are so many ways to add value to your home and one of the most impactful ways is to add some nice changes to your backyard. Let’s assume you have a vacant area in your outdoor space and that you want to build an outdoor fireplace or outdoor kitchen. There are several ways to do it, and the best and most inexpensive way is to do the lifting and building on your own.

DIY outdoor fireplace built from cinderblocks and mortar covered in stone veneer. Metal art on chimney and pool and hot tub in front of fireplace. Patio furniture and wooden fence. Construction zone in backyard of Cholla design. — Cholla fireplace design built by DIY homeowner using a Backyard Flare construction planh

Everyone has the ability of hiring a contractor. This will involve having a meeting and discussion with them about your vision. The contractor may have suggestions and his/her own thoughts about the layout and your backyard. They may or may not know how to build an outdoor fireplace but they won’t tell you if they don’t. They may have their own specialty in designing a certain way. Many of them are very good at what they do and their final result will be great, the majority of the time.

What is Your Favorite Design?

But what if you just like the idea of building the fireplace by yourself? Have you thought of yourself as a “do it yourselfer”? You may want to go look in the mirror and envision yourself in the DIY realm because it is so achievable to build an outdoor fireplace.

DIY outdoor fireplace built from cinderblocks and mortar covered in stucco and paint. Construction zone in backyard of Santa Cruz design with desert foliage behind and mountains. — Santa Cruz fireplace design being built by a DIY homeowner using a construction plan

You don’t have to figure it out all by yourself either. Backyard Flare in Tucson is a design company that focuses on outdoor fireplaces and outdoor kitchens. They sell DIY fireplace plans and kitchen plans for homeowners just like you, so you can build with confidence.

DIY outdoor fireplace built from cinderblocks and mortar under pergola. Construction zone in backyard of Tombstone design. — Tombstone fireplace design being built by a DIY homeowner using a construction plan

Maybe you have an idea in your head of what you think your backyard fireplace will look like. Maybe you have seen pictures of outdoor fireplaces and you want to build one like those. The beauty is that all of our designs are very modifiable. We may have a design and DIY construction plan available that isn’t on our Backyard Flare website.

Call us and let’s discuss your design – 520-269-9740. We will save you money and we will give you the confidence you are looking for to build on your own.

Visit Us Today And Get Started

We hope that you’ll visit our website and browse through our designs and pictures. Most of our customers are DIY homeowners who have little to no masonry knowledge or experience. We are confident that you will be successful in building an outdoor fireplace or kitchen using our DIY construction plans. We have taken out the guess work and we want you to have a great DIY experience.

DIY Outdoor Fireplace Costs

How expensive is it…really?

So do you have a desire to add a DIY outdoor fireplace to your backyard? Have you been thinking about designs and placement? Anything you build on your own or have built to improve your outdoor living space will have a cost associated with it. Build costs can be drastically different when you compare a DIY built fireplace to one you pay to have built.

By saying that the build costs vary drastically, that is no overstatement in any way. Let’s break this down, starting with how much a DIY built fireplace would cost. When you get a construction plan from Backyard Flare, LLC, you will get a materials list that tells you exactly how many of each block, how much mortar, concrete, steel, etc, that you will need to build a specific design.

DIY Outdoor Fireplace – Tortolita Design – built by homeowner using a Backyard Flare construction plan

DIY Outdoor Fireplace Costs Broken Down

Each building material has a cost, so for ease of explanation, let’s use $1.00 as the cost for a block, $3.00 for a bag of concrete, and $4.00 for a bag of mortar. Let’s then throw in $300.00 for other build materials like firebrick, wood, angle iron, and rebar. If you have a fireplace design that would require 150 blocks, that is $150.00 to start. Let’s say 10 bags of mortar and 15 bags of concrete also, so that would be $40.00 and $45.00, respectively. With the added $300.00, the total would be approximately $545.00 for the rough building materials.

Let’s say you were able to pour your own foundation for $300.00 in materials. Also, that you found a great looking veneer for a total of $500.00. Adding these costs to the rough build, your total build materials for the fireplace would be approximately $1,345. With no labor costs, and only sweat equity and a whole lot of fun, your costs wouldn’t exceed that for the most part.

outdoor fireplace cholla veneered swimming pool — This is our Cholla design built by a DIY homeowner

Contractor Costs Broken Down

When you have a contractor build the fireplace, you need to start with the $1,345 cost for materials to get a decent calculation. Most of the time, there are additional costs associated with mark-up for the materials. We won’t add those in. At least here in the Arizona area, we have figured out that average labor costs are 4-5 times the materials cost. These calculations would be $1,345 X 4 and $1,345 X 5. These equal $5,380 and $6,725, respectively.

These two labor amounts are only approximate and they are not set in stone. When you add the two labor costs to the $1,345 cost for materials, you could expect to pay $6,725 to $8,070 for the fireplace.

Are you Convinced Yet?

When we look at the differences between the costs of a DIY built fireplace and a contractor built fireplace, there are literally thousands of dollars separating them. Most people would agree that saving money is important. This savings can be directly attributed to building your fireplace DIY style.

When you’re ready to build a gorgeous outdoor fireplace on a budget, your first stop should be www.backyardflare.com. We can offer you a step by step DIY construction plan that will guide you all the way through your build. No sense in trying to figure it out on your own. Starting at only $39.99, you will have the best and most comprehensive DIY construction plan on the market. We look forward to helping you with your DIY project.

How to Build a DIY Outdoor Fireplace

If you’re reading this, you either stumbled on it, or you were actively searching for information on how to build a DIY outdoor fireplace. Either way, welcome and I am so happy that I can share this with you. I get questions on a daily basis from people who say they were excited when they finally found Backyard Flare. Building a DIY outdoor fireplace became a reality at that time for many people who originally thought they needed to figure it out on their own.

Masonry construction outdoor fireplace with storage and concrete lintels — Build your DIY outdoor fireplace and then veneer it however you like. There are no rules.

Can anyone really do it? Actually “yes” you can.

So, if you are able to lift a bag of concrete off the ground, then I believe you have what it takes to build a DIY outdoor fireplace. Believe me, it doesn’t require that you have to have worked with masonry before. If you have only ever seen cinder blocks while walking past them at Home Depot or Lowes, you are still able to build if you follow our construction plans.

Cinder block DIY outdoor fireplace with construction plan — Print your DIY outdoor fireplace plan and bring it to the work site. So easy.

Our designs are very simple even though they are absolutely gorgeous. And the best part is that the majority of our customers are people who are new to the world of DIY outdoor fireplace building. Many have never mixed mortar or used power tools. Our construction plans show people in a very detailed way how to go about putting a DIY outdoor fireplace together.

What do the DIY outdoor fireplace plans work?

We created DIY outdoor fireplace construction plans that are so easy to follow and comprehensive. Most of the guess work is taken away. The construction plans contain large, easy to see, isometric diagrams, and lots of very detailed written instructions. Imagine following a Lego book, but add the written part in as well for more detail. You will take the materials list in the plan and buy exactly what it says, as we have calculated each block and material down to the amount you’ll need. Pretty cool huh?

Cinder block anyone?

Our DIY outdoor fireplace construction plans all follow a cinder block build method. You will be able to pick out whatever veneer you like to finish the structure. By the end of the build, you’ll be high-fiving your family and friends. Then it’s time to get ready to enjoy the warmth of a raging fire on a cool night.

If you’re looking for more information and pics, or just some more inspiration, check out our Instagram profile, “backyardflare”, and our Pinterest profile, “DIY Outdoor”. We know you’ll find something that will look great in your backyard. Let us know how we can help you succeed and how to save thousands at the same time.

When you’re ready to get your plan, go to Backyard Flare, and pick out your favorite design. Once you purchase it, you will receive it in PDF directly to your email. We strive to serve you and to make sure your building experience is the best it can be. Let us show you the reality to outdoor comfort. Call or text me (Dan) direct at 520-269-9740 if you want a free consult. I’ll be waiting.

Start Your DIY Project Today

Never a Better Time

Have you been wondering what you’re going to put in your outdated or boring backyard? Have you looked at it long enough with disgust and with the feeling that you never really want to hang out back there? What about an outdoor fireplace?

You should explore different options for filling that space with an amazing outdoor fireplace and outdoor kitchen. And…if you decide to build the structures by yourself, you will save thousands of dollars in comparison to having a construction company build it for you.

outdoor fireplace diy swimming pool hot tub — Outdoor poolside fireplace built by a DIY homeowner

Outdoor DIY fireplace built by a tree line in a backyard. — Our world famous Prescott design built by a DIY homeowner

Look at what our customers are doing with their backyards. They are adding gorgeous destinations on their tree lines, with tall and bold designs. They are building very simple but elegant outdoor fireplace and grill structures off their existing patios, and they are adding the wow factor to their swimming pool decks.

The Power is Yours – Get a DIY Plan

When you decide that you want a stunning and functional backyard at a budget price, then visit Backyard Flare for the best and most comprehensive outdoor fireplace and grill construction plans on the market. It doesn’t get any easier than that. What are you waiting for, visit Backyard Flare, pick your favorite design, get the plan, buy the materials, and start building.

Unparalleled Service Guaranteed

We strive to stay the course with you while you build. Backyard Flare wants to be involved in your progress both with pictures, but also with phone calls and emails.

We are always available to you either while you’re in the planning phase or the building phase. Call Dan at 520-269-9740 for a free discussion on your backyard and decide if a DIY outdoor fireplace is in your future. Thanks and I hope to hear from you soon.

DIY Outdoor Fireplace Plans

Have you given any thought to building something in your backyard? Maybe something like an outdoor fireplace? You don’t need a lot of room either. It will add thousands to the value to your home, but it doesn’t have to cost thousands to build. That’s where Backyard Flare comes in.

How Does It Work?

You can do the labor yourself by following a DIY construction plan from Backyard Flare, making your outdoor fireplace a smooth process. We got you covered with building info and unparalleled customer service. There are so many beautiful outdoor fireplace designs available, big and small, short and tall. Even if you build the same design as someone else, it’s guaranteed to look different because you get to pick the veneer and finish options. How cool is that?

outdoor fireplace patio furniture diy — Small outdoor fireplaces can add lots of value to your home too

It’s never been easier than now to get going on this amazing adventure, and you will build with confidence. Just knowing that you don’t have to figure it out will make your experience lots of fun and we are always available to you even while you’re building your outdoor fireplace.

DIY outdoor backyard fireplace at night with fire — Outdoor fireplaces are so enjoyable with family and friends

Best DIY Plans Available

Our DIY construction plans have a materials list, a tools list, lots of detailed diagrams, and very comprehensive written instructions that will guide you through your build process. The construction plans will show you the position of each cinder block by row and you’ll feel like you’re stacking adult size Legos. We will email the outdoor fireplace construction plan directly to you so no waiting for them to show up in the mail. You could be building sooner than you think.

Get Started Today

Why not get started on your project today? Visit our website at www.backyardflare.com and get inspired. We’re sure you’ll want to jump in and build one once you see how easy it can be. Thanks and we hope to hear from you.

DIY Fireplace Plans

outdoor fireplace on a pool deck with a hot tub and outdoor furniture — Gorgeous DIY outdoor fireplace built by a homeowner using our construction plan

I love phone calls

I love the fact that we have helped lots of DIYers with DIY fireplace plans. We also love to hear feedback from our customers. The other day I answered my phone and began speaking with a past customer who built a Pima II fireplace design. Karen explained that she had received some bids from contractors to build an outdoor fireplace in her backyard and was blown away at the price tag. She wasn’t prepared to pay what was bid.

Karen elected at that point to start looking for assistance. She stumbled on Backyard Flare’s website while searching for “DIY fireplace plans”. After reviewing our designs, Karen said she picked the Pima II because of the large firebox and the low rough materials cost.

backyard outdoor DIY fireplace built on patio with travertine and stucco finish. — Inexpensive DIY outdoor Pima II fireplace built by a homeowner, stucco and travertine covered with a wooden mantel and lighting

I listened as she told me about her building experience and about how much fun and how fulfilling it was to complete the construction by her and her family. She said that she never thought she could build a DIY fireplace on her own…that was until she discovered our plans.

I was happy to get that phone call because it solidified what we have known for years. We design our fireplaces for the customers that don’t have a ton of masonry building experience. Some don’t have any at all. Our simplistic build plans cater to the DIY homeowners that want to step into a DIY project. They may need just a little bit of instruction to get started.

Get started on your project

We know that you have what it takes to build one too and we are eager to hear about your backyard and your plans to transform it. Text Dan at 520-269-9740 and let’s discuss your design ideas. Let’s talk and know that it’s free, and with no obligation.

Take care and happy building to you. It’s time to get started!!! Go to Backyard Flare to pick your favorite design.

DIY $1,000 Outdoor Kitchen

outdoor kitchen stucco led lighting — My father in-law standing proud with his new outdoor kitchen.

Our DIY outdoor kitchen build began with some ground excavation and measuring for slab height as compared to the existing concrete patio. This was very important as we planned to add brick pavers from the patio to the base of the outdoor kitchen and we wanted it to match up perfectly. Once we determined the proper slab height, we built our wood forms, tamped and prepared the ground, added our steel mesh, and got to pouring the concrete.

concrete pad quikrete — Slab was poured in approximately 35 minutes

My father in law and I worked in tandem, with me mixing and pouring the concrete and him screeding the wet mix. Within 35 minutes, we had the concrete done and we waited for it to start setting up.

Two days later, we pulled the forms off and exposed a great looking L shaped slab that was waiting for some mortar and block. Once the block laying began, we worked for approximately 6 hours to complete the rough block build.

We mixed our N-type mortar in a mixing bin and got 15 blocks mortared in place with each 60-lb bag. This is how much you can generally get done if you don’t waste or lose too much mortar on the ground.

@charbroil Charbroil grill charcoal outdoor kitchen — @charbroil grills are a great way to go for a great look and functionality

@Charbroil for Functionality

We dismantled a Char-Broil charcoal grill and built a base for the cooking system to sit on. The counter height was a standard 36″ and with a gorgeous flagstone, the raised bar and counter was finished. The outer edge of the flagstone was a very cool chisel cut for a rustic look.

flagstone cinderblock outdoor kitchen outdoor bar — Flagstone is a great counter and bar material

outdoor kitchen grill stucco @charbroil grill

Finish Work – Stucco and LEDs

I applied stucco to the sides of the structure and painted it to match our previously built outdoor fireplace. We ran some low voltage lighting cord and added great looking LED lights for additional ambiance. We hoped to keep the outdoor kitchen build to a minimum and we ended up spending right at $1,000 total on the structure. This cost included the material, lights, counter, and even the grill. Amazing what you can do when you have a plan to follow. A DIY outdoor kitchen can be in your future.

DIY kitchen build outdoor lighting led fireplace grill — Lighting is the best way to add a rich look

Let us know how we can help you with a DIY outdoor kitchen construction plan. It doesn’t have to cost an arm and leg so let us show you how to do it.

Outdoor Fireplace Construction Plan

What does your dream backyard look like?

DIY outdoor fireplace TV pergola — DIY homeowner built outdoor fireplace with storage voids and mounted TV.

With so many people wanting to spruce up their backyards, why not build an outdoor fireplace? Backyard Flare specializes in helping our clients, DIY homeowners just like you, with an easy and comprehensive method of building. We do this with our DIY outdoor fireplace construction plans. Every picture in this article is an example of fireplaces built entirely by DIY homeowners who used Backyard Flare DIY outdoor fireplace construction plans.

DIY outdoor fireplace built by a homeowner in a corner under a patio cover. This is surrounded by chairs and is poolside. — DIY homeowner built, poolside corner fireplace under a patio cover with a TV

So much goes into the planning and design of an outdoor fireplace, so trying to figure it out and hoping it functions at the end is not the way to proceed. There are lots of great designs and themes and we are confident we have designed one that would look great in your backyard. We have helped thousands of homeowners with their outdoor fireplace construction plans, and they have made us proud with the results they have achieved.

How much can you really save?

You will have fun while building and at the same time, you’ll be adding huge monetary value to your home. If you could build an outdoor fireplace in your backyard for $1,000 but get an additional $5k-$10k fo ryour home when you sell it why wouldn’t you do it? We have heard from many customers that their DIY outdoor fireplace was the reason their house sold. That makes us feel pretty good.

Cinder block construction outdoor fireplace and outdoor kitchen under construction in a backyard. This fireplace is surrounded by chairs and is under trees. — DIY outdoor fireplace and grill structure being built by a homeowner

The only two additional things not covered in our outdoor fireplace construction plans are directions on how to pour the foundation and what to cover the outside of the structure with. There are too many variables to the thickness of your foundation and we don’t want to dictate what the final structure will look like. That’s the fun part, figuring out a great veneer.

How’d We Do?

So, we hope you have been inspired to build your own DIY outdoor fireplace and that our construction plans will be used to guide you through the build process. We know they will not lead you astray. Let us know if you have any questions about our designs or the build process. Check out www.backyardflare.com for more info and inspiration.

As we always say here at Backyard Flare, LLC, happy building.

Dan Heston
Backyard Flare, LLC
Tucson, Arizona
520-269-9740

DIY Outdoor Kitchen Build

Getting Started

Well, this 2020 spring sure snuck up on us. Down here in the southwest, the temps are getting into the 70s already in March, so we are looking at some DIY projects. We have decided that an DIY outdoor kitchen is what my father-in-law’s backyard needs. He’s super excited and we started talking and discussing the build and what we would want in the structure.

DIY Outdoor Kitchen with Charcoal Grill — Getting started with the excavation.

We have a few hundred square feet to work with, so we have some different shapes and configurations available to us. There is a gorgeous mountain view to our east, so we definitely want to keep that on our mind when we design the layout.

Initial Thoughts

First and foremost, my father-in-law loves to cook on charcoal, so we are headed in that direction with the grill. We picked out a Char-Broil brand structure that we’ll modify to fit the space. That’s a real cool way to build and very economical, so we’ll be getting into that in some future posts. Secondly, we are looking to match the exterior of the outdoor fireplace that we built last year on the opposite side of the backyard. In order to do that, we’ll be putting stucco and outdoor lighting on our DIY outdoor kitchen, with flagstone as our counter material. By using the same finish material on the grill and fireplace, it’ll look like we built both structures at the same time and the overall look of the backyard will look well thought out.

We decided that a raised bar area would be a nice addition to the DIY outdoor kitchen, so the structure will have to be big enough to accommodate that extra feature. An “L” shape is something we feel will work so the guests sitting at the bar will have the mountain view to look at while they talk to the grill chef and enjoy their favorite beverage.

Starting the Construction

We staked out the rough dimension of the “L” shape grill and then started figuring out the level of the future concrete slab. This is important so our patio pavers are the same height of the patio to the house. The excavation of the site started with a quick dig out of the slab dimension.

Using a really long level, 6-footer, we laid out random pavers from the existing patio to the farthest side of the DIY outdoor kitchen structure. This would tell us how much digging we would need to do to get it uniform and level.

Drawing and Block Count/Order

Dan at Backyard Flare drew up the grill structure using CAD and concept and then used the drawing to calculate the type of blocks and exact number of each block needed. Dan figured the mortar and concrete need as well, and then called Lowes to place the order for delivery. The best part is that almost all the building materials and even the grill will be delivered right to the side of the house, which is where the gate is located leading to the backyard. The materials purchased, including the $75 delivery fee, was only $505, and that included the grill. Wow, how much more economical can it get?

Follow along on our future posts as we build. You’ll be amazed at how easy and inexpensive it can actually be to build on your own. The DIY world is yours to explore and we can help. If you’re interested in building your own backyard paradise, let us know how we can help. Get your construction plan today and begin building your DIY outdoor kitchen tomorrow. Happy building.

Is A Chimney Flue A Must?

Customer Questions

I was working on a custom fireplace design and DIY construction plan for a customer the other day. We had just spoken about her fireplace structure. She had asked me questions, one of which was “should I use a chimney flue”? I explained my experience with a chimney flue and the construction method of our designs, answering all her follow up questions. She was eager to learn which made me very happy. When we finished our conversation, the phone rang again, and I answered it.

On the other end of the phone was a man who wanted to build a DIY outdoor fireplace in his backyard. Would you believe he had the exact same question concerning the use of a chimney flue. I spoke with him for a while and answered all his questions. When I hung up, I really started to think back. There were lots phone calls and emails that hit on the specific topic of a chimney flue in our outdoor fireplaces.

Here We Go!

I thought that this same topic would be a good one for my next blog post because the interest is obviously out there. Now let me get started by saying that if you have ten masons in a room and you give them the same picture and dimensions of a fireplace, then say, “Go build it”, it will be built ten different ways. No two structures would be alike. Now I must continue with this and say that all ten fireplaces could very well be functional fireplaces and just because they are all built different doesn’t mean any of them are wrong. They’re just different. We are just one of those masons and ours is simply a different method of building and to some, a different train of thought. The use of a chimney flue is not wrong at all, but we know they aren’t necessary if the structure is built the way we build.

DIY outdoor fireplace fire wreath christmas light flower vase candle — This is a DIY outdoor fireplace built using our plans without a chimney flue.

This is not to say that you absolutely can’t use a chimney flue with our designs, we just know that they aren’t always necessary. A lot of masons build using these clay pipes. Some are square, some are rectangle, and some are round. Some are 12” long and some are three feet long and there are several diameters too. First, I need to go back a bit and explain what a chimney flue is used for. It is literally the tube that lines a chimney and lots of people think they are a necessity.

We Design Without a Chimney Flue

You may be thinking, “how do I not need a flue to direct the smoke”. Our designs are constructed with the interior chimney dimensions being formed by block. In essence, our chimneys designs are all squares and rectangles. There are no round edges or round entryways to our chimney openings so square and rectangle blocks dictate the way everything is formed.

diy outdoor gas fireplace stacked stone golf course arizona — Even our fireplace with no chimney functions well.

Backyard Flare fireplace designs incorporate a large throat chimney, so the inside of the chimney does not get super-hot. Our cinder block fireplace designs have been heat tested and they are hotter in the Arizona summer than in the winter months with a fire burning. I can literally stand up on my fireplace after a fire has been burning for 15-20 minutes and stick my hand inside the chimney opening. I can hold my bare hand against the inside of the chimney from the top and it is warm, but not so hot that it is unbearable. This is the reason we can say that the inside of our chimneys aren’t even as hot as it is on a sunny Arizona day.

diy outdoor fireplace — This is Backyard Flare’s first ever fireplace built in 2007. No chimney flue was used and it still works great with no breakdown of the chimney blocks.

Lots of people will say you need to build your chimney with a clay flue for purposes of heat, thus keeping the heat off the cinder block. I say, if your chimney opening is big enough, not restricting the smoke and heat, you don’t need a chimney flue. You can open a chimney up pretty big and not even affect the draft of the structure, so it’s basically up to you which build method you want to subscribe to.

How Are We Different?

Backyard Flare construction plans use the same basic build method above the firebox from design to design. These chimneys appear different from the outside too. We have never had a draft problem, so we know we have a tried and true method of building that does not require a chimney flue, thus reducing the cost of the final structure.

I hope his post has helped you out and that it has answered a few questions. Let us know if you have any further questions and we will make every attempt to get you an answer. Thanks for reading and if you are wanting to build a DIY outdoor fireplace, visit www.backyardflare.com for the best and most comprehensive DIY construction plans on the market. As I always say, happy building.