Success...Whiskey Barrel Fire Pit!!
Despite all of the weird looks I got when I explained I was going to make a fire pit out of a wooden whiskey barrel... I have created a rustic, unique, and one of a kind fire pit!
I did my research, took all safety precautions, and thought about ways to make the construction and upkeep as easy as possible!
Of course I couldn’t just throw sticks in this wooden barrel and just light them on fire! Therefore, I thought about what products I could use that are heat resistant that would keep heat and flames as far away from the barrel as possible. There were many ideas floating through my head, but I ended going with something that was easy to create and easy to take care of.
To make sure our barrel didn't get too hot, I used a galvanized steal bucket as the center of the fire pit and the area that will contain the fire. I also filled the bucket up about 1/4 of the way with sand just as another safety precaution. Yes, after awhile the fire may eat away at this bucket. However, when that time comes, it will be pretty easy to pull this bucket out and replace it with another! The great part about using a bucket is, it came with a lid that we can use as protection from the elements!
I needed an insulator to keep the heat from the bucket from reaching the barrel. Sand was too messy, seeing as how it would fall through the cracks of the barrel. I ended up using lava rock; the most pores and heat resistant rock I could find. These rocks will allow the barrel to breath, but will act as an insulator for the bucket as well. I didn’t like the look of lava rock, however; so, I used white marble chips for the top layer of rocks.
I am working on finding some large rope or antique bronze hinged handles to put on the sides of the barrel so that we can move it out of the way to mow, move it to another locations, or just so we don’t kill that part of our grass.
This project was $80 total and it took about 10 minutes to assemble once I bought the materials!
Yes, $80 is quite a bit more than some of the pre-made fire pits you can find. However, I love the fact that this fire pit is custom to us and that I couldn't find another whiskey barrel fire pit online if I tried!
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