Last Updated on October 20, 2026 by Umar Farooq
How to build a paver fire pit, in one paragraph: pick a spot at least 10 feet from the house and trees, dig a shallow circle, compact a few inches of gravel, screed 1 inch of sand, stack two or three courses of pavers in a staggered ring glued with masonry adhesive, and line the inside with firebrick or a steel ring so the fire does not touch the pavers. A 36-inch ring is the usual size. It is a weekend job, and the ring is the easy part. The base and the liner decide whether it is still standing in five years.
(The fire is the least complicated thing on the list. Fires have been doing their job for a very long time.)
Choose the ring: pavers, wall block or a kit
You have three ways to make the ring, and the cheap one is not always the one people try first.
- A kit. Retaining wall blocks sized for a pit, often with a steel ring. Costs more per block, and nothing needs guessing. Our guide to fire pit blocks compares them.
- Wall block bought loose. Tapered blocks make a circle with no cutting.
- Pavers stacked on edge or flat. The cheapest, and the one this article is about. Reviewed's brick paver guide builds the whole thing from pavers in 8 steps (how to build a fire pit).
If you have not bought anything yet, start with a steel fire ring insert and build the paver shell around it. It is the smallest purchase that does the most for the pavers' lifespan.
Place it where the fire cannot reach anything
Reviewed calls 10 feet from structures and trees "often considered a minimum" and says over 20 feet is safer. I would take the 20. Before you mark the circle:
- Check local burn rules and any HOA limits. Some towns ban wood fires or need a permit.
- Call 811 before you dig. It is the free national before-you-dig service, and a pit is a hole.
- Stay clear of overhead branches, not only trunks.
- Check the wind direction at the time of day you actually use the yard.
How to build a paver fire pit base: dig, compact, screed
The base for a paver fire pit is a small patio base. ICPI's spec calls for at least 4 inches of compacted base under patios on well-drained soil, with 2 to 4 inches more on wet or weak soil (ICPI Tech Spec 2). Local guides for pits dig anywhere from 3 to 7 inches, so treat it as a patio that happens to be round.
- Mark the circle with a stake and string, about 36 inches across for the ring, wider for the pad.
- Dig out the sod and soil to fit the base plus 1 inch of sand plus the first course.
- Add gravel in layers and compact each one. Rent a plate compactor for a pad; a hand tamper is enough only for a ring-sized circle. See plate compactor rental for sizing.
- Spread about 1 inch of bedding sand, screed it flat and check with a level.
If the pit sits on an existing patio, skip the digging. Build on the existing pavers and use the first course of blocks glued down so the ring cannot shift. Our paver base guide covers what a base needs when you are starting from soil.
Stack, stagger and glue the ring
Lay the first course dry, with edges touching, and level it in both directions. Lift each paver, put a bead of masonry adhesive on, and set it back. Offset joints on each course by half a unit, like bricks in a wall, so the seams never line up.
Two or three courses is plenty for a seat-height pit. Stop earlier than you think you should, because a tall wall is just a chimney for smoke into your face. (If you want a seat as well as a pit, see our seat wall guide.)
Keep adhesive about an inch back from the visible edges so it does not squeeze out and burn.
Line the pit so the fire never touches the pavers
This is the step that gets skipped. Ordinary concrete pavers can crack or spall when they are heated fast, so a liner belongs between the fire and the ring: a steel fire ring or a course of firebrick set inside. See heat-resistant pavers for which units take heat.
Leave a small air gap between liner and ring if you can, and fill the pit floor with gravel, lava rock or firebrick so the fire sits on something that drains.
Lay a pad so the chairs sit flat
A fire pit works best with a flat paver pad around it so chairs do not tilt. Extend the base beyond the ring, lay the pad pavers on the same sand bed, and keep the surface fall to a minimum of 1.5 percent so rain does not pool (ICPI Tech Spec 2). Edge the pad with a restraint.
Ash and heat discolor pavers over time. That is cosmetic. Sweep it up, and do not seal the pad right next to the fire.
Keep the base honest and the fire small
A good paver fire pit is a small, level, well-based ring with a liner you can see and a safe distance on every side. Choose pavers because they are cheap and familiar, glue them in a staggered ring, put a steel or firebrick liner inside, and set it 10 feet from anything that burns, 20 if you can. If you only get one thing right, get the base right.
FAQ
What do you need to build a paver fire pit?
Pavers or wall blocks, masonry adhesive, gravel, bedding sand, a level, a tamper or rented plate compactor, and a steel ring or firebrick for the liner. A hose to dampen the gravel helps while compacting.
How deep should a paver fire pit base be?
Local guides dig 3 to 7 inches. ICPI's patio spec calls for at least 4 inches of compacted base on well-drained soil and more on soft or wet ground, so use that as the guide for the pad.
How close to the house can a paver fire pit go?
Reviewed calls 10 feet from structures and trees often considered a minimum, with more than 20 feet safer. Check local codes, which can set different distances.
Can you use regular pavers for a fire pit?
For the outer ring, yes. Do not let the fire touch them directly: line the pit with a steel ring or firebrick, because ordinary concrete can crack when heated fast.
Can you build a fire pit on an existing patio?
Yes. Use a steel ring or firebrick floor so heat does not reach the pavers, and glue the first course to the patio so the ring cannot slide. Keep clearance from the house and overhead branches.
