Square Dining
The benefits of building a brick barbecue are multifold, with thick juicy steaks, roasted corn and baked beans being some of the first that cross my mind. A brick barbecue can accent your patio beautifully, and the brick design blends well with any garden setting. Not only does it look great, but it can give any ordinary food a delicious flavor. Once you build one, you’ll wonder how you ever got through the summers without one. This article describes the basic construction.
Building Your Barbeque Grill
Tools and Materials You Need:
Tape measure
Hammer
Brickset chisel
Mason’s string
Shovel
Aviation snips
Reciprocating saw
Line level
Masonry hoe
Wheelbarrow
Trowel
Jointing tool
Garden stakes
2×4 lumber
Bricks
18-guage metal mesh
#4 rebar
Type N mortar
Cooking grills
Ash pan
Helpful Hint – Before you start using the mortar try doing a dry build, or simply practice running your lays and courses. You could even build the entire barbeque first to see how it looks then go back and do it using the mortar. Yes, it’s more time involved but once you start putting things together with the mortar it’s permanent. This way you can experiment with different styles.
Step 1. Buy the materials
Purchase the barbecue grills, fire grates and ashtrays at your hardware store before you begin building. These items will determine how large the barbecue will be, so you must have them ahead of time. Decide how many bricks you need once you determine the size of the grill. Purchase your bricks at your local brickyard. If your not sure how many bricks you’ll need it’s a good idea to take a drawing showing accurate dimensions with you to make your purchase. There you should find knowledgeable people to help you determine the amount of bricks you’ll need. Keep in mind the average barbecue is 13 rows high.
Step 2. Pick a spot to build the barbeque:
You will need a level spot for your barbecue. Consider which way the wind usually blows, and position the barbecue so that the smoke blows away from the cook and the Dining area. A good idea is to keep it a good distnce from the house as you want to keep potential hot ashes from causing problems. If you do not have a concrete or brick patio, you will need to lay a small concrete base for your barbecue.
Step 3. Determine the dimensions of you barbeque:
Outline how large your barbecue will be with a chalk line on the base concrete slab. Without mortar, lay two courses (or layers) of brick to help determine the size of your barbecue. Remember to leave 1/2 inch between each brick for mortar joints.
Step 4. Lay the foundation
Lay out and area large enough to accommodate your project. Dig a continuous trench, 12″ wide x 10″ deep, along the perimeter of the area, leaving a mound in the center. Remove 4″ of soil from the top o the mound and round over the edges. Set a 2×4 around the site so the top is 2″ above the ground along the back and 1 1/2″ above the ground on th front. this slope will help shed water. Reinforce the footing with metal mesh and five pieces of rebar cut to size. Use a line level to ensure the forms are level from side to side. Roll the mesh into 6″ diameter cylinders and cut them to fit into the trench. Leave a 4″ gap on each side of the cylinder and the trench walls. Tie the rebar to the mesh to hold it in place. Coat the forms with vegetable oil and pour the form. Let the foundation cure for one week.
Step 5. Lay the first course of bricks:
Remove the bricks and use a pointed trowel to apply mortar to the concrete base, but do not go beyond the chalk lines. Lay the first layer of bricks following the diagram for the first course. Apply mortar to the sides of each brick before you lay it and butt the bricks up against each other.
Step 6. Lay the remaining courses:
The rest of the courses alternate in pattern. The even numbered courses follow one pattern while the odd numbered courses follow another pattern. Alternate the patterns until you have the desired number of courses. Use a level to make sure that each course is even, and use a builder’s square to ensure that the corners come to a perfect 90 degree angle. On each odd numbered course, set z-shaped metal ties in the mortar and distribute them evenly. Place the z-shaped ties in different spots on each course.
Step 7.
Lay the top course:
For the top course, the inner row is laid with its narrow side facing out as a stretcher, and the outer row is laid with its short side facing out as a header. Once the mortar is dry, you can attach a cutting board to the side of the barbecue with fluted masonry nails if you wish. lay you grills across the top and you’re in business.
There you have it. With a little luck and skill you should end up with a grill you can be proud of, and that will last for years
Chuck Lunsford is a successful Webmaster and publisher of JustGoDoItYourself.com He provides tips and advice on finding the do-it-yourself bbq plans online.
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