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Just saw my neighbor's diy fire pit crack after one winter
Checked it out yesterday - he used regular concrete blocks instead of fire-rated ones. Learned the hard way that you gotta spend the extra $40 on proper pavers if you want it to last past March.
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masonm709d ago
Wait, I gotta disagree a bit here. I've used plain old concrete blocks for two years now with zero issues. The trick is to not build your fire right up against the blocks, give them some space with a metal ring or just keep the fire small. The cracking usually comes from people dumping water on hot blocks or building bonfires way too close to the edges.
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terry_carter159d ago
Concrete blocks can hold moisture and explode when heated too.
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patriciareed8d ago
Two years isn't really that long to see the full picture though. Concrete blocks are porous by nature, they soak up moisture from the ground and air over time. When you heat them enough, that trapped water turns to steam and expands, and blocks just aren't built to handle that kind of internal pressure. I've seen blocks that looked totally fine on the outside suddenly crack in half during a campfire, no water dumped on them or anything. A metal ring helps but the blocks around the ring can still absorb heat and moisture from the environment. Why risk having a block explode next to you and send sharp pieces flying just to save a few bucks on fire pit materials?
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