How to Build a Brick Grill
The tastes that come from an outdoor brick grill are just wonderful during a nice summer evening. Friends and family surround the grill as smoke wafts through the air. With a bit of planning a brick grill is easily built outdoors and will give years of relaxing entertainment.
The Foundation
As with any outdoor project a good foundation is an important element, and an outdoor grill is no different. To build the grill’s foundation, dig away a decent amount of the top soil. It doesn’t need to be much, but remember that a proper foundation should be between 4″ and 6″ deep. For additional strength in freezing regions, put some rebar into the cement as it dries. This will allow for less heaving during the freeze. As you pour out the cement try to make sure that there is a bit of a pitch to it; about one-eighth of an inch pitch will let any rain water drain away from the bricks. Generally a two day period is needed for the cement to dry.
The Bricks
There are quite a few types of bricks to choose from - in most parts of the country there are stores dedicated to selling just brick products. In many cases people will choose a brick to match the scheme of the house, while others prefer the grill to be unique. Finding and working from a plan is a good idea but there is a certain amount of design freedom when it comes to outdoor brick grills.
Laying the Bricks
With your plan give yourself an idea of where the grill is going to sit on its foundation. With shovel in hand begin to dry mix your mortar. The mix-ratio is a critical element in the project, so don’t be satisfied with mediocre judgment - get the mix combined properly.
brick grillAs a rule of thumb, the dry mix should be three parts sand and one part masonry cement. Make sure that you use building sand and not beach sand; building sand performs better over time and will not fall apart. Add water so that the consistency is similar to that of a soft ice-cream. If it is thicker than this, it will be difficult to work with. If it is softer than this, it will run off the brick and not last.
Cover the bottom and one end of the first course of brick with mortar. A good amount with good coverage will suffice. Set the first course and clean up the edges. For the second course, cover the face of the brick pointing upward and one other side with cement, then set the brick firmly. Remember to stagger the bricks - one brick should never go right on top of another; if this happens the chances of the wall falling over are greatly increased. When you get to where the grill is supposed to be, insert a metal pin capable of holding the grill in place. They only need to stick out about a half inch and can really go where you choose. The longer the grill is left to set for after completion the better it will be in use.