How to Build Outdoor Fireplaces With Pavers

Knowing that fire is safely contained within a stone fireplace will allow you to relax as you would inside with a brick fireplace or wood stove.

1. Check with your city for outdoor burning restrictions, chimney height restrictions and the required safety distance from flammable materials. Also check building codes to see if this sort of structure is allowed outside your home.

2. Pavers can become expensive; most likely you'll want to use them as the decorative outer layer of the fireplace and the hearth or patio, rather than building the entire structure from pavers. Pavers are not designed to withstand the heat in the firebox and would need to be protected from the temperatures by at least 1 inch of noncombustible material.

3. Decide on your fireplace design and location. Both can be restricted by your city's building codes. Save yourself time and money---do your homework before you build.

4. Construct your fireplace design using nonflammable building materials such as rocks, stones, cement, bricks, cinder blocks or concrete. For the firebox, you will need to use special heat-resistant materials such as firebrick and refractory mortar. Or use a ready-made firebox.

5. Decorate with pavers, using mortar to place them vertically and to fill spaces between pavers on the hearth. For patio pavers, use construction sand to fill spaces between stones.

Tip

Refractory mortar is more durable than regular mortar when dealing with the high heat of fire. You can shop online or at your local home improvement store for ready-made fireboxes to make building your outdoor fireplace easier.

Warning

Be aware of outdoor burning restrictions in your area---you may need a permit. Be certain your property is wildfire-safe. Have a fire extinguisher handy, just in case. Always supervise children around an open fire, and never leave fire unattended. Make certain the fire is out completely before you go inside your house for the night.