How to Build a Brick Grill
A beautiful summer’s day in the backyard could only be made better with a brick grill. They’re fairly easy to build within a weekend, and will yield many a hamburger or hotdog on a warm afternoon.
Required Materials
- bricks
- cement
- sand
- water
- rebar
- mortar
- grill pegs
- 2×4” stock
- nails
- stakes
- string
Required Tools
- shovel
- trowel
- level
- string
- pencil/paper
- wheel barrow
- hose
Instructions
- Foundation - Once you have located where the grill will go, dig down approximately four inches and create a level surface. Install foundation forms by nailing four 2×4” boards together around the interior of the hole. Mix water, cement, and sand in the wheel barrow to the ratios listed on the cement bag. Pour the mixed cement into the foundation hole. Once the cement has dried, push in the rebar rods in a latus configuration. This will help to prevent frost-heave cracking or foundation movement. Make a keyhole mark in the shape of your fireplace layout into the cement with the edge of a 2×4” piece of stock.
- Installing the First Course - Begin installing the first course of bricks by putting some mortar along the initial section of the keyhole mark. The mortar should be mixed to the instructions on the bag, aim for a consistency of something like soft ice-cream. Put a decent amount of mortar onto the bottom and side of the brick. Place the brick on the keyhole and wiggle it down firmly. Do the same for the first section, and then repeat. Clean around the bricks as you go.
- Installing the Second Course - Begin the second course of bricks by checking that the first course is level. With the handle of the trowel, tap down any bricks that are not flush. Pound in stakes at the end of each line of bricks. Place the first brick of the second course down, and then push into place. Tie a string between the stakes and use this as a level-line. Move the line up the stakes with each further course. Make sure that the bricks overlap one another so the wall maintains its strength - no brick should sit directly on top of another (in this circumstance, use a half brick).
- Installing a Cross-Member - Use a metal cross-pan at a course indicated on your plan or at about six/seven courses up. Lay one course across the front of the pan. This will serve as the fire tray.
- Install Grill Pins - Insert grill pins into the mortar at the height indicated by your plan, or at a comfortable cooking height.
- Air Space and Wall Cap - Along the cross-pan (sides as well as back), leave some space between the bricks. This will allow air flow into the fire tray area. Consider the primary wind direction before doing this. You also may choose to lay a cap - stone along the grill walls. Install this in the same way as the bricks. Be careful, however, to ask about the moisture content in the material you use; frequent heating and cooling may cause cracking if there is too much water present.