Building Your Own Barbecue

Building Your Own Barbeque

A lot of people adore bbqs.

Being outside in the fine weather, cooking food over a fire, sharing the day with family and friends - what’s not to adore?

And the nice thing is, it requires just a couple of hours to create yourself a good Charcoal Barbecue that may be fired up year after year, providing you with a focal point for the entertaining.

A trip to a Do-it-yourself Store offers you all of the items you’re going to need.

Put aside a day (or perhaps two if you want to level a piece of your garden), and get to work.

When you’re stoking up the coals and the burgers are on the grill, the work will all seem worthwhile!

What You’ll Require

Stones, sand, cement
Bbq grill set
Spirit level
Shovel and trowel
Plank of wood
Masking Tape

Best places to Site A person's Charcoal Barbecue

Locate a flat location away from your house, outbuildings, trees, as well as other structures.

Gas Barbeque smoke will certainlyto wander in through open windows so make an effort to position so this won’t be a problem.

Don’t forget other people - they may not really appreciate your Gas Barbecue smoke billowing through their own fencing and so take into account the breeze as well as which position would be best as a measure to minimize this.

Build on a Flat Surface

The simplest way to make sure of a flat surface is to construct your Gas Barbecue on a previously level patio or back yard area.

In order to site it on grass, you’ll have to dig it out, fill it with stones and then cover the hole with paving or concrete.

Make use of your spirit level to guarantee it is completely level.

When it isn’t, use a layer of your concrete in order to even it out.

How big a Barbecue?

The size of your bbq will really depend on the dimensions of the grill you select.

After you’ve acquired your barbeque grill, lay it on the flat location you’re going to site the bbq on.

Place a single layer of your stones around the grill - creating a U-shape around three sides and leaving the front clear.

Draw the outer edge and the the inside edge of the stones by using masking tape.

This will be your guideline when laying the bricks and mortar.

Remove the layer of stones and put them back with the rest.

How to get started

Blend the sand and cement as per the manufacturer’s directions.

Spread evenly the first volume of mortar on the ground using the masking tape as your guideline.

Put the bricks on the mortar, leaving ½ inch gap between each brick for additional mortar.

Check the level again and ensure that the corners are at right angles.

The Height of the Barbecue

Since you’re the main one who’s probably be doing the actual barbecuing, use your height to gauge how high the Charcoal Barbecue should be.

Plan for the grill/grate supports to be about waist height - that’ll prevent bending too much as you barbecue.

Layer the actual Bricks

Place the bricks, beginning with the corners.

Stagger the second layer - this can be done through cutting and using half stones at the ends and full bricks in the centre.

When you’ve laid four or five courses of bricks - staggered every time lay a length of wood across from one side to the other and use spirit level to check they are continue to be level to each other.

Then use the spirit level vertically to check that the sides are upright.

Any variance in height ought to be equalized out using mortar.

Continue adding the stones and mortar until you’ve done six or seven courses or are close to your waist height.

On the left-hand and right-hand sides of the wall structure as you face the barbecue, turn the bricks sideways so that they create a support for the grilling holder, jutting out from the remaining wall.

Measure the width of the grill once again to ensure that it’s likely to fit.

lay an additional three courses and turn the bricks sideways once again - this time so that they will support the grill tray.

Add two more courses of stones and mortar and you’re done!

Finishing Touches

Go around the walls of the bbq, taking off the rugged mortar edges.

You can do this as you go along using a short length of hosepipe and dragging it along each of the horizontal and vertical joints.

If you possess the. room, bricks and inclination, you could lengthen the brickwork out over the left or right of your barbecue to create a table top, using a paving slab as the work surface.

When you’ve constructed your bbq, dust off any stone dust with a soft bristled brush or paintbrush.

Do this carefully and thoroughly

You’ll need to leave the barbecue for at least three days just before using it as the mortar needs this period of time to set and dry.

Once you’ve waited three days, you’re all set, so telephone your friends and family, head to the supermarket and get ready to enjoy the great outdoors together with your newly built bbq.

Bon appetite!