How to Build a DIY Gel Fire Pit

One of our favorite summertime activities is heading outside and sitting around a fire pit with some friends. A roaring fire is perfect to chat around on a hazy summer evening and who doesn’t like toasting up a few tasty s’mores? But none of this probably seems possible if you don’t have a fire pit.

If you don’t already have a fire pit of your own, there’s no need to go out and buy an expensive new one. You can easily make one with just a few simple items, as shown by Home Repair Tutor in the video below.

Here’s what you’ll need to get started:

  • 1 plastic bowl
  • 1 plastic bowl (about an inch larger than the first)
  • Instant cement
  • Pam
  • Solid Gel
  • Grout sponge
  • Sander
  • Sandpaper
  • Coal

This project is so easy to make, you could easily finish it in an afternoon! All the materials are cheap to purchase and easy to find in your local stores, too.

Best of all, the end result of this DIY looks amazing. It’s incredible that with a few materials from Walmart, you can make something that actually looks like a high-end fire pit from somewhere like Pier 1 or Pottery Barn. What you’re left with is a classic, simple design that works with any outdoor decor and will burn for hours.

You’re probably wondering how any of this is possible with two plastic bowls acting as your base. How can anything burn properly and how can it look, well, nice?

Essentially, the two plastic bowls act as a mold for your instant cement. You’ll be stacking the bowls within one another (the smaller one inside the larger) to create a small, rounded fire pit perfect for toasting marshmallows! Using your grout sponge and 600 grit sandpaper, you can easily mold the inside of your pit to whatever size you prefer.

For the full instructions, and to see this adorable DIY fire pit in action, make sure to watch the Home Repair Tutor video below. Then make sure to share your thoughts on this project (or any homemade fire pits you’ve put together) with us!