DIY Brick BBQ?

[HassanZ]

Hi all,

 

I am planning on building a brick BBQ in the back garden ready for the summer weather (if we even get any!)

 

There are many ideas I have seen on Google and I thought this design and DIY BBQ kit looks the best:

 

http://compare.ebay.co.uk/like/33065966 ... adtype=pla

 

The turned bricks to provide the supports for the grills looks like a good idea as metal supports would corrode and give way over a certain amount of time.

 

Have any of you built one or have one at their house? Photos would be very much appreciated to give me some inspiration!

 

Any advice/pointers would also be great.

 

Can you also please recommend any places where I can purchase the good quality DIY BBQ kit for this brick BBQ at a good price? Preferable a large one so we can place more food on there at the same time.

 

Your help is very much appreciated.

[Stew]

My mates Dad built one about 20 years ago. It's still standing and saw lots of abuse from us as youngsters climbing all over it..... So built well, it'll last!

 

One thing he did was built a 'shelf' next to it ( brick frame with a nice slab on top) which is great for putting stuff on. This is worth considering.

[Chesterfield]

Id go double skin brick built and use fire/kiln bricks for the internal area. You can then use it as a nice fire to sit round afterward without cracking the bricks. Also consider building a tall chimney for it too, otherwise you just know its going to throw smoke just where you are sitting, and of course with a brick bbq you cant move it to redirect the smoke. You will have to move your seating are instead.

 

Ensure you do as stew says and build a nice table/platform next to the bbq to store items. It can also double up as a log store underneath the table/bbq so you can cook on wood if you wish.

[Builder49]

Bear in mind that standard bricks and standard mortar will burn out over time! Also you do realise the bricks aren't included in that ebay cost?

[rancer]

That kit looks like a decent price. We got ours from Wickes I think.

 

Me and a mate built one a couple of years back. Took us two days and two crates of beer. It was a bit wonky, but that was probably due to the beer..

 

We went to the local builders merchants for bricks. Filled up the back of his old Hyundai Coupe with the bricks, then cruised home at 15mph with a MEGA low car, windows down, shades on and Elton John blasting out the speakers

 

As long as you start off level, it's not too hard and using the grill tray as a template makes things easy.

 

I would recommend sobriety.

[Builder49]

Two days, two men, 100 bricks !!!!! Bloody hell that was some good beer !!!

[HassanZ]

Id go double skin brick built and use fire/kiln bricks for the internal area. You can then use it as a nice fire to sit round afterward without cracking the bricks. Also consider building a tall chimney for it too, otherwise you just know its going to throw smoke just where you are sitting, and of course with a brick bbq you cant move it to redirect the smoke. You will have to move your seating are instead.

 

Ensure you do as stew says and build a nice table/platform next to the bbq to store items. It can also double up as a log store underneath the table/bbq so you can cook on wood if you wish.

 

Thanks for your reply matey. Could you please advise on the best bricks to use? I have no idea what the differences are between them and what will last longer with constant exposure to fire than the other.

 

I need to sit down and work out what the optimal height is so I don't get a back ache doing the BBQ!

 

Would you by any chance know what sort of money I'd be looking to spend (per brick) on the ones you recommend? I have seen London bricks for sale at BnQ for 34p a brick but I wasn't sure if this is the correct brick?

 

How high above the BBQ should the chimney go?

 

Do I treat the bricks with anything to ensure it lasts?

 

PS - Congratulations on the new arrival mate, really happy for you and the Mrs! Hope they are both well Must be the best moment of your life! I wish your newly formed family happiness, good health and success for the future

 

Bear in mind that standard bricks and standard mortar will burn out over time! Also you do realise the bricks aren't included in that ebay cost?

 

You are funny! Yes I did know that thank you for pointing that out to me though...you never know I may have thought that!

 

What bricks etc you recommend?

 

That kit looks like a decent price. We got ours from Wickes I think.

 

Me and a mate built one a couple of years back. Took us two days and two crates of beer. It was a bit wonky, but that was probably due to the beer..

 

We went to the local builders merchants for bricks. Filled up the back of his old Hyundai Coupe with the bricks, then cruised home at 15mph with a MEGA low car, windows down, shades on and Elton John blasting out the speakers

 

As long as you start off level, it's not too hard and using the grill tray as a template makes things easy.

 

I would recommend sobriety.

 

HAHAHA!!! That sounds like fun!! I fear of making the same mistake! I hope I don't end up making it wonky too!

 

Is the kit good value for money? I have seen one at Wickes and BnQ at about £20-£25, will I be better off with them? I want to build a large BBQ, where do you think I can get a large kit from (large surface area)?

 

Are there any drawbacks to making a large BBQ?

 

Thanks for your advice mate

 

My mates Dad built one about 20 years ago. It's still standing and saw lots of abuse from us as youngsters climbing all over it..... So built well, it'll last!

 

One thing he did was built a 'shelf' next to it ( brick frame with a nice slab on top) which is great for putting stuff on. This is worth considering.

 

Thanks for your advice. I will definitely do build one next to the BBQ, very good idea!

[Builder49]

You can buy fired kiln bricks if you like but you'd be paying a damned good price for them! A standard brick will do the job fine (look in the majority of house chimney's) but a standard brick wouldn't stand up to direct flame like a kiln brick would.

As this is only a bbq , possibly with a chimney, the intencity shouldn't be too great.

I would consider a mortar with a measure of lime in it though, as this allows expansion of the mortar when heated whereas traditional OPC wouldn't.

Not too much lime though or you'll not withstand the effects of rain.

 

Standard bricks, if I paid much more than £25 per hundred i wouldn't be able to afford a ZED.

[DoogyRev]

I have always fancied one of these on a brick base

 

[Beavis]

I work for a brick company (have done for 32 years). And we reguarly refire bricks at 1180 degrees c if we have no green stock to provide the kiln with So can t see how cooking a burger will burn your standard brick out!

[DoogyRev]

I work for a brick company (have done for 32 years). And we reguarly refire bricks at 1180 degrees c if we have no green stock to provide the kiln with So can t see how cooking a burger will burn your standard brick out!

 

You never know, the chilli burger I have just had was ruddy hot

 

[Builder49]

I work for a brick company (have done for 32 years). And we reguarly refire bricks at 1180 degrees c if we have no green stock to provide the kiln with So can t see how cooking a burger will burn your standard brick out!

 

 

 

I'm not too old to learn

 

Do they crack at that heat though?

[Beavis]

I work for a brick company (have done for 32 years). And we reguarly refire bricks at 1180 degrees c if we have no green stock to provide the kiln with So can t see how cooking a burger will burn your standard brick out!

 

 

 

I'm not too old to learn

 

Do they crack at that heat though?

 

 

No. Well if not done correctly. We dry them first in a dryer then fire them in the kiln upto 1180 degrees c. But its a gradual process steadily rising to that temp and then lowering enough to be able to pick them up on exit of the kiln.

 

If they do crack thats because you have not dryed them properly in the dryer. They should enter the kiln with no more than 1% moisture content

 

 

pic below showing green bricks (not fired) and the worlds heavist 350 car!

 

[Chesterfield]

But a brick on an outdoor BBQ wont be dried properly each time before use. They could well be subject to a rainy day one day/hour, and then a nice sunny evening when you fancy firing up the BBQ. Similarly how often have BBQs been ended by a downpour.

 

This could rapidly change the temperature of the brick and if the bricks heat quickly while moist, they are much more prone to cracking.

 

Standard bricks for a chimney is fine. We built the chimney on ours at our first house about 9 feet or so tall. That way it puts the output of the smoke about 3 feet above peoples heads when stood up. Cant find any pictures of our old house at the moment. Firebricks would be around a couple of quid each to do the main cooking area with. The rest you can then get in any colour/style you like to match your house/patio whatever and not need to worry about cracking or popping of the brick faces when you cook.

 

Only disadvantages of a larger bbq, is that it may become the "focal" point of your garden, which you may not want, you will need more bricks, it will take longer and if you are cooking on woods and coals you are likely to get through more fuel as you will be covering a larger area, possibly unnecessarily unles you are cooking a feast.

 

As for the cooking base, rather than even more expensive fire bricks, you could use a stainless steel plate, perhaps the inside/back of an old oven, as it is built to take high temperatures. You may find yourself replacing this though in time.

[Beavis]

But a brick on an outdoor BBQ wont be dried properly each time before use. They could well be subject to a rainy day one day/hour, and then a nice sunny evening when you fancy firing up the BBQ. Similarly how often have BBQs been ended by a downpour.

 

 

Chris we are drying a non fired brick the clay is still wet (hence why they are called green) . A fired brick does not need drying if it becomes wet before firing up the BBQ

 

We do loads of freeze thaw testing on-site as well to test for cracking. I have also witnessed a brick taking 300 tons of pressure before it finally cries enough!

 

 

Anyhow i built a brick bbq centuries ago and non of the bricks have ever cracked wether they are wet or dry just because i want to cook a sausage. Beleive you me zone 10 on our current kiln is like hell on earth temprature wise if you have to work on it

[Chesterfield]

Fire up a bbq with a damp house bricks and the faces tend to pop off though. Thats why I'd suggest fire bricks, and why a properly installed bbq would use them too. The chimney and bricks up near the grill may be fine - but those at the bottom near the coals could be subject to 1000 F. Heating up to that from a damp brick could well pop the face or crack it imho.

[Beavis]

Must be crappy London Brick then because ours certainly dont. Infact in my experience most brick faces fall off due to frost damage and not heat. No wonder we have lorries queing for miles to buy our class b engineering bricks (etruria marl)

[ATTAK Z]

Must be crappy London Brick then because ours certainly dont. Infact in my experience most brick faces fall off due to frost damage and not heat. No wonder we have lorries queing for miles to buy our class b engineering bricks

Ibstock ?

[Beavis]

Must be crappy London Brick then because ours certainly dont. Infact in my experience most brick faces fall off due to frost damage and not heat. No wonder we have lorries queing for miles to buy our class b engineering bricks

Ibstock ?

 

 

Thats right Hugh

 

Started as GH Downing then Steetley then Redland and now currently Ibstock.

[Chesterfield]

But how many housebricks get used as BBQ bricks? A wet brick trying to release the moisture at the rate a 1000F coal fire would have it try to do is likely to subject it to similar pressures that frost does. Its the reason fire bricks exist, and why things like pizza ovens dont just use ordinary bricks.

[Beavis]

But how many housebricks get used as BBQ bricks? A wet brick trying to release the moisture at the rate a 1000F coal fire would have it try to do is likely to subject it to similar pressures that frost does. Its the reason fire bricks exist, and why things like pizza ovens dont just use ordinary bricks.

 

 

I dont know Chris i am too pi**ed to argue and i know longer care! I hate bricks

[rancer]

Two days, two men, 100 bricks !!!!! Bloody hell that was some good beer !!!

 

Two pretty lazy blokes with more interest in the beer than the bricks!

 

HAHAHA!!! That sounds like fun!! I fear of making the same mistake! I hope I don't end up making it wonky too!

 

Is the kit good value for money? I have seen one at Wickes and BnQ at about £20-£25, will I be better off with them? I want to build a large BBQ, where do you think I can get a large kit from (large surface area)?

 

Are there any drawbacks to making a large BBQ?

 

Thanks for your advice mate

 

I thought it was decent enough value for money (probably the same one you saw), but we did wish we could have gotten a bigger tray. I was living in a house full of blokes at the time, so we had to fit a fair bit of meat on the BBQ!

 

I'd second what the others have said about building a 'tray' next too or near the BBQ. We did, and it comes in handy for food and beer storage.

 

Brick wise, we used engineering bricks I think, if I was to do it again in my own place, I would use similar bricks for an inside layer and then an outer of nicer looking 'posh bricks' and get a bigger grill area. It's quite permenant so you might as well spend the cash and do it right the first time around.

 

Never really had any problems with smoke etc:

 

And there is no sitting at my BBQ's, you stand with food and if you don't have food you have a beer. Or you leave

[Chesterfield]

Im just debating anything to keep me awake Lewis treated us to our first sleepless night. Only another 18 or so years of them to come I guess.

[Beavis]

Can i also make the point that not all bricks are made in the same way. For example where i work they are extruded and wire cut, where as at some brick factories they use whats called a soft mud process where the bricks are formed in a mould. Typically these are for the southern market and have a high sand content whick means they absorb water much more than our extruded wire cut brick.

 

Bricklayers typically can lay soft mud bricks quicker than wire cut bricks simply because they absorb water better.

[Stew]

I have always fancied one of these on a brick base

 

 

I have a small barrel BBQ for the back of my Navara. Tailgating parties rule!