Outdoor Hardscape/Fire Pit Help Needed

[Orange_Vol1321]

Marculous is right, you can use whatever mortar you like. But if your going to do it I would want it to be there for many seasons. The picture is a brand new firepit after just a few fires using regular mortar.

 

[smashmouth98]

Marculous is right, you can use whatever mortar you like. But if your going to do it I would want it to be there for many seasons. The picture is a brand new firepit after just a few fires using regular mortar.

how are you going to repair it? Use adhesive inside cracked area? Did you build that yourself? Can you post of entire fire pit?

 

[Orange_Vol1321]

how are you going to repair it? Use adhesive inside cracked area? Did you build that yourself? Can you post of entire fire pit?

Not mine. Just an example of what happens to regular mortar in a firepit.

 

[Coug]

Marculous is right, you can use whatever mortar you like. But if your going to do it I would want it to be there for many seasons. The picture is a brand new firepit after just a few fires using regular mortar.

That looks more like a settling crack than anything. Like the ground underneath it was uneven.

 

[Orangedogsrule]

marcusluvsvols is right. Type S will do. Buy yourself a medium masons trowel, not a small pointing trowel. You can mix small amounts in a RubberMaid kitchen wash basin or the like. Mix it so it acts like warm butter, NOT SLOPPY! Too much water and it cures weak. It should stick to your trowel. If it gets a little dry as you work, you can "shake it up" by adding just enough water to get it back to butter and mix that in thoroughly.

If you have time, soak everything you want to bind with mortar in water overnight. You can make a frame with scrap wood, line it with builders plastic and that works fine. Soaking the block and stone prevents the water from being sucked out of the mortar and you get a MUCH better bond. If you can't soak it, hose it down.

I really liked marcusluvsvols suggestion of parging the surfaces to get a stucco look. It does look great, it's really easy if you don't hurry yourself, kids put handprints in and its fun. Leave a few slots for air as was also suggested.

Think about putting a couple of 2" diameter metal pipe 12 to 18" long vertically in the ground outside the pit. You can slide smaller pipe you've tack welded metal brackets to to hold a pig spit and/or an expanded metal grill. Google fire pit pig spit for ideas. You can buy them.

Yum yum I can smell those Jamaican Jerk spices now.
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From a masonry institute publication.

"...Type S Mortar
Type S mortar is not a type of refractory mortar, and as such, should not be used within the firebox. That being said, however, it is acceptable and more affordable to use type S mortar for the decorative stonework or brickwork around the firebox.(which does get very hot anyway, and this is a rustic outside pit) Additionally, when constructing fireplace facings with heavy decorative stone, type S mortar is stronger than refractory mortar, helping to prevent weight-stress cracks after the mortar has cured..."
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Do not use too much sand. It's better to have your mortar more like a grout than have it crumbly with sand.

After 24 hours: For a few days build a SMALL fires to warm up the interior and let it go out. No bonfires that will cause moisture remaining to boil. This will cure out the mortar.