You can’t beat the taste of food cooked on an open fire. There’s no need to rush to the garden centre to buy an expensive barbecue, though – set aside one day and you can have your own stylish brick barbie for a fraction of the cost of a shop-bought one.
Once you’ve built your barbecue, why not turn to your hand to building a raised bed or a wooden planter?
Find out how to build a brick barbecue in easy steps.
Our brick barbecue shopping list
You might already have what you need to get started on making your brick barbecue. If you don’t, we’ve done the hard work for you with our handy shopping list.
- Poligo 21pcs Bbq Accessories Gift Set | from £28.99 at Amazon
- Marshalls Red Edmonton Frogged Facing Brick – 215 x 100 x 65mm | from £0.90 per brick at Wickes
- Tarmac Sharp Sand Large Bag – 22.5kg | from 3.50 at Homebase
- Blue Circle Multipurpose Cement, 25kg Bag | from £6.60 at B&Q
- 1500mm/60“ Box Profile Spirit Level | from £9.99 at Zoro Tools
- Kent and Stowe Carbon Steel Digging Spade | from £25.00 at Wilko
- BRICKLAYING AND PLASTERING SET 6 PCS | from £14.99 at ScrewFix
- Paving Riven Natural/Grey Utility Slabs 450 x 450 x 32mm | from £4.75 at buildingshop
- McGregor Reinforced Hose Set – 25m | from £20.00 at Argos
You Will Need
- Barbecue grill set
- Bricks
- Brick setts
- Sand
- Cement
- Spirit level
- Shovel
- Trowel
- Paving slab
- Length of hosepipe
Total time:
Step 1
Lay out the first level of bricks for the barbecue using the cooking tray as a guide. Keep as many bricks whole as possible to reduce the need to cut the bricks.
Step 2
Mix five parts sand to one part cement, adding enough water to get a stiff consistency. Check the level of the site before spreading the first layer of mortar, compensating for any changes by adding more mortar.
Step 3
Use a spirit level to mark the outer edge of the barbecue in the cement. This provides a straight guideline for laying the first course of bricks. When the first layer of bricks is laid, check the level again, making sure that the corners are at right angles.
Step 4
Insert a metal tie into the mortar to join the inner wall to the longer wall, giving the finished structure added strength.
Step 5
Start laying the extra courses of bricks, starting at the corners. Stagger the vertical joints alternately to the width of a half brick.
Step 6
Use a spirit level to check that each of the barbecue’s corners are vertically straight. Check from all angles to ensure the finished structure is square.
Step 7
When five courses are complete at each corner, use a length of wood and the spirit level to check that the two sides are even.
Step 8
Build up walls to seven courses. On the left-hand and inner wall, turn the bricks side-on to create a ledge for the charcoal tray. Create a flush edge by using a half brick at the outer edge. After another three courses add another course side-on to support the grill tray.
Step 9
To give a more professional finish to the exterior of the barbecue, take a length of hosepipe and draw it along each of the joints. Create a neat edge by adding a final course of brick setts then, when this is finished, check all the levels again.
Step 10
For a handy barbecue work surface, cement a large paving slab on top of the walls.
Choose your grill height
To ensure the barbecue’s grill is not too low or too high for you, work out the most practical and comfortable height before you start building.
