Try this quick DIY project in your outdoor space. This DIY fire bowl will add ambiance to your backyard while keeping the bugs away!
On my website, I have a category called “Do It In A Day“. I love knowing that all of the projects in that category are attainable for just about any DIY’er. Today’s project should be called “Do It In Five Minutes” because that’s how long this project will take you!
Our Backyard
I haven’t talked about our backyard very much since we revealed it. So far, we’ve been using it a lot this summer! We go out here with the kids whenever it’s nice out and then, after bedtime, Finn and I spend time out here eating dinner or watching a movie. It really is a wonderful extension of our home.
We don’t get tons of mosquitoes back here on our large patio – we are city dwellers after all – but they do show up sometimes. Finn went on a big tiki torch spending spree last summer and got both these in-ground torches and these tabletop ones. They’re great and they help to keep the bugs away, while adding a nice ambiance back here.
While I like the tabletop torches he got, I wanted to take things to the next level with a DIY fire bowl to act as a centerpiece on our table.
DIY Tabletop Fire Bowl – Supplies
How to Make a DIY Tabletop Fire Bowl
I’m not joking when I say that this project will take you less than five minutes. It’s all about gathering the correct supplies ahead of time to make your own fire bowl.
If you have any leftover rocks from a landscaping project, then this is a great way to use them in another project. Unfortunately, we didn’t have any leftovers from our backyard renovation, so I had to buy the rocks for this project.
Choose the Right Planter
First, choose the right planter or vessel for your DIY tabletop fire bowl. I wanted one that was low and wide and would fit my tiki torch. I scooped this large bowl up at Home Depot. This similar one looks like a concrete planter and has a great price tag!
You want to make sure it has drainage or else water can accumulate in the bottom which will lead to a heavy mess of a bowl. Plastic planters can work okay, just make sure that it’s large enough so the torch won’t have any direct contact with the bowl itself.
Add Sand & Rocks
Once you have your planter, add sand and your rocks.
You could forego the sand and just use all rocks. I added sand to the bottom of the planter because I wanted to use fewer rocks (Sand is a lot cheaper.) and it made for a good base for my tiki torch. Plus, the more large rocks you use, the heavier the container will be.
I wanted the torch to sit a few inches over the top of the lip of the planter, so the sand helped create a solid base for the torch to sit on.
Once I had the sand in, I added my tiki torch to the middle and then added river rocks around.
I really like these Mexican beach pebbles I found. They’re fairly large and come in all shapes and sizes.
Your hardware store should sell bags of various decorative rocks and pebbles, so look around and see what works best with your planter and backyard color scheme.
Fill Your Torch with Fluid
The next step is to fill your torch with a fuel source.
This is the tiki torch fuel we like to use in our backyard. It helps keep the bugs away because it has citronella oil in it. That’s great, but the best part is that the torches aren’t smokey. I hate when it feels like a bonfire in the backyard, but this type of fuel has a clean burn without all of the gross smoke. Much better!
Light & Enjoy
During the day, it looks like a pretty rock centerpiece on our patio table. It’s the perfect outdoor decor!
Then, at night, it turns into this really pretty and functional fire table bowl. It has the ambiance of a fire pit, without taking up as much space.
You can simply blow or snuff out the flame when you’re done. Oh, and to be clear, this is for outdoor use only! I don’t want you to have to break out the fire extinguisher if you bring this inside!
If you don’t want to spend a ton of money on a backyard fire pit, but want the look, this is such a great alternative.
This didn’t cost me much at all and it is such a pretty addition to our backyard to be used at any time of year. I’m excited to have friends over and light all of the torches back here.
Backyard Sources
If you need any sources for our backyard, you can find everything in this reveal post. Plus, it has lots of crazy before and after pics. It’s wild how far this space has come in a few years!
Garage Door Color, Benjamin Moore “Blue Note” // Outdoor Dining Table & Chairs // Umbrella // Umbrella Base // Grill // Outdoor Sonos Speakers // Outdoor Sconces // Outdoor TV // Chaise // Patio Pergola // Outdoor Rug // Pendant Light 1 // Pendant Light 2 // Pendant Light 3 // Black Coffee Table // Fencing Info // String Lights // Pavers (color “Greyed Nickel”) // Lounge Chairs // Side Table // Sectional // Palm Print Throw Pillows // Solar Lights
Happy Summer, Friends!
I’m excited about a fun summer ahead with many nights out on our patio.
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