This is what I have: 24"x48". Roughly 22" bottom to grill surface. Shout out to Mike/Ramball. This thing is solid enough to stand an A bomb.





This is where it is going. Concrete pad 36"x96"



Have never messed with masonry before but figure how hard can it be(yes I said it, I'm sure I'll regret it later). Looking to center the grill in the 96", which leaves me rough 24" counter tops on each side. Would like open storage on both sides for storing mesquite, charcoal, etc.

3 options I have outside of paying somebody $1500-$2000 to build it are:

1. Oklahoma chopped rock that matches the flagstone. Downsides - not uniform or exactly straight, costs money. Upside, would look badass and withstand an A bomb.
2. Mexican brick that matches my house. . Downside, softer brick nobody uses anymore, wouldn't look as good as stone. Upside they are free and uniform size, maybe easier to work with for an amateur.
3. Austin cut stone. Upside look good, seems to be more uniform size. Downsides, costs money, doesn't match any rock or brick I have back there. Might make a nice contrast though.

Most of what I have dug up on the web is cinder block/hardy board, rock veneer type construction. For some reason I'm stuck on solid brick or rock, with maybe some cinder blocs up under the base of the grill to get to the 14" or so I need to get the grill up about 36" counter height.

Have been kicking this around in my head for a while. Would like to start this weekend now that I have the grill and my yard is ready. Open to any ideas/input.

Option 1

That is the way I'm leaning. Main concern is getting the inset for the grill square and straight so that there are no gaps between the steel and stone.

Make a 2x4 square same size as the inset. Wrap in Saran Wrap or aluminum foil. Put that square where the grill's gonna go, and stone up to it. The foil will keep the mortar from sticking to the wood. Once the mortar is dry, pry out the square and set the grill in.

Cool. Thanks. Thats the kind of stuff I'm looking for.

I drew up some "engineered" drawings. Price Oklahoma 4x4 chopped also. Based on my rough estimate I need 4 rows of stone 4" stone plus 1" mortar joint = 5". 5x8 = 40" height and that is pretty close to the 38 I'm shooting for. Also, figure I need 160 linear ft of stone. 8' wide along the back. 4 walls going forward @ 36" each. Thats 240"a row, mulitple times 8, divide by 12 and 160 linear feet.

I realize my pad is 36, so the 4 walls will only be 32". But, didn't figure stone for the front bottom and top.

From what I've read a ton of 4x4 chop is roughley 100 ft. So 2 tons should do it. PRiced that today and $260/ton close to my house. It might be a little more than I need but can use it for other stuff if I have extra.

Just need to figure out what kind of mortar and whether or not I need fire bricks/clay for the fire part.

Don't know why I can't get the top photo to rotate, sorry about it being sideways.

I would definitely line the fire place portion (3 walls) with fire brick.

Well, ran the proposed budget by head of finance and she said materials cost was too high. Probably going to go with the bricks. In her defense I did slip this little project in and juiced the landscape work after we started work on the backyard. Figure all I need to buy is mortar, firebricks, and a little bit of steel. Going to try and get materials together and maybe mock up at least the base this weekend.

Found the time this weekend top put together the cinder block base. Only mistake I really made was the first block I laid I tried to "butter" the end of it. Didn't work worth a chit for some reason. Some mortar stuck, some didn't. I tried to stuff some more in with a trowel without much success. After that I didn't even try to leave a joint between the blocks, just butted them together. My FIL(in construction) came and looked, said they make a little squeeze bag with a nozzle you can use. So in hindsight maybe I should have used some spacers to set the gaps then went back and squeezed in the joints.

Plan from here is to fill the base with concrete and at the same time cap it with fire bricks. I built it 54" wide by 24" deep. The front lip of the grill will actually sit out over the brick face on front. So, that leaves me a 3-4" ledge all the way around to firebrick the sides of the firebox. Then I'll brick up the exterior and cabinets. Plan on pouring my own concrete counter tops now also.

On a sidenote I need a few more bricks plus firebrick. My mom had her fireplace redone this year and she has what I need. Cool thing is it looks like the firebricks I'll use will be coming out of the fireplace my old man sat around when he was alive. Kind of like we get to share a fire and cold beer every now and again.

Couple pics.

Dry mockup of brick.


Cinder base. Note the gap on first block on bottom left.

I'm available to drink beer and supervise Saturday..........

Its too damn hot to drink beer.































































Just kidding. Come on over, I could use some beer and help

Base done. When I put together the base the first time I figured the grill would sit a little high. After mocking up the firebrick box it would have put the grill surface close to 42". Maybe ok but chest high on me would have been close to touching the nose hairs of most my buddies. So, we knocked the 2nd row of cinder blocks off. Filled the bottom layer with concrete and poured about a 3.5" pad on top then set the bricks in. Should put grill surface 35-36" height which, based on the itraweb is what is recommended.

Help don't look like much but he works cheap and has a good eye.



Going to try and get the fire box bricked out tomorrow. Once that is done I'm going to lay the brick around it. Once that is done I'm going to build up some forms and pour the counter. Think I'll run about a 2" concrete face down each side of the firebox on the inside of the cabinets. Not sure if that makes sense but I want the counter level with the top of the firebox. There will be no support next to the box on the sides so figure I'll just run the concrete all the way to the ground.

Looking good....can't wait to see it done! Oh, and...

Great project, can't wait to see the finished product

Now I know why masons charge so much. This chit is hard work.

Making good progress.....

It is straighter than it looks. I ran out of fire clay 3 bricks short of finishing. That is ok. Think what I'll do is get another gallon to finish those and then use the rest of it to run a "seam" all the way around the lip of the grill to seal off any irregularities in the brick - not irregularities in the brick laying mind you - just the brick.

Looking good!

That is looking nice. My wife wants one too. Just in case you didn't know, here's how you DON't do it..

Funny. I told the wife I don't care if it looks a little rough, I'm more worried I'm doing it wrong and it'll fall apart one of these days.

About halfway done...

It took four of us to set that booger in! It's heavy........................

Lookin' good chalet!

4 guys and a 12 pack of Corona.

Blame kurtis he was too cheap to pay for aluminum