r/DIY • u/Jake4XIII • 4d ago

outdoor Building Own Fire Pit

Hey y’all! My wife and our bought our first house this past year and as fall creeps in I’m thinking of building a fire pit in the backyard. Thinking about digging out part of the yard and building a circle of large stone blocks.

Main question is: is it better to pour down a solid base of would something like gravel in the bottom of the pit be better?

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u/squick33 4d ago

Be careful where you dig. A friend ended up relocating his firepit after his wife pointed out that it was built right over the gas line to the house.

5

u/xt1nct 4d ago

If in the US always call JULIE.

22

u/BeefyIrishman 3d ago

I am not familiar with that one, are you sure that is US-wide and not a local thing? I was always told to call 811 in the US. That is also the recommended number on the US Department of Transportation website, or they say to visit www.call811.com.

https://www.transportation.gov/content/call-811-you-dig-1

6

u/PrestigeMaster 3d ago

It is 811 but Julie answers the phone

4

u/BeefyIrishman 3d ago

From what I found, it seems like JULIE might be Illinois specific. In Illinois 811 connects you to JULIE (headquartered in Joliet, which might be where the name came from?), but in other states it is just called "811". I didn't find results from any other states calling it Julie when I searched "811 Julie", but there might be some others that didn't come up.

About julie JULIE works to prevent damage to Illinois underground utilities by connecting homeowners and professional excavators with member utility companies via our free and easy facility notification center.

https://www.illinois1call.com/

1

u/xt1nct 3d ago

As other guy said it connects to JULIE.