Building a Brick BBQ

With the BBQ season on our doorstep I decided it was time to build a BBQ. It is often debated that building a BBQ out of bricks and mortar is perhaps the most manly thing anyone can do. After the great success of the shelf, I decided I should take this job upon myself.

With no previous experience or knowledge of how to make a brick structure (other than Lego), I set to work with my standard over optimism.

First of all, I should say a massive thanks to Jon who not only gave me loads of bricks, but also all the tools needed to actually build it (the things I hadn't thought about once). Also thanks to his young son Adam who helped de-spider and pack the bricks into the car.

On a hot Saturday afternoon me and Neil started building the BBQ structure without cement, as practice. We already hit many problems, like the realisation that breaking bricks in half evenly isn't easy, and how to connect a T structure together strongly.

We remembered that we still needed to go and buy some bricks, sand and cement, so we set out to try and find a builders yard.

I felt weird walking through the builders yard to talk to the man there. I thought he would ask me to stop wasting his time and go and get my dad instead, or perhaps sell me children sand instead of building sand. After a brief conversation (how much are the bricks...? Okay, 30 please. Thanks) I felt my man-points explode, and I left the yard with not only the tools needed, but increased testosterone and a beard.

We got back.. and then decided it was too late to start cementing. It should instead be done tomorrow. Procrastination at its best.

Sunday morning arrived. I set to work building the BBQ. I realised I didn't know how to mix cement properly, how much water is needed, and how much stirring it needed... but that didn't stop me. I struggled cementing the bricks because it kept falling through the holes, meaning I was using much more than I needed. It wasn't until the final few that I thought about cementing the brick and then placing it on the wall.

For the last 10 minutes it started raining. If anything, this only made me feel more manly... braving nature to build a brick BBQ. There was another jolt in my testosterone levels. I'm only a few points off getting a nickname like 'Bubba' or 'Spud'.

I cleaned the cement (somewhat) off the wall. Posed for photos (man points -10). And called it a day. I didn't want to take proper pictures without having the slab for the table side of it placed, and before the grills were attached... but I will update on Saturday with new finished pictures.

I think it was a great success.