Swervin, it might be that my explanation is like directions to a card game where it's more difficult to understand the rules than it is to play the game. I'll try to clarify anything that seems "muddy." Even though you'll have the firepit area be half grass and half "mulch," for the sake of simplification in setting the grade, think of it as all one material--like a large disk set flush into the lawn--as a patio. And in the beginning, think of its SURFACE, not its depth or thickness. (For the time being, forget about the central pit as its existence doesn't have significance for setting the grade surrounding the patio.) Regardless of actual cardinal directions, think of my plan drawing such that UP is north. Since the grade is sloping downhill to the left (westward) you'll want to have the firepit patio slope in the same general direction to allow for the simplest drainage solution. (This presumes that the north/south slope is negligable; for the sake of this example, we'll think of it as level.) In order to avoid doing too much digging or needing to import soil for filling, you'll want to balance cut and fill by setting the SURFACE of the north/south axis of the patio slab--it's centerline (marked "C" in the drawing)--at the 0.0 elevation. This means you're neither raising or lowering the centerline of the patio surface relative to the surrounding grade. At the north/south axis, you're meeting the grade flush. (See "Exception" below.) In order to achieve positive drainage across the flat patio slab, you'll need to tilt its surface so that it has approximately 1/4" drop per foot of run. (Think of it as a patio set flush into the lawn, sloping in the same general direction as the lawn. Since the lawn grade slopes a little more than would be comfortable to use for a floor for furniture, we're UN-tilting the patio slightly, so it FEELS more like it is level... even though it will actually slope enough to drain.) You'll set the EAST side of the patio about 1 1/2" to 1 3/4" HIGHER than the central ("level") north/south axis. You'll set the WEST side about 1 1/2" to 1 3/4" LOWER than the central axis. This will give you a 3" to 3 1/2" grade differential across the entire patio slab, and any water that lands on it will flow off to the west. (Water that falls on the ground east of the slab will flow onto the slab but then continue to flow across it and off of its west side.) Once the patio slab surface grade is set, you'll adjust the surrounding grade as necessary, blending it to meet the patio surface. It will be no more than a gentle slope, requiring no steps, gravel-filled drainage pits or retaining devices to stabilize grade change. You will only need to retain the granular patio material itself in order to keep it from migrating into the lawn. You should determine the patio material and what you will use to restrain its edge before you go farther into the project. EXCEPTION: Besides the cut that you'll make at the uphill (east) side of the patio, the patio slab will require excavation to accommodate ITS OWN VOLUME. You'll need some place to put the extra soil that is removed for it. You'll need to make a calculation--best guess-- about the amount of earth that will be removed to accomodate its thickness, and raise the entire patio, SLIGHTLY ABOVE the 0.0 lawn level elevation at the patio centerline. (I'm guessing that you'll probably raise the patio surface another two or three inches; it depends on your material thickness.) In this case, half of your patio circle is grass and therefore has no thickness so, in theory, it will not require additional excavation for that portion unless you need to tweak its grade to blend it to the rest of the patio surface. I would highly recommend NOT constructing the patio of wood-based material... not only because it has fire risk, but because it's an inferior surface where furniture is involved. Hard, granular material that packs down tightly will work better. Check out crushed brick as one option. There are other color crushed stone options, too. Don't use any gravel (such as pea gravel) that doesn't pack tightly. The actual fire pit itself (as you show in your recent photo) is charming and you would want to copy the detail of how it flares up slightly above the surrounding grade... so as not to funnel rain water directly into the pit, but direct it instead around its perimeter where it can run off the patio surface with the rest of the rain. I'm wondering how you'll treat the wedge shape areas that I have circled in red. Will there be grass there? Uploaded with ImageShack.us

Sorry, Jen. I have no experience either. Just one thing to consider. We have been thinking about getting one too, and when we do, it will probably be a propane-burning one as opposed to wood burning. Reason being air quality. On spare the air days, you could be prevented from using the wood burning version. I also like that the propane ones can be turned on and off when you want it. A friend has one and it's really nice. And you can roast all the smores and dogs you want over the flames just like wood.

Ain't that always the case, Lascatx? Form vs function! You can do both if you want to bury a gas line. But we were wanting to avoid that. If you want to go the hidden propane tank route, which sounds easiest, there are a lot of quite ugly neo-tuscan choices, alas! I will share three other hidden propane tank options. The first one seems cool but it was DIY so you either need to be handy and brave or find someone to make it, but I like the idea (though I'd choose a lower pot perhaps). I like the simplicity of this; they make a square one, and a round one too but it kind of looks like a Hobo's fire. There was also a round, sort of coffee table height one, I am trying to find the image of it again. It is shipped as a plane concrete form and you can clad it in any facing, metal or stone or tile, you like, after you get it on site. I kind of like that idea.

Hi , We are doing an entire backyard remodel and so we put in a gas line for a fire pit. It's a 4' circular fire pit raised a foot or so. The side is covered by slate veneer and the top round of the fire pit we are thinking of pre-cast concrete slabs to form a circular wall cap. This goes with the pool coping and the wall caps we have on our retaining walls around the yard. Question is: Can pre-cast concrete handle a fire? Will it crack. Do I have to go with like a natural stone. Maintenance wise do I have to seal concrete and stone or just leave it. This is our first fire pit ever - so I think the fore is contained inside the ring but the heat transfer that happens to the fire pit wall cap - how mad is it and is concrete a fine material to use for such a situation. Thanks