Genius! Hack This Old Appliance for the Perfect Fire Pit

Break out the marshmallows! See how one DIY blogger transformed an old washing machine part into a high-end summer staple, and you'll surely want to make one of these for yourself.

By Rachel Elmkies | Updated Nov 18, 2016 3:40 PM

We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs.

Washing Machine Fire Pit

Photo: houseandfig.com

This story starts out like many other tales of DIY savvy. While browsing the a trendy retailer store, Sarah of House and Fig fell in love with a particular product—a geometric steel fire pit, to be exact. The problem? Its four-figure price tag. Rather than break the bank, Sarah and her husband, Joe, instead set out to create their own version. In doing so, they would revisit a peculiar concept they’d discovered on a camping trip years before: lighting a fire in a washing machine drum.

Why a washing machine drum? Well, its stainless steel holds up against high heat, and the slotted housing allows for the free flow of the oxygen that a fire needs to burn efficiently. Also—and unexpectedly—the humble washing machine drum somehow manages to look quite stylish when lit up against the a dark night sky.

To follow Sarah’s lead, head out to a used appliance store—she snagged her washing machine drum, used, for $10. Besides an angle grinder, you’re going to need several grinder attachments, including a cup wire brush, cut-off wheel, and flap wheel sanding disc. Also a must is the proper protective gear—don’t forget glasses!

First, remove the drum’s plastic rim and base. Next, use the grinder and cut-off wheel to take out the center spindle, thus carving out space for firewood. From there, it’s largely a matter of shaping the drum to your liking. Sarah and Joe ground down their drum’s metal lip and smoothed its rough edges with the flap wheel attachment. Lastly, with the wire brush, they cleaned the drum walls to completely eliminate any soap scum still lingering from the drum’s previous incarnation.

You could stop there, but if Sarah’s uncompromising sense of style has inspired you, then finish things off by giving the drum a coat of black high-heat spray paint. Also, importantly, consider welding on a quartet of legs at the base. Perhaps sooner than you think, you can be be roasting s’mores over your finished project!

FOR MORE: House and Fig

Washing Machine Fire Pit - Grinding

Photo: houseandfig.com