How To Repurpose Your Washing Machine Drum For A DIY Fire Pit

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When your old washing machine finally breaks down, instead of throwing it away you can repurpose the drum into a smokeless fire pit for your backyard. This DIY hack will be a great addition to the low-maintenance oasis in your backyard, and it can save you money if price is a key factor when you're trying to determine if a smokeless fire pit is right for your backyard. These washing machine drum fire pits are great and smokeless because all the holes on the sides of the drum allow for significantly increased airflow not only to the sides of the fire pit but to the heat source at the bottom.

The most difficult part in making your repurposed fire pit is removing the washing machine drum. This process will be different based on the type of washing machine you are using, but if you don't plan on trying to fix the machine afterwards you can be as destructive as you want. You will disassemble the machine until you expose the drum, which might require breaking several pieces and cutting several pieces. Safely break and remove all pieces and remove the drum. Once you remove the drum, remove all plastic and additional pieces that may be attached to the drum until it is bare. Clean out all dust and residue so nothing can be burned. If you don't have a washing machine to take apart, you can search for an old washing machine to repurpose at a scrap yard or use other genius tips for building a budget-friendly fireplace.

The most simple use of your new washing machine drum fire pit is to just put the drum on some concrete slabs, ensuring the fire pit is level and not moving. For safety reasons, place the concrete slabs and fire pit at least 10 feet from any structures and avoid putting it underneath any power lines. Before placing down the repurposed fire pit, you should inspect your concrete for any cracks and sweep the concrete thoroughly so no unintentional fires are started. You should also ensure there is proper drainage under the concrete, as any water that may build up over time could damage and weaken the concrete. You can always stack multiple layers of concrete for extra security and even surround the fire pit with bricks for additional fire prevention and style.

If you want to customize and style your washing machine drum fire pit, there are several options. The first and most common is to add legs under the fire pit and elevate it from the ground, which can be done in several ways. One common method is to find a steel pot stand from your local home improvement store and bolt the drum on top, while others use scrap metal and fasten it to the sides of the drum. The next option for customization is to paint your fire pit, but you have to be careful to use heat resistant paint, like Rust-Oleum high heat ultra enamel spray.