For independent barbecue making, the master needs to familiarize himself with the technology of the work. Most often, a brick is used for this today, which will make it possible to carry out a strong and durable construction. It will become part of an ideal vacation in the country, and next to it you can install a comfortable gazebo, where the whole family can sit. Sometimes a barbecue is set up on a spacious platform where tables and chairs are placed, which eliminates the need to build a gazebo.
What is a barbecue
Thinking about the question of what a barbecue is, you can find several meanings, one of them is the lattice, which was used by the tribe of Indians in antiquity. The captives were kept on it, slowly frying at the stake.
The most common meaning of the word “barbecue” for modern people is the grill, which is used for cooking food. Most often these are:
In modern society, this term is most common in the United States, and for residents of Russia it has become a traditional way of cooking meat, which in the end turns out to be like barbecue. Thinking about the question of what a barbecue is, you can create a stationary structure, with the help of which food is cooked on smoldering coals.
Options and Modifications
The dimensions of this design can be very different. Modifications are traditional or very unusual. The final project will depend on the imagination of the master. The budget option will be the option of a stove with woodpile. Construction will be possible even for a beginner.
To this basic option is sometimes added a countertop, sink, kitchen compartment, chimney, as well as a canopy. The structure is faced with natural materials, for example, stone is sometimes used.
Preparatory work
Now that you know what a barbecue is, you can start building it. To begin with, a drawing is prepared, which is prepared independently or with the help of specialists. It will reflect the project, which indicates the location of the grill.
It is recommended to remove it from the ground by 70 cm. If the design assumes the presence of a furnace, then it should be located slightly lower. To carry out the work you will need:
Location
After you have managed to understand what a barbecue is, you can begin to select a place. The main criterion in this case is fire safety, therefore, the structure should be removed from wooden buildings by the type of arbors, baths, houses and sheds. Shrubs and wooden fences should not be located nearby.
It is important to determine what is the prevailing wind direction on the site. In this case, sparks will not reach the neighbors. Once the place is chosen, you can begin to install the foundation.
Base construction
If you decide to lay out a barbecue with your own hands, it is recommended to consider the photo first. Having familiarized with them, you will be able to understand that for the barbecue you will need a foundation. For its construction, a trench is excavated along the perimeter of the future building.
It is necessary to deepen the foundation by 40 cm, this will be enough. Crushed stone and gravel are laid at the bottom of the trench, which are then well watered and compacted. At the bottom should be installed reinforcement in the form of a grid. It is recommended to choose rods with a diameter of 6 mm. This will form a pillow.
Once the formwork is installed, you can begin to prepare and pour concrete. It is recommended to use one that has the brand M-300. After pouring concrete, it should be left to dry, during which time the surface is wetted so that it does not become cracked.
When a do-it-yourself barbecue is built, drawings, photos are recommended to be considered in advance. They will help you understand how the design for cooking meat will look. If you used hardeners when mixing concrete, then you only have to wait three days. Without them, the foundation is left for a month.
Material selection and solution preparation
The summer barbecue will be built of two types of bricks, one of them is facing, the other is fireproof. The chamotte variety will play the role of the latter, since it contains a large amount of clay and undergoes high temperatures.
For lining, you can use special-purpose bricks, but it is important to consider its strength. When a barbecue is made of brick with your own hands, drawings are recommended to be made. They will allow you to understand how much material should be purchased. It is also important to prepare the solution, it must be shut in two varieties. Thus, you need a cement and clay composition. Refractory brick is laid on the latter . To do this, use red clay, sand, water and cement.
The mixing technology will be slightly different, but it can not be called complicated. To begin with, red clay is taken, which is poured with water and left for 5 days. After the clay is mixed with water, until the composition turns into a homogeneous mass, reminiscent of jelly in consistency. A certain amount of sand and some cement of the M-200 brand are added to the resulting solution. The resulting solution is mixed, and its density is checked by scooping. If the solution slides at an angle of 45 °, then it is ready for use.
When a barbecue is made of brick with your own hands, it is recommended to consider the photo. They will help to understand what kind of structure will ultimately have. However, it is equally important to get acquainted with the technology of work. It involves the preparation of cement mortar, which is obtained by mixing sand and cement grade M-200.
BBQ construction
Once the foundation has hardened, you can start building a barbecue. It will consist of a pedestal, a main part and a chimney. A woodpile can be built into the pedestal, and its height is selected individually. Usually this value is 70 cm. The pedestal can be made using ordinary or facing brick, which is laid on a cement mortar. At the next stage, you can begin the construction of the main part. Refractory brick is suitable for it, which is laid in two rows on a clay mortar. The edges of the brick should protrude one third ahead, since the facade has yet to be formed with the help of facing bricks.
The firebox should have a size that you choose yourself. Usually for this, three bricks are laid in depth and about 6 bricks in width. At the final stage, you can build a chimney. It uses refractory bricks and clay mortar. Products are laid flat, and it will be necessary to install also a valve, making a bend in the back wall. It is called a tooth, and is needed to improve traction.
Construction of a barbecue in the form of a complex with a furnace for a cauldron
A barbecue with a cauldron will become a real complex, which can be used as a summer kitchen. Such a solution will become functional, and you can use it as a grill, barbecue, hob, smoke chamber and oven. For convenience, the complex can be supplemented with a countertop, a woodcutter and a sink. In this case, the structure is installed on the foundation, which must be deepened by 50 cm.
The base is isolated from the masonry with a double layer of roofing material. This model has a firebox with a stove that can be used under the boiler. As a design feature, a roof above the cauldron zone acts, this allows you to continue cooking in any weather. The functional design is located in the gazebo, under a canopy or on the street.
If you want to avoid mistakes, then you must use the instructions for the construction. The barbecue according to it will have a rounded firebox, which ensures uniform heating of the surface of the pot. You can use this part as a tandoor. The inner zone is lined with refractory bricks. One of the stages is the formation of a ledge for the brazier. The grate and grill must be removable. Doors are reinforced with steel wire. The arched vault above the firebox is formed according to the pattern of boards. A rectangular opening can be made using metal corners.
Recommendations for the construction of a barbecue with a cauldron
The barbecue complex, which was described above, can have the following dimensions: 1.6 x 1.6 x 0.8 m. The first two values are height and width, while the third is depth. It is necessary to begin construction with concrete pouring; for this, a not-so-deep pit is sometimes prepared. Some masters advise to go deep only 10 cm.
It should be given the same parameters as those that the future construction will possess. The first row is laid dry, this will determine the location of the products. Masonry should be carried out with a half offset of the brick. In the end, you should get a pattern that mimics a chessboard. This will make the construction more reliable and durable.
When laying out a barbecue with your own hands, it is recommended to consider the photo, they will allow you to understand whether you are doing the job correctly. Starting from the 6th row, the masonry is formed by the method of arranging the bricks across, this will allow the formation of small ledges. They are required for further placement of a piece of metal or plywood. Below there should be a space for storing things, firewood and coal. The following rows are performed with offset. The tenth row runs across to form new protrusions. A grill or pallet is installed on them. The remaining three rows should be formed in the usual manner.
Recommendations for the construction of a barbecue with a cauldron
When a barbecue complex with a cauldron is performed, the walls should be more durable than in the manufacture of a conventional structure. The number of bricks in a row in this regard must be increased. On the side of the furnace you need to leave a place for collecting ash, here you should form a slot for installing the door. The lower tier will be covered by three types of bricks, in this place there is a place for a cauldron with an ash pan.
The chimney should only be started after the mortar of the main part of the structure has hardened. Sometimes not only bricks are used for it. For this, a frame is constructed using boards and steel rods. Then the formwork is installed, and concrete mortar is poured into the hollow space.
Useful Building Tips
Photos, barbecue drawings quite often allow you to avoid mistakes. However, the construction must be carried out, taking into account their own preferences. For example, a barbecue is often equipped with a canopy or roof. The height of the structure is determined based on the location of the main element of the lattice. It will fry vegetables, fish and meat. An ideal height would be a solution that involves the use of 10 refractory or conventional bricks. If the structure provides for the availability of countertops, then it is placed on a side rack.
Conclusion
The quality of food prepared on a barbecue will depend not only on compliance with the technology during construction, but also on the proper operation of the structure. For example, to kindle a flame, do not use gasoline or kerosene, as this is an extremely dangerous action.
Instead, you can use special tools. Coals and firewood do not need to be impregnated with fuels and lubricants, for this it is better to purchase special fluids. The taste and safety of food will also depend on the quality of the fuel.