How to Build an Outside BBQ Grill

Decide on the location for your grill. It should be built on concrete. Partially shaded areas work best.

Place the 2x4 across the concrete in the center of the area you wish the grill to be. Mark a line along the 2x4 in the direction your grill will face. Use the carpenter's square to make a second line through the center of the area, perpendicular to the first.

Use a tape measure to determine the square footage of the area. Take this measurement with you to the home supply store. This measurement will determine how many bricks you need. Lay your bricks out and spray them with a hose approximately 30 minutes before you are ready to lay them. Do not skip this as it will keep your bricks from soaking up too much mortar.

Lay the BBQ grills in the area you measured earlier. Using the grills as a guide, lay your bricks around their outside edge. Leave a gap between each brick that is 1/2 inch wide. Mark 3/4 inch wider than the grills so that the brick edges the grills will rest on are included.

Mark a line with a level. Dry fit the three back course sides. Be sure to keep them flush with the edge of your grill area. When you have reached your desired shape, remove the bricks. If the bricks do not fit properly you can use a cold chisel or wet saw to cut them.

Dump the dry mortar ingredients into a wheelbarrow. Use a hoe to make a hole in the center. Slowly pour in small amounts of water. Mix well after each addition with a hoe. The mixture should be like mud, but spread easy.

Pile mortar on the trowel and fill the bricks by turning the trowel on it's side and pulling it towards you. Use the tip of the trowel to create a "V" or a furrow in the mortar bed. This aligns the mortar. You can also apply by scraping a trowel full of mortar along the side and edge of the bricks. This method is referred to as, butter the brick.

Apply a line of mortar along the inside edge of your penciled area. Begin at the corner of the penciled area. Make a second line of mortar parallel to the first, and using your trowel create a V in the mortar. Place the first brick in the mortar and push down to ensure that it is in place.

Use the butter the brick method to butter the next brick. Push the buttered brick against the first. Continue with this until the inner concrete area is outlined. Remove excess mortar from the bricks when it comes out of the cracks. Use the level as you work to keep the bricks straight. Continue bricking the outer area just as you did the inner area. Allow to dry before you place bricks on top.

Continue to lay and stack bricks until the grill is three levels high. Build many ledges after the third level to allow your grills to sit at different heights. Do this by jutting out the bricks approximately 1/2 inch from the inside edge every other level. Use the joint tooler first vertically and then horizontally as you work to seal the edges. When you have reached the desired height, cap the wall with bricks set on the smooth side and laid across both rows of bricks. Use a mason's string to keep them straight, starting at the corner bricks.

All the mortar to dry. This should take three to four days. After the bricks have dried, use a hose to soak them with water. Use brick cleaning solution and scrub them with a stiff bristled brush. Rinse the bricks.