This is way cool, and the perfect DIY 1 hour (yeah, you read that right) project to give your condemned washer a new purpose—or, an excuse to buy an old, junky washing machine. It’s the most gratifying way to add an inexpensive fire pit to your backyard by upcycling what you have. Who would ever thought the size and circular shape of a washing machine drum would be perfect to roast s’mores in? For only $10 to get things smoking (depending on the materials you have), it’s time to have a bonfire. Something potentially redneck has turned into something rustic. I dig it.

Sarah and Joe from House & Fig do a superb job on showing gorgeous photos of their transformed washer drum turned fire pit. Out of all the ones I have come across, their process is straightforward, and the best I’ve seen out there.

For this project, you’ll need some equipment and supplies. Of course you’ll need an old washer drum, an angle grinder, various sanding dics, a wire brush, high-heat paint, and a few steel legs, to sum it up nicely.

Sarah and Joe remove all of the plastic bits, center spindle, and ultimately strip the drum. Since there’s a good chance of soap scum build-up inside of the drum, you can use a wire brush to remove it. They also remove the metal lip of the drum and smooth down any sharp edges. If you’re going to do this project, I recommend removing the top metal lip; the end result is definitely worth the polished look.

I love the steel legs they welded onto the bottom of the drum—it’s optional, but definitely takes the fire pit appeal to a whole other level. The last step is the easiest. Paint the outside of the drum with high-heat paint, allow it to dry, and you’ve got yourself an outdoor fire pit. You can paint it whatever colors you want. Contingent upon the amount of use , wear and tear, and the outdoor elements, you’ll probably need to repaint the fire pit once a year.

Depending on how you plan to set this thing up, your washer fire pit is portable and easily moveable, especially if you weld legs to the base.

Simple and elegant. Check out Sarah and Joe’s blog in the link below for detailed instructions on how to turn your old washer drum into a portable, outdoor fire pit.

Transform an Old Washer Drum into an Outdoor Fire Pit