Originally published 2020-05-15.
Yes, you can build a backyard pergola with hanging swings around a fire pit yourself, and it does not have to cost a fortune. Brett and Lauren Ashworth built a round, eight-post pergola with six porch swings circling a stone fire pit on their farm, and according to the step-by-step tutorial published by Remodelaholic, their 2015 build came to about $2,300 including tool rental, with all the labour done themselves. Here is how the project works, what it costs, the safety points that matter most, and a look at the space through Lauren's own Instagram photos.
Who built it and why it went viral
The Ashworths call their place Stillwater Farm and document their renovation of an old farmhouse on their blog, Little White House. Brett is a career firefighter and does most of the heavy work, while Lauren works part-time and looks after their young son and home. The pair describe themselves as people who love restoration and enjoy watching their property slowly change.
The fire pit pergola was designed as a place for family and friends to gather in the evening. Lauren has described it as an outdoor oasis that became a talking point in their small town, a spot for toasting s'mores, watching the stars and winding down after work. Photos of the glowing circle of swings spread widely on Facebook and Instagram, and so many readers asked how to build one that Remodelaholic published a detailed tutorial with the couple's plans.
How the pergola is designed
The structure is simple in concept: a ring of posts around a central fire, with beams connecting the posts and a swing hanging between each pair. Key details from the published tutorial:
- Layout: a centre stake and string are used to mark two circles, one for the fire pit (about a 4-foot radius) and one for the pergola (about a 12-foot outer radius in their build).
- Posts: eight 6x6 posts, 12 feet long, cut to about 9 feet tall above ground and set in holes roughly 3 feet deep with fast-setting concrete, about two bags per post.
- Beams and top: 2x6 and 2x10 boards cut to fit wedge-shaped notches in the post tops, then finished with mitred top plates that tie the ring together.
- Seating: six 6-foot porch swings hung from eye bolts in the openings, plus a small bar or storage area opposite the entrance built from two shorter posts.
- Fire pit: stone blocks laid in a shallow trench for the first row, stacked with staggered joints and fixed with landscape adhesive. A ready-made curved fire pit kit is suggested as an easier alternative.
The printable plan reportedly covers three sizes, so the design can be scaled to a smaller garden.
What it costs and how long it takes
Budget is the question most readers ask first. Based on the tutorial's figures from 2015:
- Materials for the structure itself were around $1,300, not including seating or lights.
- The six porch swings were bought for about $100 each.
- Optional extras added more: string lights around $75, an outdoor movie screen made from outdoor fabric and turnbuckles around $125, and home-built Adirondack chairs about $50 each in materials.
- The total, including renting an auger to dig the post holes, came to roughly $2,300.
The tutorial notes that hiring labour and choosing more expensive seating could push the total towards $5,000. Lumber prices have risen considerably since 2015, so treat these numbers as a rough starting point and price materials locally before you commit.
As for time, the authors suggest two people could finish it over a busy weekend, though the Ashworths themselves spread the work over about two weeks of part-time effort. New wood should be left to dry for a couple of weeks before sealing or staining.
The build, step by step
- Mark the centre, then paint the fire pit and pergola circles using a string line.
- Use a 2x4 spacer to place the eight post positions evenly around the outer circle.
- Dig the holes with a powered auger and clean them out by hand.
- Set each post, check it is level in both directions and pour concrete.
- Build the fire pit, if you are including one.
- Cut notches into the post tops so the beams can sit in them.
- Cut the beams to length and screw them to the posts with long deck screws.
- Fit the mitred top plates over the posts and beams.
- Drill for eye bolts and hang the swings.
- Add the bar or storage area, then seal or stain all the wood once it is dry.
A rotary laser or a simple water level helps get every post the same height, and a speed square keeps cuts accurate.
Safety and planning before you start
A structure that holds swinging adults around an open fire deserves careful planning. Some sensible precautions:
- Check local rules first. Many towns regulate open fires, burn bans and how far a fire pit must sit from buildings, fences and trees. Some also require a permit for structures of this size.
- Mind the clearance. Keep enough distance between the flames and the swings, roof beams and overhanging branches, and never leave a fire unattended or let children play near it unsupervised. Have water or an extinguisher close by and put the fire out completely before going to bed.
- Get the load right. Swings put sideways and downward forces on posts and beams. If you change the dimensions, use different timber, or consider steel, the tutorial itself recommends asking a professional about the joinery.
- Use power tools carefully. Wear eye and hearing protection with circular and reciprocating saws, and get help from someone experienced if you are unsure.
- Measure twice. Plan the whole build on paper so the finished circle does not block paths, drainage or views you care about.
One popular idea from readers is adding a projector and a sheet or outdoor screen to turn the space into a small summer cinema. If you do, keep cables and equipment well away from the fire.
The pergola and the farm on Instagram
Lauren Ashworth shares the project and life at the farm on Instagram as @mrslaurenash. The posts below span 2015 to 2019. Captions are hers; our notes give the date and context.
July 2018. A summer post shared three years after the tutorial appeared, by which time the fire pit circle had become a regular part of family life on the farm.
A post shared by Lauren Ashworth (@mrslaurenash) on
October 2019. An autumn post, a reminder that a fire pit seating area works well beyond summer, when cooler evenings make a fire most welcome.
A post shared by Lauren Ashworth (@mrslaurenash) on
June 2015. One of the early posts from the first summer after the build, when the couple's photos started attracting attention online.
A post shared by Lauren Ashworth (@mrslaurenash) on
March 2016. An early-spring post from the farm. For anyone building something similar, this is a good season to check timber for cracks and refresh the sealant after winter.
A post shared by Lauren Ashworth (@mrslaurenash) on
August 2015. A late-summer post from 2015, the first season documented in the tutorial.
A post shared by Lauren Ashworth (@mrslaurenash) on
June 2015. Another post from June 2015, the first summer covered by the Remodelaholic tutorial.
A post shared by Lauren Ashworth (@mrslaurenash) on
August 2015. A second post from late summer 2015. Lauren posted regularly from the pergola that season.
A post shared by Lauren Ashworth (@mrslaurenash) on
June 2015. An end-of-June post from the farm's first summer with the fire pit circle.
A post shared by Lauren Ashworth (@mrslaurenash) on
January 2017. A winter post from the farm. If you live somewhere with snow, sealing the wood and checking the eye bolts before and after winter helps a structure like this last.
A post shared by Lauren Ashworth (@mrslaurenash) on
July 2017. Posted on the Fourth of July, the kind of summer holiday evening the couple say they built the space to share with family and friends.
A post shared by Lauren Ashworth (@mrslaurenash) on
Is a project like this right for your garden?
If you have a reasonably flat, open area well away from your house and trees, basic carpentry skills and a helper, a fire pit pergola like the Ashworths' is an achievable weekend-to-fortnight project. If space is tight, a smaller version of the plan, fewer swings, or a gas fire table in place of a wood fire may suit you better. Either way, the appeal is the same: a round space where everyone faces each other, gently rocking, with a fire in the middle and nowhere else to be.
Sources: Remodelaholic, Build a DIY Pergola With Fire Pit and Swings (tutorial with plans by Brett and Lauren Ashworth); photos and Instagram posts by Lauren Ashworth (@mrslaurenash).
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