How To Upcycle An Old Washing Machine Into A Fire Pit On A Budget

Ahh autumn. Most Americans consider it their favorite season of the year. The sweaters and boots start coming out again, pumpkin spice everything resurfaces, hayrides and corn mazes reopen, and the bonfire pits come out of hibernation. S'mores anyone? If you're in the market for a new fire pit, and you happen to have an old washing machine with a steel drum lying around, don't throw it out. With some creativity and a few tools, you can upcycle the machine into a DIY fire pit for free in under 10 minutes (via YouTube).

Most washing machine drums are made from stainless steel, which can withstand high heat. These drums are also covered in dozens of holes for water flow, but when used as fire pits, air will be moving through these openings instead. One of the crucial factors to consider when setting up a fire pit is proper ventilation. This allows for a cleaner burn as well as a reduction in smoke and the carbon monoxide buildup, making a porous metal drum the perfect fire pit. Plus, its cylindrical shape helps contain the fire.

The first step in converting a washing machine drum to a fire pit is obviously extraction. Not all machines are alike, but the basic steps are the same for top-loading washing machines. If the drum base is plastic, remove and discard it; it won't be usable in the pit. If it's metal, keep it attached. You'll also need to unscrew the top portion of the machine to completely free the drum. Make sure there aren't any interfering plastic pieces or wires, as YouTuber @ecologicaltime demonstrates. Once the drum is detached, remove all plastic parts from inside, if you see any.

In the first YouTube video, the creator cut three 32-inch pieces of metal and screwed them to the drum to elevate it. For the base, he used a large concrete-cutting, heavy-duty saw blade. The original base of the drum was likely plastic, hence the removal. Keep in mind that this demonstration is based on a top-loading washer, but there are other ways to upcycle a drum, depending on the type of washer you have. 

In Kids of the Wild's version, the drum base is made of metal, so the blogger kept it attached to use as the fire pit base. They also didn't elevate it. Some have upcycled front-loading washers, but as The View from the Clouds demonstrates, it could take some effort to separate the drum.

One of the nice things about a DIY project is that you can customize it in a number of ways, either to match the surrounding decor or just your personal style preferences. When it comes to your upcycled washing machine drum, you can add legs, as mentioned in the previous section, but you can also change the exterior color with a coat of paint. Perhaps you want to create a chevron pattern or just paint the entire thing a solid, bold color. You can do both.

When painting any type of fire pit, you can't use just any type of spray paint. It needs to be a spray paint that's designed to withstand high heat up to 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit. The label on the can will indicate whether the paint is a high-heat spray or not. Be sure to clean, sand, and dry the pit/drum before spraying it.

Regardless of the type of drum you have or how you choose to upcycle it, remember to remove all plastic parts and create a metal base, if the drum doesn't already have one. Also, remember that the drum will get very hot, so don't touch it, and if you choose to paint it, use only high-heat spray paint. Happy upcycling!