[Alpha1234]

So I have this huge pile of cement blocks that are sitting near my back woods from a large shed that the previous owners took down. I have been thinking of using them to construct something and need a few ideas. I apologize for not having the exact specifications for the sizes but there are about 50 cement blocks, another 30 that are a little bit smaller, around 100 bricks, and maybe another 100 cement blocks that seem to have taken to the weather (broken in half, some have uneven surfaces etc.) There is also a 20-25 foot high antenna looking thing. With all that being said. What are some possible suggestions of what i could build with this and a little cement mix? It doesnt really need to be geared directly towards survival, but just anything I could get a use out of. We already have storage sheds for all out stuff and a small barn in addition. My current thought is just to build something to store firewood in near the fire pit. Any other good suggestions would help. Thanks.

 

[Maine Russian]

You said you had a 'fire pit' but how about a nice big fireplace/grill type setup? Doesn't sound like you have enough to build a small shed. I can't think of much else at the moment but others are surely to suggest lots of things to do with the blocks.

 

[MikeK]

Well pump house?

 

[MEGAHAMMER]

How about a couple of fighting positions? Or maybe some raised planters would be nice. :

 

[BrowserCat]

We have a fire ring made of those horribly expensive sort of pie shaped cement blocks we got for free from my sister in law, but no place to put wood that we trim from trees or set aside specifically for burning. It might be a useful thing to build a bin for wood, off the ground and near your fire pit...

 

[Alpha1234]

So I decided to build a grill type of thing with about 25 bricks or so to start. I would post pictures but the batteries in my camera died. its about a 3x3 area of blocks layed to make a flat surface. the sides and back are 3 and 4 blocks high and 3 wide. I cut some rabbit cage fencing to make a grill type area above the coals. While I was making it, i was thinking to myself if there is a way i could add a top to it to make it into a smoker? Tomorrow i think i'll work on building on building a place to keep the fire wood stored and should still have plenty of blocks left after i complete that. Would it be better if i keep the wood off the ground using bricks, or to put it on those wooden pads that they use to hold bulk items such as u might see stored at home depot and such? Thanks for all of your input. Although firing positions would be nice, I dont think the rest of the family would like it around the property unless i put it all the way in the back woods. (which by the way, i found a nice 55 gallon storage container sitting in the middle of the woods. That may come in use for something down the road)

 

[Silver Survivor]

A family member of mine built a fire pit approx 4' x 8' by 3 foot high, for roasting a whole pig on a large spit, Hawaiian style. They had a large piece of metal to go on top of it, and created a roughly built oven. There was a nice bed of wood coals and the pig roast was a whole day's project.

The pig came out great !!!!!

 

[OhioMan]

So I decided to build a grill type of thing with about 25 bricks or so to start. I would post pictures but the batteries in my camera died. its about a 3x3 area of blocks layed to make a flat surface. the sides and back are 3 and 4 blocks high and 3 wide. I cut some rabbit cage fencing to make a grill type area above the coals. While I was making it, i was thinking to myself if there is a way i could add a top to it to make it into a smoker? Tomorrow i think i'll work on building on building a place to keep the fire wood stored and should still have plenty of blocks left after i complete that. Would it be better if i keep the wood off the ground using bricks, or to put it on those wooden pads that they use to hold bulk items such as u might see stored at home depot and such? Thanks for all of your input. Although firing positions would be nice, I dont think the rest of the family would like it around the property unless i put it all the way in the back woods. (which by the way, i found a nice 55 gallon storage container sitting in the middle of the woods. That may come in use for something down the road)

Good choice:thumb:

 

[emill]

Alpha1234-

If that rabbit fencing is galvanized, you might want to reconsider using it for any sort of cooking or food prep (you mentioned smoking). I believe zinc releases toxic fumes when subjected to campfire-temperature heat.

I made a firewood "rack" out of some scrap lumber kept off the ground with several concrete blocks a few years back. Split wood stored there did not rot on the underside as my other stack (on a concrete slab) did.

 

[Brother Buck]

Zinc plating and fire are truly bad together.

 

[Alpha1234]

So I guess it is a good thing i didn't cook anything on it yet. Any idea of what i could purchase from lowes or home depot to use in place of that if i plan on cooking from it?

 

[sky walker]

You want a cookable surface homedepo is wrong direction for fun a junk yard or metal ware house ask you local welder...

 

[Idaho]

You said you had a 'fire pit' but how about a nice big fireplace/grill type setup? Doesn't sound like you have enough to build a small shed. I can't think of much else at the moment but others are surely to suggest lots of things to do with the blocks.

Exactly what I would use them for. Giant outdoor grill for shtf cooking :thumb:

 

[greenhorn]

A small bunker for outside prep storage (to stash) away from the main living area, food, clothes, ammo, fishing gear, firearms etc.

 

[Packitup]

You may also want to line the inside of masonry fire pits with a layer of firebrick, or make the pit large enough so that fires burn several feet away from the masonry. Porous materials like brick, concrete block, slate or sandstone can get hot enough for the expanding moisture within the material to cause them to crack...or even explode! Likewise, use granite or other non-porous rock to construct stone fire pits, or make an inner ring of firebrick.

 

[Smokey024]

Sounds like you picked what I was going to suggest with the smoke house. Like Pack said make sure if you use it as a fire pit to use a heat resistant material on the inside otherwise it won't last.