A backyard cinder block grill is about as Texas as a project gets, and grilling is a big thing here. For years the boys handled the grill. I learned to run it myself and I am glad I did, because nothing gets cooked in the kitchen and nothing has to be cleaned in there afterwards either. You can put almost anything over the coals, romaine included. This one from Dr. Stewart Productions on YouTube is big enough for several meats and vegetables at once, and the blocks come in under a hundred dollars. Watch the video tutorial below.
A backyard cinder block grill is a dry stacked grill built from 22 full 8 by 8 by 16 cinder blocks and four half blocks, with a steel angle iron carrying a 48 by 40 sheet of metal mesh as the cooking surface. The inside dimension is 32 inches square. No mortar, and the materials come in under a hundred dollars.
Materials:
- 22 – 8″ x 8″ x 16″ cinder blocks
- 4 – 8″ x 8″ x 8″ half blocks
- 1 – 48″ x 40″ metal mesh
- 1 – 2″ x 2″ x 48″ steel angle iron
- 7 – 2″ x 2″ x 16″ flat concrete blocks
Directions:
Step 1
To start, level out the soil where you plan to build the DIY grill in your backyard. After leveling, the inside dimension should be 32″ x 32″. Now, put out seven 8″ x 8″ x 16″ cinder blocks to the bottom level. On the second level, start stacking with two half blocks on both ends, then full blocks again going around. The next level is going to be the cooking surface. Place the steel angle above the two half blocks, then the metal mesh.
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Step 2
Begin stacking the third level with two full blocks and one half block on each side, then two full blocks on the back. Next, build a small shelf on the top level by putting the other piece of metal on the back part, then stack the last layer of blocks. Your DIY cinder block grill is now finished!
DIY Backyard Cinder Block Grill Tutorial
Frequently Asked Questions
How many cinder blocks does a backyard grill take?
Twenty two full 8 by 8 by 16 cinder blocks and four 8 by 8 by 8 half blocks. On top of that you need one 48 by 40 sheet of metal mesh, one 2 by 2 by 48 steel angle iron and seven 2 by 2 by 16 flat concrete blocks. That is the complete list, and it builds a grill with a 32 inch square interior.
Do you need mortar or can you dry stack?
Dry stacked. There is no mortar anywhere in the materials list, which is part of why this comes together in an afternoon. What does matter is leveling the soil before the first seven blocks go down, because every layer above sits on that. The half blocks at each end of the second level are what create the ledge for the cooking surface.
What do you use for the grill grate?
A 48 by 40 sheet of metal mesh. It rests on the 2 by 2 by 48 steel angle iron, which is placed across the two half blocks at the top of the second level. That combination gives you a wide cooking surface with real support under it, rather than a grate balanced on block edges, and a second piece of metal makes a small shelf higher up.
How much does a cinder block grill cost to build?
Less than a hundred dollars for the whole build. Cinder blocks are cheap, the half blocks and flat concrete blocks are cheaper still, and the only items that cost anything real are the steel angle iron and the metal mesh. For a grill this size, one you can cook several meats and vegetables on at once, that is hard to argue with.
