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1. Drive a pipe firmly into the ground at the center of the fire ring. Loop a string over the stake and measure out 9 ft. Mark this point with tape. Hold a can of marking spray paint at the tape and spray the complete circle.
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2. Cut away the sod with a sod cutter. Follow the perimeter and then cut away the inside of the circle. Leave the pipe in place.
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3. Remove enough dirt so that the top of the flagstone sits 1 in. below the surrounding sod. The sod cutter works well for shaving down the grade, but a flat shovel works well too.
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4. Drive a 6-in. landscape spike beside the center pipe until it’s 2 in. below the sod level. Drive six additional spikes about 3 ft. away from the center, spacing them evenly around the center. Level the top of each spike with the center one, then spread sand in the circle flush with the tops of the spikes.
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5. Draw a 21-in. radius circle with the string and marking paint. Lay the first row of retaining wall stones (12 in our case) along the line, minimizing the gaps between them. Twist each stone back and forth a few times in the sand to firmly set it. Make the tops level.
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6. Set the second row of stones on top of the first. Straddle the joints of the first row.
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7. Spread 1 in. of sand over the sitting area. Fit the first flagstone tightly to the fire ring. Twist it into the sand to firmly set it. If it rocks, add or remove sand to stabilize it.
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8. Fit and set stones out to the circle’s edge. Keep the flagstone edges flush to one another and leave 2- to 4-in. spaces in between. You can break larger flagstones with a sledgehammer. Caution: Wear eye protection when breaking stone.
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9. Fill the spaces between the stones with topsoil to about 1/2 in. below the top. Then cut sod with a knife to fit between the stones. Press the sod firmly into the soil and keep the sod damp until it has rooted.
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