Is That A Rug Under Your Fire Pit?!

With summer fast approaching, I thought I might post a project I did a couple of summers ago to add some color in my outdoor living space.  Besides the usual pots of flowers, I thought it would be fun to have more color and coziness around the seating area.  Naturally, my mind drifted towards an area rug. But, under the fire pit...probably not a good idea!  So I came up with this tiled rug....

I started with a round piece of plywood I had picked up at a recycle center.  I then collected various tiles and plates from thrift stores.  I also picked up a couple of bags of flattened marbles from the dollar store.  A little plate smashing, a little adhesive, a little tile grout, and a little (actually, a lot) of head scratching to get a pattern I liked and, voila!...a fire pit rug!  Now, having enjoyed this rug for the past couple of summers, let me give you a few pointers.  To help prevent moisture from wicking up into the plywood, I think it might be a good idea to raise it off the concrete a little.  I'm thinking of adding a few marbles around the perimeter of the underside to accomplish this.  Also, seal the grout well and store the rug inside during the rainy season to help prolong its life.  UPDATE 5/9/2014:  Maybe even a better idea would be to use concrete board (cut in a circle) as a base instead of plywood.  After having been in the elements for a a few years now, the plywood I used has began to separate and the tiles are coming off.  I think the concrete board would hold up better.  Have fun!

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