Brick Braais Built From Scratch
- Foundation slab cast to carry the weight
- Face brick or plastered brick walls
- Firebrick-lined firebox for wood fires
- Chimney breast and canopy built in
- Wood store bay under the fire
- Grid, drop-down door and fire grate
A built-in braai made from brick and mortar, planned for your patio and built from the slab up. Our team lays the foundation, builds the brickwork, lines the firebox and finishes it in face brick, plaster or stone.
A built-in braai is a small building. It sits on its own slab, carries heavy brickwork and a chimney, and takes years of heat and Cape winter rain. We build the foundation, walls, firebox, wood store and chimney breast as one solid structure.
Brick gives you choices a bought unit cannot. The braai can be as wide as your family needs and the chimney can be shaped to suit the house. Where the fire sits on brick, we line the firebox with firebricks made to take the heat.
Already have the brickwork and only need a new unit fitted? See our braai installation services. To plan the size, read our guide to built-in braai dimensions.
No two brick braais are the same, so we price yours after we have seen the site. These are the things that move the price.
Width and height. A compact patio braai uses far less brick and labour than a wide braai with a tall chimney.
The firebox. A firebrick-lined brick firebox, a steel insert, or a gas and wood combination unit set into the brickwork.
Chimney route. A short chimney through an open patio roof is simpler than one that climbs past a gutter or a double-storey wall.
The finish. Face brick, plaster and paint, stone cladding or tiles, plus any counter tops.
Ground and access. Sloping ground, soft soil or a tight side passage can add foundation work and labour time.
Get my free quote1. Measure and plan. We check the spot, the wind, the roof and the ground, then agree the size and look with you.
2. Quote and sketch. You get a written quote and a simple sketch of the braai, the counter and the chimney.
3. Foundation. We cast a slab that can carry the weight of the brickwork and the chimney.
4. Brickwork and firebox. The walls, wood store and firebox go up, lined with firebrick or set for your steel unit.
5. Chimney and finish. The chimney goes through the roof with a cowl and flashing, then we plaster, clad or tile.
6. Cure and first fire. Mortar and plaster need time to dry. We tell you when it is safe to light the first fire.
Brick and masonry braais from our Cape Town jobs, photographed on site during and after the build.
Send us a few photos of the spot and we will come back with ideas, a sketch and a written quote.
Face brick classic. Red or blended face brick with a brick chimney to match.
Plastered and painted. Smooth plaster painted to match the house, with a contrast colour on the base.
Braai with counters. A braai flanked by counters for prep and serving, with tiles or stone on top.
Stone clad feature wall. A braai wall clad in natural stone that becomes the focus of the patio.
Small patio braai. A narrow braai with a slim wood store for townhouse patios and courtyards.
Many family braais are between 900mm and 1200mm wide, while a small patio may suit a narrower one. We measure the space and help you pick a size that still leaves room to walk past.
They do different jobs. A firebrick-lined brick braai is built for your space and needs little upkeep. A steel unit set into brickwork adds drop-down doors and adjustable grids. Many builds combine the two.
A braai and chimney built against the house can count as building work, and estates and complexes often have their own rules. We tell you upfront if your build needs approval and help with the information required.
The mortar and plaster need time to dry before a big fire. Lighting too soon can crack the brickwork. We give you a date at handover and suggest a small fire first before a full braai.
Yes. We are registered gas installers, so a gas and wood combination unit can be built into the brickwork, with the gas line installed and signed off with a Certificate of Compliance.
