Why Choose a Fire Pit?
Want to keep warm on a chilly evening? Or roast marshmallows over an open fire? A fire pit provides year-round luxury and atmosphere. Fire pits create a stunning focal point, and they light up your backyard. Fire pits are available in a wide range of styles and sizes, so you’re sure to find the one that suits you best.
When using a fire pit, always remember safety first. See the Fire Pit Safety Tips at the end of this article.
A Spin on Game Night or Movie Night
Ready to curl up on the couch and watch your favorite team in action or a great movie? Put a spin on game night or movie night by turning a blank patio into an outdoor TV nook. A black steel wood-burning fire pit creates a cozy feeling in a space that’s functional and welcoming. Add a small end table, a few well-placed pillows and a throw blanket, and the night is set.
A Place for Conversation
When it’s stimulating conversation you’re after, this tabletop steel propane gas fire pit sets the tone. Add comfortable patio seating, throw pillows and plants to create a relaxed atmosphere for friends and family.
Sleek and Modern Concrete
A gray concrete natural gas fire pit table adds a touch of sleek elegance to your patio or deck. Surrounding it with seating in complementary tones, such as the gray wicker patio set shown, completes the modern look and provides a great area for relaxing.
Fire Table Intimacy
When you want to create an intimate space, adding a small fire pit table is a great choice. Fire pit tables are more ornate than regular fire pits, usually consisting of a base and a decorative top. When the fire pit isn’t in use, a burner cover on top converts it to a table for your convenience. Whether modern or rustic, a fire pit table is a great complement to your patio or landscape.
Shop Fire Pit Kits and Build a Fire Pit Yourself
Building your own backyard fire pit gives you a beautiful hardscaping element you can enjoy for years.
For maximum ease and convenience, get a ready-to-assemble fire pit kit with the tools and materials you'll need for the project. If you've already got the tools, take a look at other project kits that give you different design options.
Once you've built your fire pit, finish the look with decorative fire stones (also known as fire glass) or lava rocks.
For a truly customized look, build your fire pit from the ground up using paver base sand, retaining wall blocks and fire bricks. Since an in-ground fire pit is usually small, there are fewer embers to escape.
Want more ideas? Read How to Build a Fire Pit Ring, which takes you through the steps for building a round fire pit and How to Build an In-Ground Fire Pit to see a design that includes a small paver patio.
Styling a Fire Pit
Whether placing your fire pit on a patio or integrating it into your landscape, atmosphere is everything. A fire pit and comfortable seating go hand in hand. Classic Adirondack chairs or the right patio chair can take your space from basic to wow in no time. Adding string lights around the patio or stringing them across trees creates a festive flare in your backyard. To add a decorative element to your fire pit, try using fire glass, which doesn’t burn.
Adding decorative garden décor like wind chimes, statues and sculptures, or fountains further enhance the landscape.
When not in use, a fire pit cover helps protect it from the elements and keeps out unwanted critters. A cover also helps extend the life of the fire pit.
Don’t Forget the Chiminea
The rustic feel of a chiminea will blend in well with your landscape. Traditional chimineas are made of clay; however, they’re also available in steel, cast iron and copper. And since the flames are directed up and out of the chiminea stack, it helps prevent your hands or clothes from coming into contact with the flames.
Fire Pit Safety Tips
Your safety and the safety of your family are very important. Here are a few things to remember when using a fire pit.
- Check your local laws and regulations to ensure you’re in compliance when using a fire pit.
- Fire pits should be placed at least 10 feet from your house or other structures.
- Never place a fire pit under a covered patio.
- Always supervise children when operating a fire pit.
- Keep the fire pit clear of combustible materials.
- Never attempt to light a fire pit during windy conditions.
- To reduce the risk of flying sparks and embers, add a spark screen to the fire pit.
- Clean out debris in the fire pit on a regular basis. If using a wood-burning fire pit or a chiminea, be sure to clean out the ashes.
- Always keep a garden hose or a bucket of sand nearby to extinguish a fire in case of an emergency.