The yard spaces outside your home should be just as useful and accessible as anywhere inside of it. You pay for the whole property, after all, so you should be able to enjoy all of it, too. That could mean a landscape refresh, or something smaller that can have a big impact on the look and feel of the whole yard. A backyard fire pit is a good way to accomplish both.
Choosing an Outdoor Fire Pit
There are many benefits to a backyard fire pit that make them worth the effort and expense. A backyard or patio fire pit is a permanent or semi-permanent fire feature that allows you to easily customize the design and functionality of your outdoor space.
Outdoor fire pits are an easy do-it-yourself landscaping project. It requires only an open space, clear of flammable structures or plant-life, a fire pit, and your choice of outdoor furniture to enjoy the glow of the backyard fire.
A fire pit encourages year-round use of your backyard. From summer nights by the pool, to chilled fall evenings on the deck, all you need is a safe and cozy fire pit to enjoy the outdoors. They are an eco-friendly choice that doesn’t require the use of electricity, even offering clean-burning fuel options like wood-alternatives, bioethanol, and natural gas.
Fire Pit Regulations
It is important to keep in mind that some areas will have specific regulations or even permit requirements to install a fire pit. These include safety precautions, such as making sure that the fire pit is installed no closer than ten feet away from any building, fence, or overhangs, to prevent sparking embers, or the danger of trapped smoke or fumes. Different states, counties, or even HOAs may have their own laws and expectations, so do some research before you buy a fire pit to determine the best type of outdoor fire pit for your local area.
How to Plan for a Fire Pit in Your Landscape Design
Finding the right patio fire pit for your outdoor space means knowing what kind of impact the fire pit can have on your yard. It offers an obvious fire feature, which casts heat and warmth over the area, but it also provides a reliable light source, and a custom, decorative focal point to the yard design, day or night. The right backyard fire pit ideas provide a safe, social area for family and friends to gather.
Propane or natural gas fire pit designs can serve as a table, with a fire feature as a centerpiece, or even as benches and seating areas (when the fire is not throwing heat.) Other designs can be accessorized to incorporate grilling grates to turn the decorative fire feature into a functional backyard campfire or BBQ. Different styles of fire pits can perform specific design-related tasks in your yard, so it’s a good idea to know what the options are to determine which fits your lifestyle best.
Fire Pit Design Styles
Most fire pit ideas are more interesting than just a rock-lined ground cover and stacked wood. Whether looking for a wood burning fire pit or a propane fire pit, consider the style that will best suit your backyard design.
Fire Rings
A fire ring is a good way to contain a wood or wood-alternative fire pit. They provide the rustic aesthetic of a traditional campfire, but also keep the fire’s fuel and ash or embers from spreading into the seating areas. They are usually made of metal and can be found with crafted designs and customized grill inserts.
Fire Bowls
A fire bowl is a large metal disk that keeps the fire contained in the low center. It provides a rounded base, with raised, angled sides to keep pets and children safely away from flares and ash. They either sit on legs to hold the bowl off the ground, or the base weight of the bowl can keep it secure and flush on the dirt or rock groundcover, making them easily portable. Fire bowls are often paired with fire rings to add to both the aesthetics and the convenience, as the bowls are easily maintained and cleaned between uses.
Fireplaces
Fireplaces can be built outdoors, too. These are made of brick or stone and raise the fire feature off the ground, with the fire enclosed on three sides to protect it from wind. The smoke is directed up through a chimney and away from the seating area. Brick fireplaces are a larger outdoor fire pit option and may require assistance from a contractor or landscape designer to install properly and within regulations.
Chimineas
A chiminea is a small, portable fireplace, though it is often heavy depending on the material it is made from and the size. It offers some of the same features as a brick, built-in, outdoor fireplace without the permanent installation. The fire is built inside the raised chiminea and the smoke is directed up and away from anyone seated nearby. Larger chimineas can also be used with grills and other accessories for cooking or baking. Chimineas are traditionally made of clay, but modern styles include a variety of materials and color options, such as steel and cast-iron.
Pizza Ovens
Pizza ovens are similar to built-in fireplaces and are often included in an outdoor fireplace design. The fire pit area is below the pizza oven, which is a flat base with a domed top to trap the heat for baking. Pizza ovens are also available as a tabletop fire pit, looking rather like a short and squat chiminea, or as appliances for your outdoor kitchen.
Fire Pagodas
A fire pagoda resembles a large, enclosed lantern. They make a stylish, portable patio fire pit. Pagodas consist of a framed-in, raised platform on which to build the fire. The fire is then enclosed inside metal screens to help protect family and friends as they enjoy the heat.
Fire Tables
Fire pit tables are decorative and functional patio fire pits. They can be found at the height of a coffee table, or as stand-up cafe tables, and every height in between. Fire tables are usually propane, natural gas, or bioethanol fueled, with the fire coming through a fire-proof, decorative topping such as glass or stones as a centerpiece. The fire pit table edge is deep enough to safely hold plates and drinkware, with plenty of clearance away from the low flames. The fire pit area of the table is often surrounded by a short, protective glass wind-break.
Fire Columns
Fire columns are taller, raised platforms with a propane or natural gas fueled fire feature. Some of these will have a protective glass or metal grating or frame to shield the flames. Fire columns are used for ambiance and lighting, particularly as an architectural accent. They have an emphasis on decor and style, with a narrower footprint than most other types of fire pits.
Choose the Best Material for a Fire Pit
The materials used to create the fire pit can influence everything from the weight and portability of the fire pit, to how effectively it can throw heat. Ideally, you want a fire pit that is durable and easy to clean, and possibly even easily moved around, and above all, one that fits the look and atmosphere of your yard design.
Popular fire pit materials include:
- Aluminum
- Cast Iron
- Concrete
- Copper
- Glass
- Polyresin
- Steel and Stainless Steel
- Stone and Faux Stone
The metal fire pits are known for their durability and effective design when it comes to spreading heat. Concrete and stone are heavier, more permanent fire pit options. Glass and polyresin fire pits are highly decorative and make creative accent fire features on the patio or porch.
The Best Size for a Fire Pit
Fire pit sizes vary depending on everything from their design style to the material they’re made of, and choosing the best one for your space includes determining how you want to use it. For instance, if you want a fire pit that can be moved easily out of the way, you may want a smaller fire pit, but if you want something permanent that can safely socialize multiple people then perhaps a larger fire pit will do the trick.
The best size for a fire pit for your yard depends on a number of factors, with the most important being safety. The area planned for the outdoor fire pit should be large enough to accommodate the fire pit, any furniture, and walking space to allow safe movement, while also being a safe distance from structures, buildings, trees, or other easily sparkerd, flammable objects. Local regulations may have a specific square footage requirement, so check with the professionals in your area.
The standard range for fire pit dimensions is between 24 and 38 inches in diameter, with an outside edge that can raise up at least 18 inches from the ground. To help the fire throw heat better, look for fire pits that have lower edges. Be sure to allow 5 to 7 feet around the fire pit to allow safe movement around the fire feature and any furniture or seating areas. Tabletop fire pits will have smaller footprints, and some coffee table fire pits have a wider base with a smaller area for the fire feature, so the right size will depend on the style of fire pit that fits your yard design.
Outdoor Heating With a Fire Pit
Another consideration to determine the right size of the fire pit is the amount of heat expected to cover the area. Heat is energy, which is measured in BTUs for fire pits. While it is difficult to determine the exact BTUs expended by the family campfire, a gas fire pit or or propane fire pit will be more clearly marked. Choose the backyard fire pit that can heat the size of the area around it for you to enjoy.
To do this, determine the size of the area where the fire pit will be located. Include the area behind the seating arrangements. Multiply the length by the width and general height of the entire area to be heated. (Keep in mind that, while visitors may stand six-foot-tall, you may not necessarily need to heat a space quite that large, as most socializing happens seated around the fire pit.)
The length, width, and height of the area provides the cubic footage that will need to be heated. With that, you can determine the minimum required BTUs of the fire pit by having an idea of the required temperature change that the fire pit will be used to create. In a year-round, cooler climate, you may need a higher BTU to hold the outside air at the desired temperature if, for instance, you want the fire pit to keep the social area even just ten degrees warmer than the natural temperature.
For a rough idea of the minimum BTU required for an outdoor space, use the following formula:
(cubic feet of area) x (expected temperature change) = (BTUs needed)
As a general reference, to change the outside temperature just 10 degrees warmer, look for a fire pit with a minimum:
- 10,000 BTU for a 10’ x 10’ patio
- 25,600 BTU for a 16’ x 16’ yard area
- 70,000 BTU for a 20’ x 35’ yard area
A higher BTU fire pit may guide your fire pit choices toward a natural gas fueled fire pit, as a propane tank is only capable of 90,000 BTU. All of these fire pit sizes come in under the capacity of a 20 lb. tank of liquid propane gas, so there is a lot of flexibility between the types of fire pits. For very large areas, more than one fire pit may be appropriate.
Fire Pit Fuel Sources
The fuel type you choose for the outdoor fire pit can help narrow down your design choices. Some are more common in specific styles than others, for example it may be easier to find a propane fueled table top or freestanding fire pit than a wood-burning one.
Here are the more common fuel types for fire pits:
Wood Burning Fire Pits
Wood burning fire pits provide the traditional, rustic aesthetic of a campfire in your backyard. These fire pits offer a place to stack chopped wood or wood alternatives and keep the flames stocked with sticks and paper filler.
Wood offers a more inconsistent heat that requires regular tending to keep it built up, and can throw embers and sparks, but it is a strong and effective heat source. Depending on the way the fire is built and the size of the fire pit, a wood burning fire pit can produce as much as 60,000 BTU and up to cover a comfortable social area. Make sure they are in a well-ventilated part of the yard to protect yourself and your guests from the smoke.
Propane Fire Pits
These fire pits throw a clean-burning, bright flame that is mostly decorative and often found in table top fire pits. Propane fire pits are fueled by a propane tank hidden within the design of the fire pit.
It can take some time to get the area around the fire pit warmed up, but liquid propane fire pits can produce between 10,000 and 50,000 BTUs with many fire pit ideas. Larger, commercial propane fire pits can manage closer to 70,000 BTU. They are easily portable and a tank of propane can provide nearly twice the BTU performance of a natural gas fire pit.
Natural Gas Fire Pits
A natural gas fire pit is a more permanent installation because of the connection to the home’s natural gas line. That also can limit the placement of the fire pit, as the location has to be carefully planned so that the natural gas line can be extended out into the yard and installed safely. Installing the natural gas line out into the yard can often require specific permits and must meet an assortment of regulations in some jurisdictions.
Other than the placement complications of the natural gas line, natural gas fire pits are easy and inexpensive to operate, produce a lower temperature, cleaner burning heat, and don’t produce excessive smoke or fumes. With an obvious emphasis on the look and design of the fire feature, natural gas flames create a unique aesthetic dancing over a topping material of glass, tumbled river stones, or lava rock.
Bioethanol
Ethanol, or bioethanol, fire pits are a real-flame, clean and smokeless fire pit option. These fire pits are usually highly portable and make unique outdoor coffee tables and fire columns. Bioethanol fire pits can produce between 4,000 to 8,000 BTUs an hour, with a quart of fuel capable of lasting as much as five hours in some designs.
They provide an alcohol-based fuel that can be used anywhere, by simply pouring the fuel on a burner or turning on the gas, controlling the size of the flame by adjusting the size of the burner opening. Bioethanol fuels are made of denatured alcohol, which is made from different types of agricultural and commercial waste, and the flames are produced by the combustion of the sugars contained in the ethanol.
Setting Up A Backyard Fire Pit
Once all details like the type of fire pit and the location are all ironed out, the only remaining concern is to make sure you can use the fire feature for years to come. There are various ways to protect the fire pit from the weather, and to ensure that it is always used safely and efficiently, with the right fire pit accessories to make it easier to use.
Make sure you have a selection of these tools on hand when you use your new fire pit:
- Cooking grates and grill covers - Many fire pits can double as a BBQ, so don’t miss out.
- Wind screens - Keep the flames and embers inside the fire pit and protect your guests and home.
- Firewood storage rack - A storage rack makes it easier to carry and store the firewood where it will be quick to access to keep the flames going.
- Fire pit cover - When you’re not using the fire pit, keep it protected from the elements.
- Propane tank cover - Hide away the propane tanks to keep them easily accessible without being in the way.
- Fire glass and rocks - Topping Materials add to the aesthetics of your natural gas or propane fire features.
These accessories, like the fire pit selections themselves, are available in a variety of colors and materials, so you can choose what works best for your yard.
