The Essential Guide to Choosing the Perfect Fire Pit for your Outdoor Space

History has it that the best gossips unravel over a fire pit; there is something about the flickering

flames that draws out the innermost secrets against all odds.

Like a traditional campfire, a pre-built or customized fire pit is a fine way to loosen up as

you roast marshmallows and chortle with friends.

Image Source: Unsplash-Tegan Mierle

However, there are multiple specs to consider when you plan to install a fire pit into your

outdoor space, such as the dimensions, material, designs, and placement.

To help you keep warm at night as you gaze up at the stars, we have put together a

step-by-step guide to choose just the perfect piece of the fire pit for your outdoor space. 

Step 1: Measuring Dimensions

You wouldn’t want the fire pit to overcrowd your backyard, nor would you want it to be

insufficient for a comfortable seating arrangement. This is why step one says to measure the

dimensions where you

plan to fit it, way before you head over to the shops. 

As a casual FYI, the fire pits normally range from 20 inches to 100 inches in diameter. Using

chalk or tape, therefore, you can make the markings and arrange the chairs around it.

A draft picture is a good way to

get a landscaping idea of the space that the fire pit will occupy – the resultant would

help you filter down your choices.

Once you have the measurements checked, you can proceed to step number two.

Step 2: Selecting Fire Pit Designs

Filtering down choices brings you to select the design that befits your outdoor space. Fire pits

come in variable designs; there is something for every house setting.

There are several classic designs of mounting up a fireplace outdoors; these come as embedded

in a big dining or outdoorsy tables, like neat little bowls, as unmovable pits, and as portable

fire rings, to name a few. 

Using the following brief overview of types of fireplaces, you can easily select one as

per your outdoor context. 

• Fire Tables

They are exclusive tables embedded with a fire pit and a surrounding flat surface – spacious

enough to place a glass of wine or a bowl of chips as you laze about. It is not as easy to move

but they make a perfect

focal point for outdoor entertainment. They also make a great conference table to discuss gossips at night!

• Fire Bowls

Instead of burning as an inserted pit like in the fire tables, the flames smolder in a container of various

sizes in a fire bowl. These are portable and easier to clean.

Some of them have legs to allow room for heat dissipation while others sit on the tabletops as a large fishbowl.

Another member of this trendy design is the tabletop pits – much smaller in size and perfect for the shorter setting. 

Tabletop fire pits are an attractive compromise that makes the setting look snug. The dancing flames throw a breathtaking glow just covering the table; perfect for a heartfelt chat of one-on-one. Needless to say, they are not suited for grilling purposes.

• Fire Rings 

They are lightweight, shorter in height, and bring a traditional, rustic feel to your outdoor décor as the flames burn at your feet. More like the campfire, fire rings can be easily relocated; for instance, if you wish to move them to another place for a larger gathering with friends.

Like the fire tables, fire rings are custom-designed to grill, cook, or warm over.

Step 3: Studying the Materials

Different materials carry out different tasks and provide varying features. The material of the fire pit must be in accordance with the function it intends to perform, as that would largely influence its portability and quality. 

• Stone 

Prone to crackling in winters from repeated thawing, stone fire pits are a popular pick mainly because they pertain to the existing outdoor décor. However, these are heavy to lift and thus reduce the portability factor. 

• Steel

 A steel fire pit is always available in a huge range of choices, as they are easy to mold metals and thus, quite prevalent as it is. Steel fire pits add a rustic and patina look to the overall décor. They are lightweight, but vulnerable to rust so you can look for a stainless steel one, or maybe the powder-coated pits. 

• Aluminum

Fire pits made up of aluminum do not rust, crack, are portable, and are heat-resistant which adds up to their longevity. Therefore, aluminum fire pits are the conventional ones being used for a long time.

Step 4: Picking the Best Fuel

The fuel is where you need to pay heed since the fire pits cost little as compared to the maintenance they require. The fuel burns as long as you cook, have heartfelt chats, roast marshmallows, and warm over. 

• Wood 

Generally, domestic outdoor heaters cum fire pits use wood-burning as their primary fuel. After all, nothing can beat the rustic timber smell or the wood snapping together as it burns into dancing flames. 

However, wood calls for a lot of safety precautions and manual tending to keep control of the size and temperature. Not to mention you need to have plenty of wood resources to keep your fuel stock up.

• Propane 

Stoked up by a propane tank, these ignite on a flip of a switch, and allow you to keep a better check on the flames than the wood-burning pits. Fire pits with a tucked away propane tank under tables have a decorative outer bowl with stones, rocks, or beads that hide the burning element underneath.     

Easier to clean and maintain, these are, however costly and produce lesser heat and smoke as compared to the wood.

• Natural gas 

Considerably more cost-effective than the other options, fire pits that run on natural gas have to be built-in with a connecting gas line installed. 

• Charcoal

Cheap fuel to kindle a controlled fire with only small flickering flames. 

• Bio-ethanol 

Eco-friendly bio-ethanol is mostly used for commercial fire pits as of now. For domestic uses, the fuel can cost quite a lot to drive a fire pit for merely an outdoor pleasure.

Step 5: Intelligent Placement 

Determining the location of the fire pit is next in importance to …well, all of the above. Your fire pit must be placed intelligently to cover all expectations linked to it. Just like a buying guide, the placement requires you to keep several practical aspects under consideration. 

1. Safety 

Of course, safety comes first. Erecting a fire pit in your backyard or outdoors is a potential risk for fire alarms. To begin with, you must not plant it on wooden surfaces or naked grass because the embers that fly from the pit can be dangerous. A heat-resistant surface such as bricks is the safer and wiser choice.      

Structures of any kind must at least be at a safe distance of 10 feet away. This falls in with the design perks as well; allowing ample space surrounding the pit to sit, dance, play, or party around. 

2. Practicality

Fire pits are the fastest way to get people outdoors or to act as the main venue for nighttime hang-outs. Chances are that you are erecting a fire pit to invite over your friends more often than normal, which is why you would want it not too far from your house so that you can get edibles quickly.

Similarly, keep them away from the bushes or low-hanging branches to not only prevent an outburst but to also keep the area well-ventilated. Speaking of which, do make sure to avoid placing it where the wind tends to get a bit gusty. Gales of wind over fire pits in one direction can cause discomfort and possible fire-sparking dangers. 

3. Presentation

Fire pits act as the heart of your outdoor setting. If you have a small space left for an outdoor heating arrangement, get one of the portable, moderate-sized fire pits to permit a vast space for comfortable seating and walking around. 

Fire pits add a rustic glamor to any outdoor space; the patio, the backyard, or the shaved lawn. They are a stirring addition to your house, with loads of fun possibilities to enjoy over the year. 

Once you’ve got the hang of buying a fire pit for your outdoor space, you may look around the brands online to get the best deals available. There is an abundance of eye-grabbing designs to bring home; you may even find a deer cut out of a steel base! 

Year-round, there is always something you can do around your fire pit. Summers calls for playing board games with a bowl of ice cream, as the fire dances to a low tune.

In October, as the Halloween approaches, you can roast hot dogs, swap into creepy characters, and play around the fire with your friends. With the approach of the winter, snuggle up around the pit with mugs full of coffee and sharing ghost stories. 

Fire pits, in other words, are potential magnets to social gatherings and reunions. Something we all would love to do!