Looking for a way to add some glamour to your outdoor space? A fire pit is what you need. Easy to set up and use, a fire pit also makes your space usable year-round. But before you invite your family and friends to enjoy good food and wine around your fire pit, you’ll want to choose the right design for your space. I’m excited to help you find an absolutely lovely pit to enhance your backyard ambience.
What Styles of Firepits Are There?
Fire bowls, fire tables, and fire columns are the most common styles of outdoor firepits you’ll come across. Each of them differs in shape, size and purpose, so you’ll want to get familiar with the different types to find the right one.
Bowls
The most common types are fire bowls. They have a large bowl-like shape and are frequently constructed of metals like copper or stainless steel, while some are made of concrete.
These are a fantastic choice if you want a pit that can be moved about easily in your patio or yard. They are also available in a range of diameters, can include legs, and can be powered by wood, propane, or natural gas.
Tables
There are many different sizes and shapes of fire tables, such as squares, rectangles, and octagons. They are widely used as the focal point between outdoor couches and chairs on porches and are typically fueled by propane, natural gas, or electricity. A ledge that surrounds the pit on fire tables is a useful feature where you can lay glasses or food.
Columns
Fire columns are great solutions for smaller places because they don’t take up much space. They can be square or rectangular, narrow, and a bit tall. These firepits can run on propane or natural gas and offer a distinctive appearance.
What Material Is Best?
You’ll notice that most outdoor firepits available on the market are made from metal. This is because metal is a durable material that is also easy to clean and practically fireproof. Common metals used are:
Copper
Copper is a rust-coloured metal that when left outside, soon develops a deep green patina. Before you decide on a copper firepit you should know that to maintain its cosy, shining appearance you will need to clean it frequently. So, unless you’re a fan of the patina, copper might not be the best option if you’re looking for a low-maintenance material.
Steel
Steel is a corrosive-resistant black metal that is often used to make firepits. For increased durability, look for models available in painted and powder-coated versions. If you’re looking for a portable pit, a steel design is also reasonably lightweight and simple to move around your yard.
Cast Irion
Cast iron is a metal that effectively disperses heat. Due to their heavy weight, cast iron pits are quite difficult to tip over, which helps improve safety. However, their heavy weight also means they are difficult to move around. If you intend to leave your firepit setup in one location, then this option can be the ideal choice. It will look fantastic in a yard with a traditional rustic theme.
Stone
Stone or masonry detailing, which is particularly typical on fire table tops, is frequently found in fire pits. Stone fire pits are rather hefty, so if you don’t intend to move the table around the yard, that option is a great one. Because stone doesn’t rust as some metals do, this makes them easier to keep clean. The stone, however, can break if exposed to extremely cold temperatures for an extended period.
A stone firepit might be a fantastic choice to coordinate your outdoor design with the architectural aspects of your home if it has brick or stone accents.
What Size Should a Fire Pit Be in the Backyard?
The ideal firepit size allows for a powerful enough flame while still bringing everyone together close enough to converse. 80 centimetres on the interior is a reasonable guideline to follow.
If you have a larger backyard and are looking to have a lot of people gathering around your firepit, then a larger firepit is preferable. However, you must always keep a fire that you can contain and extinguish safely, as well as abide by any fire pit size restrictions imposed by your community.
For a small backyard, a small firepit will be more suitable. Small firepits are also a great option for moving around as they are lighter and easy to transport.
What Fuel Should I Use in My Fire Pit?
Wood Burning
Wood is the traditional fuel source for firepits. It gives the most genuine experience, the reason why many value a nice wood-burning fire pit.
Wood-burning firepits not only offer natural beauty and low cost to the backyard, but they also replicate the cozy warmth and light of a traditional campfire. When it’s time to break out the marshmallows and the hot dogs, there is nothing better than roasting over a wood fire.
If you know how to start a wood fire pit correctly, your experience will be more enjoyable. The most frequent problems with fire pits are the inability to ignite the fire and the excessive smoke.
Some people use charcoal in their fire pits for cooking, but wood provides a much better flavour profile. Plus, lighting charcoal can be tricky. I advise you to stick with wood.
Gas
Gas offers you the convenience of being able to start the fire at the flick of a switch. These fire pits also give you more control over the fire than wood fires do because they can run on propane tanks or the natural gas supply in your home. They do, however, cost a lot more to run and generate less heat than flames that burn wood.
Glass beads, lava rocks, or smooth stones are frequently used as bowl fillers in gas fire pits. These offer an additional ornamental touch and cover the bottom burner element. To alter the appearance of the fire pit, you can always replace the bowl fillings.
