Patio Fire Pit Ideas
First of all most people do not have a fire pit in their yard, for those who do or want to, this post will help with your patio fire pit ideas. I will look at some of the ideas I have seen or used in my many years of outdoor living.
Having an idea where you want to place your fire pit will be the first step in this process. The style and size of your fire pit can be adjusted to your space. some fire pits like the wood burner cannot be used on a wooden or composite deck, try a gas fire pit for these areas.
If you are just looking to upgrade an existing fire pit or starting from scratch, hopefully you will find some useful information in this post. Now lets look at some ideas and see if this information helps in your decision.
Ground Burn Area
Ground Burn Area
The simple idea is just to clear off a spot in the grass and throw some wood in it and start a fire. A little caution on this method, make sure that the flames can be controlled and not burn anything over head, I have seen some people start a fire in a tree because their ground fire was too close.
We use this method when camping sometimes, we use some fire wood or rocks to surround the burn area to control where the fire does burn. You can block it off with a box shape of fire wood and only the inside of each log will get burned.
This type of pit can be easily cleaned up and all you will be left with is a burned area in your grass that will grow back in time. Just pick up the boarder logs and dump the ashes in a proper spot, I use my garden area, it helps with getting the soil ready for spring planting.
Rock Fire Pit
Rock Fire Pit
At the lake we have a fire pit that has rocks around the edge to keep the fire in place. I have put an old grate from a fire place in it to keep the logs from rolling out. We use it to burn limbs when we trim trees also.
When the weather turns cooler we snuggle around the fire at dusk with hot dogs and marshmallows.
I have never had to clean the ashes from this pit, it is easy to maintain if you do not mind the looks of it. It does not cost any thing to build or maintain.
Stone Paver Fire Pit
Stone Paver Fire Pit
If you can put a fire pit in your yard that you do not have to move and want something that is good looking, a stone paver fire pit could work for you. Paver kits are available or you can just pick up the pavers and add a grill top for cooking if you are fixing more than hotdogs or Smore's.
You can have square or round design, depends of what style works best for your outdoor space. Use a proper outdoor caulk to glue the pavers together and this will last a lifetime of burns.
Choosing the look of the stone and the shape of your will be the hardest part of this journey. Adding some accessories like a steel fire ring or a removable grill.
Gas Fire Pit
Gas Fire Pit
This is the ideal solution for those who want to have a fire pit on a wooden or composite deck. does not produce much heat downwards and you just have to keep a good clearance from the sides and top. It does produce some heat for comfort, mostly just a much desired flame.
This is a perfect solution to having a fire pit on a wood or composite deck. No extra protection for your surface is needed.
Many styles and sets are available for your choosing in a gas fire pit. I have written many articles on just the fire pits or complete sets with seating and tops for the pits to make them a table to use during none fire pit gatherings.
You will only need a gas tank for your regular accessories for your gas fire pit, I have more information on gas fire pit accessories in a post here.
For more information on gas fire pits, see my post here. For more information on matching sets that are available today, see my post here.
Wood Burning Fire Pit
Wood Burning Fire Pit
A wood burning fire pit is a great addition to any outdoor space. Cooking hot dogs with your favorite adult beverage will be great with the smell of the wood burning.
The biggest caution on a wood burning fire pit is the surface that you place it on. Do not use on a wooden or composite deck without some kind of protection, I have looked into a solution here in this post.
There are many styles to choose from in the wood burners, from light weight portable models to the heavy never to be moved ones.
You sill have to plan on what style and how big of a fire pit that you want. For more information on styles of wood burning fire pits, look at my post here.
If your wood pile is not close to your burn area or your are looking for storage solutions to your fire wood, look at some of my solutions here in this article.
Can you smell the wood burning
My conclusion on Fire Pits
Having a place to go outside during the cooler months and enjoy the company of your friends and family, one of these patio fire pit ideas should work for you. I have used all of these ideas at one time or another, I prefer to have a wood burner for the smell and being able to cook hot dogs or dinner.
Follow the links for more of my information on each style of fire pit, I have some information on almost any kind of outdoor fire place.
Any questions or comments, please use the form below and I will get back to you shortly.
Nice article. I personally prefer the stone paver firepit.
Peter,
Most people like the look of the stone fire pits. Will cost more in the beginning, will look good for many years.
John
Oh I love the idea of a stone paver fire pit! I had not even considered this, and that seems like something I can do myself, fairly easily for sure. If I do the paver kit, does it come with the fire pit part in the center I see in the picture? Where do I get them? I guess I should scroll up and see if you have a link for that 🙂 Thanks for the wonderful ideas!
Leahrae,
IF you purchase a kit from your local home improvement store, they will have kits. You can purchase the ring separate and then purchase the paver that you prefer. The only problem I have with this type of kit is you cannot move it or take it with you when you want to party on the beach.
John
We have an old fire pit in our yard, but it needs sprucing up. I like the paver fire pit you showed. Thanks for compiling these!
Holly,
Thanks for reading and I am glad you got some ideas from my post.
John
Next summer we are planning to expand our lovely deck area. Our house came with a ton of rock areas that are really quite treacherous to walk on so we are going over them with decking. Adding a fire pit is one step my husband has wanted to do for a while. We sit outside quite a bit and the ambience and heat in the evening would be nice. Glad I read your article first so we know to stick with gas fire place.
Maryann,
The gas fire pit will be a great addition to any outdoor space. Having a deck will make it the perfect choice.
Thanks for reading my information. Send me a picture when you get it finished.
John
Hey John! What a great post! I had no idea the variety one can choose from in terms of fire pits. The selection and advice you have in this post are super insightful and very helpful. I especially am very fond of the stone pave fire pit. You have given me some great inspiration for fire pit ideas! Thank you!
Rebecca,
The stone Pavers are the best looking and most popular choice of my readers. I am glad you got some helpful information from my post.
John
Hi John, Thanks for the great fire pit ideas. Another consideration is rain and how you protect the fire pit from corrosion if its a steel one. Do you have any suggestions about that? Lots of choice here to avoid a steel one. For me, I think stone is probably best for longevity. Alan
Alan,
Look for a one with a poly cover included. I keep mine in a shed when not in use, as it is very lightweight. The stone would last the longest, it is just not portable enough for me.
John
Hello John.
You have done it again. Another awesome article with neat suggestions. My fave is the Rock Fire Pit. It sort of reminds me of Mother Nature…like a Lloyd Wright creation – where nature and man are joining hands to align with the environment. Keep up the great job. I love stopping by.
Michelle
Michelle,
Having something that looks like it belong in your back yard is what nature is about. I don’t like to have one that stands out and everyone notices it even when you are not using it. Having it look natural is a great way to decorate your outdoor space.
John
Michelle,
This is my fire pit at the lake. It is very simple and we use it often.
John
Don’t we all love sitting around a fire! How wonderful to have a fire pit at home. The Stone Paver would be my choice, and it seems like a great investment. Somehow an open fire represents family, friends, and lots of special times and memories.
DianneBee,
Having a place in your outdoor area where you can gather during the cooler months will keep your family closer. Memories are hard to come when you are not gathering around a focal point. Around the fall holidays spending time outside is a great way to make some special times together.
John
DianneBee,
The stone fire pit is a great choice if you have a dedicated space in your yard. I like the portability of the Stone cast fire pits with a similar look. You can move them to other locations and store them in bad weather.
John