There is something about a fireplace that adds comfort to any area and your backyard is no exception. Adding outdoor fire pits to patios or landscapes will brighten and warm the area, creating the perfect place for entertaining and relaxing.
Homeowners have many different choices in outdoor fire pits and each one will have a slightly different effect on your landscape. Some people even opt to build a firepit themselves, using stone and elbow grease to create the desired ambiance. Make sure that a do-it-yourself project will produce a fire pit that meets all safety and building codes, as you don’t want to make a mistake when there are flames involved.
For a tested and safe alternative, choose one of the styles out on the market today. You can purchase the size, shape and materials that suit your tastes. Outdoor firepits are available in wood burning and gas burning models. Copper is one popular alternative. With a rich color and often sporting decorative legs, copper fire pits add a sense of style to your patio. They can be found in a rectangular or round shaped and will come with a lid for spark protection. Many copper pits have decorative shelves underneath to hold logs and kindling.
Other metal outdoor fire pits are larger and more utilitarian than their fancier copper cousins. They will fit more than one log, often building decent sized fires that last a good while. Another benefit of this type of fire pit is the portability of it. They are often on two wheels and two stand legs, in the same style as a BBQ grill. Tip them up and roll them to your preferred location. Some even double as an open grill, with attachments that transform your fire pit into a cook pit and your patio party into a feast.
Fire tables are growing in popularity. Essentially low outdoor fire pits that are framed in a sturdy tabletop, fire tables are usually set in one place permanently. Often outdoor patio furniture such as outdoor couches and loungers will be set out around the fire table. They lend a very relaxed and luxurious atmosphere to your patio, and depending on the size you settle on, can hold a good sized fire.
Perhaps the most mainstream outdoor fire pit is the chimenea. Originated from Mexico, chimeneas are rustic looking, hold only small fires and can be moved with a little work. They are often made from clay or ceramic.
With any outdoor fire pit, be sure that you have an area around it that is free of any flammable materials. Don’t set your patio furniture too close and keep children a safe distance away. If the pit doesn’t come with a ledge or shelf for log storage, consider where you will store the fuel so that it is close at hand.
Enjoy the warmth and relaxation that outdoor fire pits offer and leave a place for one in your backyard landscape design. You will enjoy many nights with family and friends watching flames flicker from your choice of pit.
Fireplace Village sells outdoor fire pits and fireplaces from a number of leading hearth manufacturers. Stop by one of our New Hampshire locations to purchase outdoor firepits or visit us online.
