How to Choose a Fire Pit

Fire pits range from the simple—a few stones around a campfire—to the elaborate: a full fire and grill built into a stone table.  How do you choose the one that is the best for you?

Peter Ross - November 2009

There are few things more enjoyable than sitting around a fire in the outdoors, enjoying watching the flames as the night draws in. From the youngest children to the oldest adults, it is a pleasure that never disappears. And today, with the availability of fire pits, it is a treat that anyone can enjoy.

So with the great choice available, how do you choose the fire pit that is best for you? You can get fire pits that are portable, some designed for cooking and grilling they can be built into a permanent structure or part of a large table. They can be fuelled by wood, charcoal or propane gas. And, of course, the most basic is still a ring of stones surrounding an open bonfire.

So with the great choice available, how do you choose the fire pit that is best for you?

There are three main factors to consider:

• Location
• Purpose
• Structure

Location

The first thing to decide is where you are going to have your fire pit. If it is just going to be an area in the backyard, rather than a more formal setting, the traditional ring of stones with a campfire is always a good choice. It has the advantage of being cheap—assuming that you have the stones available—and it doesn’t require any special equipment. For an informal group of family and friends this can be a great choice.

But if you are aiming for something a little more finished, a fire pit on a patio area is probably the way to go. This will give you easy access to the house and kitchen and will also be less likely to get muddy if the weather turns.

Purpose

Before you go to the store to pick out your fire pit, you need to think carefully about what you want to do with it. If you are just going to sit around it and enjoy staring into the flames a simple setup will do, but if you want to cook on it, you will need something fancier.

Many people start out by thinking the basic version will be sufficient, only later to regret that they didn’t get something more versatile. It is a good idea to spend sometime thoroughly researching the products available before deciding which one will suit your needs. The Internet is a great place for that research, and the gardening forums have plenty of people who are eager to offer advice.

Structure

Your next decision is what the fire pit should be made of: this can range from a simple ceramic or stone bowl to one made of cast iron, stainless steel or another metal. Copper is actually one of the most popular choices.

A fire pit can literally be dug into the ground, or it can be a raised structure with the pit built in. For a patio version the latter is usually the preferred choice. The structure surrounding the fire pit can be a purpose-built brick, concrete or stone table, or it can be made of wood, tiles, or metal. The table serves a practical purpose for holding food and drinks as well as being decorative.

The fire pit can also have a grill attached, and many of them have mesh guards that can be used to reduce the risk of sparks or embers being blown away.

Whatever your requirements, from just sitting under the stars to hosting a formal party, there is a fire pit ready and waiting for you!

Blue Ridge Landscape & Design is a professional landscaping company based in Winchester, VA. With a staff of designers, horticulturists and outside crews, they undertake all types of landscaping from design and build to commercial landscape maintenance. They also have extensive experience in all areas of residential landscaping, from small plantings for garden patios to complete outdoor kitchen design and installation.