An Entertainer’s Guide to Choosing and Maintaining an Outside Fire Pit

Imagine sitting around a warm fire on a crisp fall evening while you sip apple cider and chat with friends. Do you like the idea of having somewhere to warm up on a frigid winter’s day? This dream can become a reality if you have a fire pit.

The uses for fire pits are pretty much endless.  They’re also much cheaper than having a fireplace installed.

The only thing is that there are a lot of choices when it comes to what type to get and there is still a little bit of maintenance that goes into owning one. To help you choose and keep up with your outside fire pit, check out these tips.

1. Choosing Your Outside Fire Pit

Like we said above, there is much that you need to consider when you’re choosing your outdoor fire pit. The main things are the cost, the size, if you want in-ground or portable, the materials, and fuel type.

What’s the Cost

You can have an outdoor fire pit for pretty cheap if you strip it down to the basics. A container with materials that will allow you to get a good fire going. If you want something a little fancier, it’s going to cost you.

Not too much mind you. You can pick up a cheaper fire pit for around 500. From there they can go up into the thousand dollar range.

It still may hit your wallet a little hard but not as hard as having a fireplace installed.

The Size

If you’re going with a portable fire pit you don’t have much say in the realm of size. In-ground ones are a different story. There will be a few questions that you need to ask yourself.

For example, how many people do you want to be able to sit around it at once and how large is the area where you want to put the pit?

Consider the height of your pit as well. You want it to be short enough that you can prop your legs up on it but tall enough where you don’t have to bend at an uncomfortable angle just to feel the warmth of the fire on your face.

Keep in mind that when you’re choosing the size of the pit that the larger it is, the more problems you may have when it comes to keeping the flames in control.

In-Ground or Portable?

Like anything in life, there are pros and cons to each of these styles. With in-ground fire pits, you’ll have a neat bonfire look going on in your yard. If you get tired of looking at it, you can place a cover over it.

The only thing that you need to be cautious about when it comes to in-ground is your children falling it and hurting themselves. Portable fire pits are good if you can’t decide where in your yard you want to put one.

Portable fire pits are higher off the ground so you’ll be able to feel the heat a bit better. It can also act as a focal point for your yard because it’s above ground for everyone to see.

2. Maintaining Your Fire Pit

So, you’ve picked out your outdoor fire pit. If you don’t take care of it though, the investment was a waste. It could fall apart not to mention cause a fire to break out. Here are a few steps for keeping it clean.

Keep it Clean

You want to always keep your fire pit clean not only to make it pretty but also because a dirty one is just asking for a fire spawn outside it. Take a broom and sweep the outside and inside of the pit to get rid of any stray ash. It’s important that you sweep in one direction otherwise you’ll spread the ashes around rather than picking anything up.

After you’ve gotten all the ash swept away, pick up any stray leaves or tree limbs that may have fallen around the pit. This will prevent them from becoming kindling for an unexpected fire.

Seal the Stones

Many fire pits are made out of decorative stones. While these stones are created out of sturdy stuff, they can start to wear down over time. To prevent the wear and tear from showing, apply a thin coat of stone sealant.

Make sure that whatever sealant you use can handle high temperatures and don’t put it on too thick. If you do, it will bubble up and become less useful.

Cover it When You’re Not Using it

Cover up your fire pit when you’re not using it to protect it from the rain and other elements. There isn’t a specific tarp that you need to use. Any waterproof cover will do the trick.

To add incentive to cover up the pit, if you do you won’t have to clean it near as often.

Put Out the Flame

After you’ve finished up your cozy evening in front of the fire, put it out all the way. If you walk away from it and leave it going for hours while you’re not using it the heat will cause the stones to crack over time.

Not to mention that if you leave the fire unattended for that long, you may come back to a nice little brush fire.

Choosing and Maintaining Your Outside Fire Pit

Fire pits can create a cozy atmosphere on brisk fall and winter days. They make a great addition to any gathering and make your yard look nice. There is a lot that you should consider before you get one though.

We hope that you’re able to use these tips to choose an outdoor fire pit and keep it burning strong for years to come.

Ready to pick out your outdoor fire pit? Email us at info@outdoorkitchenstx.com to ask about our showroom.