What You Need to Know About Backyard Fire Pits

Backyard fire pits can help create a cozy outdoor living area. Depending on the size of your backyard and budget, there are many options available such as tabletop or built-in designs. Fire pits allow homeowners in New York and Connecticut to enjoy their outdoor living area year round, whether for cooking or a pleasant evening by the fire. Before choosing the right design and layout for entertaining purposes, you should determine how you plan on utilizing your fire pit. For instance, if you host outdoor parties or want your pit to match an existing patio, consider an in-ground fire pit with a surrounding paver. The professionals at Shoreline Pools offer homeowners an overview of available and customizable fire pits to best suit your needs.

Wood Burning Fire Pits

By providing warmth, as well as the crackling sound of wood, owning a wood burning fire creates a campfire in your backyard. For large backyard spaces consider wood pits, which come in two variations; wood-burning grills and brick and stone fire pits.

• Wood-burning grills allows for cooking and grilling, utilizing grill gates attached to both sides of the pit while remaining elevated over the flame.
• Brick and stone fire pit use materials such as cinderblocks, stones, or bricks. Brick and stone fire pits need in-ground installation. This type of design requires wood logs as fuel, which can become somewhat expensive.

Wood logs such as Ash, Beech, Hawthorn, Thorn, and Yew burns slower all produce a fair amount of heat. Also, wood burning fire pits need a dry covered storage area to keep wood from becoming damp.

Propane Fire Pits

Propane fire pits offer homeowners the ultimate convenience as propane fire pits emit a quality flame, one that does not require refilling gel or wood. Often designed with faux wood, rock pebbles, or glass, propane fire pits come in several different styles.

• A portable propane fire pit can move anywhere in your backyard, while providing warmth, ambiance, and countless cooking capabilities. Homeowners can choose stationary, fire pits with wheels, or fire pits light enough to carry.
• Copper bowl fire pits offer a higher-end option for an outdoor propane fire pit. Due to its reflective finish and elegant appearance, copper will bring a warm glow to any backyard, making it a popular design material. Since copper has a very high melting point, it is an extremely durable material.
• Tabletop fire pits have a rim surrounding the flames. While this type of fire pit has many benefits, one drawback requires refilling propane often. Also, the taste of food cooked over propane does not compare to the scent wood pit grills offers.

Gel Fuel Fire Pits

Gel fire pit are ideal for small patios, midsize backyards, and towns with smoke emission regulations, as the gel burns without producing a scent or smoke. With a portable design, you can place gel fuel logs on table tops, in-ground, or manufactured fire pits. These logs mimic the look and feel of a fire while completely concealing the gel fuel holder inside the logs. Gel fuel pits are child-safe, as they produce a low level of heat compared to wood and gas fire pits. Built with various materials including stone, metal, granite, or marble, you can buy gel fuel fire pits in most hardware stores or online.

Natural Gas Fire Pits

Natural gas fire pits require installing a permanent natural gas line. Since natural gas connects to your home energy, gas fire pits always remain fueled. Homeowners can customize this type of fire pit several ways.

Build a sunken natural gas fire pit down into a patio or ground. Ideal for entertaining, this type of design provides room for seating around the pit. Also, the flames emitted from gas pits remain relatively low. Sunken fire pits are great for guests to gather closer around the flames.

A tabletop gas fire pit creates a table to sit around while acting as an attractive piece of furniture. Designed for the ultimate in form and function, this fire pit emits a low flame and no smoke. Tabletop fire pits come equipped with resin wicker that is weather-resistant.

Gas fire pits have many safety advantages over their wood-burning counterparts; meanwhile, natural gas offers affordable advantages. You can control this type of fire pit with an on/off switch or button. Homeowners can also control the flame height. Gas fire pits emit small sparks or embers, which reduces the risk of accidental spreading of fire.

Enhance Your Backyard

As a rising trend among luxury outdoor living spaces, fire pits provide a way for homeowners to use their backyard year-round, making them well worth the initial investment. Fire pits are one of the many special features homeowners can showcase in their backyard. Contact a Shoreline Professional to inquire about installation options today! Visit Shoreline Pools on HOUZZ to view some of our completed projects featuring fire pits.