Posts Tagged ‘landscaping’

Constructing an outdoor fireplace or fire pit creates an inviting environment for families and friends to gather. These structures turn your backyard into an outdoor living space which is an extension of your interior living space. Covered porches and screened porches make excellent locations for outdoor fireplaces, while patios make great locations for fire pits and can be situated around the most scenic section of your yard.

Design is important when planning to build an outdoor fireplace or fire pit. Are you seeking a place to spend time with friends and family or a quiet place to relax with your special someone?

Be sure that when designing your fire pit that you make it large enough so that all your guests can gather around without feeling cramped. Layout the area with the chairs to verify the size before you begin digging the footers.

For a more intimate arrangement you can choose furniture such as over-sized outdoor couches and chairs that seat two people comfortably and allow you to sit back and enjoy a bottle of wine by a warm fire.

Outdoor fireplaces are built much the same way indoor ones are, except the chimney does not need to be as tall. The chimney needs to be tall enough to provide a strong draw. If you are thinking of constructing an outdoor fireplace, especially in a covered or screened porch, it is probably best to hire a professional. If you do have some basic carpentry skills, there are kits available that can be assembled.

Fire pits can vary in size depending on your needs as stated above. Fire pits are built out of fire rated brick veneer over concrete block with a reinforced steel concrete footing. The floor of the fire pit is made out of fire rated brick with a sand base to allow easy leveling. You can add options like a gas fuel line can be added for igniting the fire and a plumbing drain line can be added for easy cleanup with a water hose.

There are also a lot of attractive metal fire pits which can be purchased from your favorite home store. These fire pits should be placed on a brick paver or concrete patio away from flammable material like decks and not situated under any roof overhangs.

Closing Comments

No matter what you decide to do, installing an outdoor fire pit or fireplace will be a great addition to your backyard and will provide you and your family many enjoyable evenings.