Fireplace Lowdown

Instructions for Building a Fire Pit from Interlocking Bricks

Summer is just about here, and while there are plenty of portable fire pits on the market that you can buy without spending an arm and a leg (i.e. the Ball O Fire pit and the cast aluminum fire table), you may enjoy adding a permanent fire pit to your yard, something made with your own two hands.

Here's a quick video available on YouTube from someone who offers detailed instructions on building a pit with interlocking retaining wall bricks:


You can get the instructions and an audio mp3 that walks you through the process on the person's backyard website.

Popular Cast Aluminum Fire Table Heats up the Backyard

We had our first sunny weekend here in... well, a long time, and when I wasn't busy planting up the garden, I was thinking how cool it'd be to spend some time outdoors by the fire pit.  While I do have a fire pit currently (sort of... it's more for burning up branches and junk that blows into the yard), I'd love to have a fire table where folks could just sit around and enjoy dinner while admiring the flames.  Hey, you can even roast a hot dog or a marshmallow right at the table (fire tables are available in wood or charcoal versions as well as gas or gel-powered). 

The Strathwood St. Thomas Cast Aluminum Round Table with Fire Pit is one of the more popular models over at Amazon.

Durable and lightweight, the all-weather fire table includes a bright copper 22-by-7-inch fire bowl in the center.  A mesh dome keeps sparks from flying into your food (and your face!), so you can enjoy the crackling flames without worrying about singing your dinner guests.

A fire table looks like a great way to get the outdoor entertaining season started early (it's always easier to get guests to stay outside on cool evenings when there's a fire to warm them up).

The Strathwood model is $300 at Amazon:

Cast Aluminum Fire Pit Table

Chinineas More Efficient Than Fire Pits

So, you've always wanted an outdoor fireplace or fire pit.  Now that summer is moving into the second half, you'll start seeing a lot of great specials.  Merchants will be moving their inventory to make room for fall and winter items, so it will be a good time to pick up an outdoor fireplace, fire pit, etc.

If you haven't decided on a type yet, you may check into chimineas.  These Mexican fireplaces are more efficient than simple fire pits.  This is because they have an integrated smoke stack which creates a drafting action, drawing fresh air into the fire and out the neck.   Fire pits, on the other hand, smolder and smoke more, since the traditional design  doesn't provide efficient air flow. 

Not only are chimineas more efficient, but you're less likely to get smoke in your eyes every time the wind changes. 

Just make sure you look for a chiminea made from a low-maintenance material.  Clay was the traditional Mexican material, but in the States, you often see them in cast iron.  Not only is cast iron heavy, but it rusts and is difficult to keep looking good.   A better alternative is cast aluminum, which is relatively lightweight, low maintenance, and won't stain your patio.

Chimineas are great little outdoor fireplaces.  Prices generally start around $200.

Chimineas vs. Fire Pits

Now that spring and summer are on their way, you might be thinking about getting an outdoor fireplace.  If you have the money to spend, you can get a masonry fireplace complete with chimney, but if you're looking for cost-conscious ways to have safe fires in your backyard, a chiminea or a portable fire pit is more economical.

Both can be attractive, but there are few differences.  Let's look at how they compare.

Features of Chimineas

• built in chimneys provide natural drafting
• caps keep the rain out
• walls keep smoke from blowing into people's eyes
• less open and "campfire" style than fire pits
• fairly fuel efficient and clean-burning
• chimney and drafting makes it easier to start a fire

Features of Fire Pits

• no chimney to help with drafting and fire building
• needs to be in sheltered location or smoke will bother people around it
• often portable enough to be taken on the road
• most inexpensive "outdoor fireplace" option
• no protection from rain, so they fill with water ("ash soup")

If you are thinking of buying a chimenea or a fire pit but can't decide on which, the best thing you can do is try to find someone who owns one and spend some quality time with the unit.  Try building a fire and see if you like it. 

Also browse online and at home and garden stores to see the variety of types available in each category.

Least Maintenance Outdoor Fireplaces and Firepits?

If you're considering an outdoor fireplace or firepit, one thing to consider is how much maintenance it involves.  You don't want to spend all your summer evenings cleaning out the fireplace, right?  A nice article over at the Green Living Journal offers some tips to help you select an outdoor fireplace.  Their section on maintenance tells you which units will require the least amount of effort to keep clean and functional:

"Chain store and mass marketed fireplaces made out of copper, sheet steel, or clay, don't provide the safety or longevity of cast iron or cast aluminum. Below is a material list of currently manufactured outdoor fireplaces.

Clay chimineas can be babied, "Feed slowly, keep warm and dry.". But if you want a fireplace that is going to be safer and last longer, any other material on the market is a better investment. See Tip #6 for "Safety concerns with clay chimineas.".

Many home and garden outlets carry Sheet Metal outdoor fireplaces at a bargain cost. Cheap sheet metal fire pits are pretty much disposable items. Once they rust through their usefulness is gone. Be sure to check the gauge or thickness of the metal. Thin, mass marketed fireplaces may also melt if not thick enough. Enamel finishes disappear and exposed sheet metal will rust out quickly.

In some instances the body is cast iron but the neck or chimney is sheet steel. Eventually, you will be left with a cast iron fireplace body without a neck. Make sure the company carries replacement parts and find out the costs. If you will need to buy a new neck or other replacement parts frequently it's probably better to look elsewhere.

Cast Iron will rust if not maintained properly. The more cast iron you have to work with the longer it will last. Cast iron chimineas may also stain any surface the on which it is standing on if not maintained, so proper placement should be considered. If you decide to buy a cast iron chiminea make sure it is heavy and be prepared to maintain it.

Cast Iron may need a bit of maintenance but will last for years if looked after. Occasional painting with high temperature stove paint will halt rusting. Also, cast iron is extremely heavy and will withstand a lot of abuse. The Blue Rooster recommends cast iron chimineas for campground owners or places that they will be used without supervision. 200 pound chimineas tend not to "walk away".

There are no advantages of cast iron over cast aluminum except for a heavy weight. For most homeowners the added weight is a disadvantage.

Copper looks great out of the box and is a very safe material used for years in cooking utensils. Watch out for cast iron supports or bases that can rust shortly and stain your patio. Also, don't expect that shiny new copper fireplace to look like that after a fire or two. Green and rusty is usually the norm after its been used. If you don't mind the look of it, make sure it has a cover or rain lid and prepare to maintain the cast iron parts.

Some companies will drill holes in the bottom of the copper fire pits to let water (and ash) out when it rains so placement is important. Fire pits without drains can fill with water andmake a mess. If you do choose a copper fire pit or any fire pit for that matter, be sure it has a cover. Water and wind can make a mess of your ashes and/or embers.

If low maintenance and lifespan are priorities, Cast Aluminum is the best investment for your money. Aluminum chimineas are cast from the same molds as cast iron and look identical to cast iron. Cast aluminum outdoor fireplaces will not warp and have a melting temp only a few hundred degrees lower then cast iron. Cast aluminum alloy will not rust and is much lighter so it can be easily moved. Like a gas grill, cast aluminum has very little maintenance."

The whole article is quite a good resource and worth reading if you're in the market to buy:

Green Living Journal

Build Your Own Firepit

Quite a few people who find this fireplace blog are looking for information on how to design and build a firepit from scratch.  I've looked for this information on the web, too, and haven't found too many sites with really good guides.  I did come across an instructional DVD on building a firepit though. 

It's not free, of course, but $25 is a fairly reasonable price, I think.  As long as the quality is good.  I probably won't pick it up myself, as I've always bought fully assembled units, but if you are a do-it-yourself type, the DVD might walk you through what you need to know.  If you do check it out, leave us a comment, so we know if it's any good!

Design & Build Your Own Fire Pit Instruction DVD

Gas Fire Pits Not Affected by Burn Bans

Outdoor fireplaces and firepits are really taking off in popularity.  Just take a look at stores like Costco, Kmart, and Target.  They're all selling portable fire pits for backyard use (the small ones can easily be taken camping or to barbecues as well).  Shoot, even our local grocery store has a model for sale in the front.

But before you buy a fire pit, you want to make sure it's legal in your county.  If pollution is an issue, there may be laws against burning wood, except for those homes who have only a wood stove for heat.  Other counties will suffer frequent burn bans that can last days or weeks at a time.  You don't want to buy a fire pit only to find out you can't use it.

A way around this is to avoid fire pits that burn wood and get one that burns gas.  Since gas fire pits don't emit smoke, they are not outlawed by burn bans. 

You can get permanent structures (i.e. outdoor gas fireplaces) that are hooked up to a gas line from your home, but you can get simple fire pits as well.  These are just as portable as wood-burning fire pits.  Usually you will hook them up to a propane tank just as you would a gas grill.

Here's an example of a model that is on sale at Amazon right now:

Rush Heritage Gas Log Fire Pit

Monessen Outdoor Fireplace

Traditionally, if you wanted an outdoor fireplace to pimp out your outdoor living area, you had to hire contractors to come in and design something and build it from scratch.  That's why a lot of folks have gone for portable fire pits, since you just set them on the ground and start a fire.  But these days you can save money by ordering many of the parts over the Internet.

This Monessen 54" fireplace comes with the stainless steel firebox.  You'll still need to lay the brickwork and build the chimney, but you can save money on the overall process by ordering the firebox online.

Available at HomeClick: Monessen 54'' Radiant Stainless Steel Wood Burning Fireplace

Outdoor Fireplace Season Is Here--Don't Forget Safety

Well, we're in the middle of outdoor fireplace season.  Summer is the most popular time to sit out under the stars and roast marshmallows, hot dogs, and anything else you can fit on a stick.  With more homeowners than ever purchasing fire pits and chimineas, or having all out outdoor fireplaces built on their patio, it's important to keep safety in mind.  Here are a few tips for making sure your family (and your rather flammable house) stays safe:

1. Don't leave children alone with a fire.
2. Make sure the embers have burned out before going inside for the night.
3. Don't use fire starter to rekindle a dying fire.
4. Make sure everybody knows how to put out a clothing fire (stop, drop, and roll).
5. Don't use portable fire pits underneath overhead branches.
6. Keep extra wood upwind and away from the fire.
7. Keep a bucket of water and a shovel nearby.

Are Outdoor Fireplaces Banned in Your City?

Sitting around an outdoor fire pit or cooking a pizza in a real wood-burning outdoor oven can be a lot of fun, but before you consider buying a portable unit or installing a permanent fixture, you need to check with your town's laws on the subject.  Because of pollution, or even fire safety issues, some cities ban fires in residential backyards, on rooftop decks, etc.  Boston, for example, has a law against outdoor fireplaces, citing them as hazards (the fire department says most people place them too close to trees or structures, so burning embers could ignite a serious residential fire).  While most states don't have state-wide bans on outdoor fireplaces, many communities take matters into their own hands. 

So, to make sure you can use that fireplace once you shell out the bucks to buy it, be sure to check your local laws beforehand.