Every outdoor living space should have a fire feature of some sort. Outdoor fire pits can be used as a social gathering spot for guests at a party or a place to simply relax and unwind after a long day at work. There is also no easier way to add dimension and visually improve your patio, deck, or back yard!
There are many variables when it comes to selecting a fire pit and that finding the right fire pit may seem overwhelming. It is nowhere near as intense as it seems. Break it down into features that are important to you! Do you want a fire feature for warmth or ambience or both?
Here are 3 Questions to ask yourself when you are choosing a fire feature:
How I want a fire feature to compliment my existing setting?
Start by visualizing how you want to compliment your existing setting with a fire feature. Do you want the fire feature to be the centerpiece of your outdoor space? Or do you want to use fire features to accentuate your outdoor area? If you are looking for a centerpiece consider a fire pit table. They tend to be more elegant and will undoubtedly be the focus of your outdoor entertaining area. Just want small fire features throughout the space to accentuate and set a mood? Small ethanol fire pits will do exactly that. There are many models that sit right on top of a table creating a great conversation area.
What type of fuel do I want to use?
Traditionally, most fire pits are either wood burning or gas but there are alternatives to wood and gas such as wood pellet, bio-ethanol, or gel alcohol fuel fire pits. Are you looking for functionality or a beautiful look? While you can achieve both with a wood burning fire pit, they are still a lot of work. However, a gas fire pit will give you some good heat output and they are also more versatile with placement in your outdoor area because the flame is easier to control. Pellet fire pits are great for small outdoor areas and they give off a great deal of heat! If you want just a beautiful fire feature accent a small ethanol or gel alcohol fueled fire pit would be ideal. They are mainly small and there are no cords or hoses to plug in or hide.
How big of a fire feature do I want?
When choosing your fire pits size remember, safety comes first & size matters. You do not want your fire feature to be disproportionate to your outdoor living space either. Choose a fire feature that will fit just perfect. A fire pit that is too large can overwhelm your outdoor space taking up room to move around and also give off to much heat for the area. Having a fire feature that is too small can leave you underwhelmed and not happy with how it looks in your space. Don’t forget to look up, make sure that you’re checking for vertical clearances as well.
Whether you are leaning towards a large wood burning fire pit or a smaller pellet fire pit, you want to make sure that it is everything that you want.
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