Should you choose a custom made fire pit or buy a store bought model? Neither approach has to be expensive, but what is the best way to expand the use of your backyard?

A fire pit, or its taller version, the fire table, adds a feature to your garden that can warm up a chilly night. As the year progresses, the well can be a gathering place for family and friends well into fall and winter. When the weather is nice, it can be the epicenter for marshmallow and sausage roasts. By properly locating it in your yard, a fire pit offers a safe way to have a fire in your yard and can even help you get rid of extra tree clippings that accumulate at the back of your property.

Campfire Basics to Consider

Both store-bought and custom-built wells rest on a fire-resistant surface such as gravel, concrete, brick, slate, or composite material. Since embers can be thrown, it is not advisable to place them on a wooden platform. Local fire codes vary, but wells must be established at least 10 feet from the home or any flammable structure. Check with your city first; you may need a permit, while some communities do not allow outdoor burning at all.

Fire pits can be fueled with wood, gas, or gel fuels; some wells even have remote switches to produce an instantaneous flame. The wood fire provides the most heat, along with the natural crackling and smoke.

Store bought or custom made?

For a rapid fire pit, you can order online or pick one up at your local big box store. For prices starting at less than $ 100, you can purchase a very attractive unit in many styles that often include a screen to help keep flames under control. You can place the hole in a gravel patch and produce an instant environment. If you like the look of store bought wells, are too busy to prepare your ground for a recessed unit, or need one that is portable, your choice is clear.

A custom well offers you everything the store has to offer, and much more. For starters, building one for your home doesn’t have to cost more than it would. After designing the area where the well will go, dig a trench and fill it with gravel and cement as a base. Then lay bricks or manhole blocks on top of the base to form the sides. After covering the sides with a thin layer of surface bonding cement, add a layer of fireproof brick bushings on top for a finished look, along with a screen.

Rigid upholstery design for your garden

For many homeowners, a larger custom built fire pit offers the opportunity to create beautiful hard landscape in the yard to complement the deck, gardens, retaining walls and other features. You can build it to surround the well with a small round patio that could include built-in stone seating and use materials found elsewhere in the patio for an integrated look.

The more extensive your fire pit project, the more likely you will want to put it in the hands of a professional contractor. When you want to add a custom well to your garden, entrust the design and construction to experienced tough landscape designers.

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