Backyard Fire Pit Preparation & Safety - ALE Solutions (2024)

FAQs

Backyard Fire Pit Preparation & Safety - ALE Solutions? ›

What Do You Put in the Bottom of a Fire Pit? To create a safe, sturdy foundation for a fire pit, we use a gravel paver base. Other common materials used for the bottom of a fire pit are sand, lava stones, dirt, fire glass and concrete slabs.

What Do You Put in the Bottom of a Fire Pit? To create a safe, sturdy foundation for a fire pit, we use a gravel paver base. Other common materials used for the bottom of a fire pit are sand, lava stones, dirt, fire glass and concrete slabs.

Pea gravel is great to add to a fire pit area because you don't have to be precise, it's comfortable to walk on, and it doesn't cost much per bag.

Build campfires at least 25 feet away from tents, shrubs and anything that can burn. Use chimneys, outdoor fireplaces and fire pits outdoors at least 10 feet away from your home or anything that can burn. Closely watch children when the fire pit is in use. Turn off or put out fires before you leave the backyard.

Patio slabs are the best surfaces to place your fire pit on.

They are an excellent option to protect your lawn from becoming scorched. The flat surface also reduces the risk of the grass below it being crushed by the heavy fire pit. Heat shields are another good option if a patio slab doesn't work.

Since different fire pits can be made in different sizes, some fire pits may require a little more sand than others. However, an inch or two of sand in the bottom of the fire pit is usually acceptable. Most of the recommendations you'll see from manufacturers use an inch or two of sand as a barrier.

Sand can absorb some of the heat generated by the flames, distributing the heat evenly throughout all the sand, reducing uneven heat conduction that may lead to localized burning of the fire pit, and effectively improving air circulation, keeping the flames burning.

Gravel or crushed stone is one of the easiest and most affordable ways to create a backyard fire pit area! Putting gravel on the ground around your fire pit creates a nice, level base for seating.

What is the longest lasting material for a fire pit? ›

Concrete fire pits are not only attractive, but they're also incredibly durable and don't chip, patina, or peel over time. Concrete is typically best suited for natural gas and liquid propane fuel systems.

Natural lava rocks and fire-proof sand are excellent base layers for a fire pit.

Stay on Top of Your Electrical Wiring System. Keep Your Heating Equipment in Check. Take Special Fire Precautions in the Kitchen. Learn to Use a Fire Extinguisher.

Fire must be a minimum of 25' away from a structure or other combustible materials. The distance to structures or combustibles may be reduced to 15' when confined to a permanent fire ring and fueled solely by LPG/Propane or natural gas.

The ideal place for a fire pit is in the center of a backyard, at least 20 to 25 feet away from anything, Roydhouse says. “With yards that don't have that kind of space, keep at least a 10-foot buffer zone around the pit,” he says. And don't forget the weather.

A fire pit placed in the ground is an easy and cheap option. All of the work is done by you, and you get to decide how big it can be, in accordance with local laws, of course. All you have to do is dig the hole and design how the logs are placed in the pit.

Keep fire pits at least 10 feet from buildings and trees. Install on a non-flammable surface and away from overhead structures. Check wind patterns to prevent smoke issues. Use services like 811 to locate underground utilities before digging. ]