Will a fire pit damage concrete? - MAX Fire Pits (2024)

FAQs

Will a fire pit damage concrete? - MAX Fire Pits? ›

Max Firepits

Rebar and Fire Damage

Rebar can become brittle at relatively low temperatures, around 500 degrees Fahrenheit. This temperature may not seem exceptionally high when dealing with a fire pit, but it can lead to rebar becoming brittle, changing its shape, and causing cracks in the concrete.

A serious house fire can generate enough heat to damage and weaken the concrete and steel reinforcement bars in footings, slabs, and footing stem walls.

Concrete pavers, in general, have good fire resistance properties.

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.

Concrete as a material

Concrete does not burn – it cannot be set on fire and it does not emit any toxic fumes when affected by fire. Concrete is proven to have a high degree of fire resistance and, in the majority of applications, can be described as virtually fireproof.

Up to about 300 C (572 F), the concrete undergoes normal thermal expansion. Above that temperature, shrinkage occurs due to water loss; however, the aggregate continues expanding, which causes internal stresses. Up to about 500 C (932 F), the major structural changes are carbonatation and coarsening of pores.

While concrete is known to be a very fire-resistant material, it is by no means impervious to it. In fact, prolonged exposure to high temperatures can cause permanent damage, affecting it mechanically and chemically. The most obvious damages are cracks, spalls, & discolorations.

Unlike wood, concrete does not burn. Unlike steel, it does not soften and bend. Concrete does not break down until it is exposed to thousands of degrees Fahrenheit—far hotter than in the typical house fire. This has been confirmed in “fire-wall” tests.

So we recommend using a fire retardant mat. You can find these nifty products on Amazon or at most big box and hardware stores. These mats are great because they're so easy to use. Lay it where you want your fire pit to sit, set the fire pit on top, and enjoy your fire.

Does concrete explode under heat? ›

When concrete is heated to extremely high temperatures, it can actually explode. Those explosions can have pretty significant consequences when a fire breaks out near a concrete structure, but the actual process of how the blowups happen isn't very well understood by scientists.

With the correct materials – which can be as simple as just a collection of wall block stones and some flat ground – you can build a fire pit on your paved patio in as short a space of time as one hour. The first decision you need to make is where you want to have the pavers fire pit.

Without proper preparation, using a fire pit can certainly damage a concrete patio over time. It may not happen overnight, but both the direct and ambient heat from a wood burning fire pit can eventually cause the concrete to crack and flake.

If you're envisioning your fire pit as a permanent part of your backyard or patio, you'll definitely want to use a fire pit liner. Doing so can prevent you from spending time and money fixing cracked or damaged materials.

One of the key advantages of using gravel is its excellent drainage capabilities. Unlike other materials like concrete or pavers, gravel allows water to pass through easily, preventing the formation of puddles or muddy areas around your fire pit.

Scroll through to find the one that's right for you—and whatever you choose, do your research to make sure you set up a safe situation: You'll want to set the fire pit on a nonflammable, non-grass surface, such as a wide stoop or brick patio, and potentially add a heat-resistant mat under it.

Portable fire pits need to be placed on fire-resistant surfaces like a brick patio or over stone pavers. Flying embers can be a fire risk if you put your portable fire pit directly onto your grass or place it on a wooden deck.

Mix and pour the concrete foundation layer about 3½” thick. Make sure concrete fills all corners and let this layer cure for about 20 hours. QUIKTip: Use a 2x4 on the bottom to make judging this thickness easier. Mix the mortar and put down a layer within the outside of the inner formwork.

The short answer is, yes!