How to build a beautiful fire pit in your backyard for family fun

Trying to make your home the “Belle of the Block” in the hopes that it will sell more easily? Outdoor spaces are an excellent way to drive up property values, fire pits included. A fire pit is a multi-season space, creating opportunities to roast marshmallows with the kids in the summer or sit down for long chats with the neighbors on a cool fall evening.

With the decision to place a fire pit in your yard comes a variety of options and decisions to make: Portable or permanent? Wood-burning or gas? What color stone should you use?

With so many questions to answer, below is some advice when considering adding a fire pit to your outdoor space.


Do

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  • think about functionality when deciding where to place your fire pit
  • remember to keep safety in mind
  • consider more unique materials
  • hire a knowledgeable company to construct your fire pit
Don't

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  • underestimate the added costs of a gas fire pit
  • neglect to incorporate your new fire pit into your existing outdoor structures and design of the home
  • take short cuts
  • decide on a portable fire pit if you’re looking to increase your real estate value

[publishpress_authors_data]'s recommendation to ExpertBeacon readers: Do

Do think about functionality when deciding where to place your fire pit

In order to maintain a play area for children or make a yard seem larger, homeowners typically decide to place their fire pit off to the side or in a back corner of the yard. Placing the fire pit in the center of your yard may make a nice focal piece, but may not be the most logical choice if you have kids that love to play flag football in the backyard.

Do remember to keep safety in mind

Beyond the aesthetics of a backyard fire pit, it is important to remember that you’re still dealing with actual fire. Be mindful about placing your fire pit on, or near wood, your home, or other flammable materials. Safety should always be a number one priority.

Do consider more unique materials

A stunning and unique alternative to using gas logs in your gas-burning fire pit is fire glass, which is heat tempered glass that won’t burn, break down, or need to be replaced for years. This material doesn’t create any smoke, ash, soot, or toxic fumes, just a beautiful display of flames dancing on top of colored glass. Fire glass also radiates three to four times more heat than wood or ceramic logs.

Do hire a knowledgeable company to construct your fire pit

Because the construction of fire pits typically requires adherence to village and city building codes, hire a reputable and knowledgeable company to build your newest outdoor addition. Also, be sure to look at their testimonials and portfolio to ensure that you are hiring a company with experience, quality, and good business practices.


[publishpress_authors_data]'s professional advice to ExpertBeacon readers: Don't

Do not underestimate the added costs of a gas fire pit

While gas fire pits create less smoke than their wood-burning counterparts, they also require a direct gas line to the location of your pit. Additionally, take into account the cost of the actual gas needed to light a fire. Make sure you take this into consideration when deciding on which kind of pit you would like to install.

Do not neglect to incorporate your new fire pit into your existing outdoor structures and design of the home

Remember the childhood game called “One of these things is not like the other?” Make sure the design of the new fire pit will look nice with an existing deck or patio, and the color scheme of your home. Potential homebuyers like to see continuity of style and the flow of cohesive design. Otherwise, it looks like not much thought was put into adding your outdoor space.

Do not take short cuts

In order to have a prime outdoor space and fire pit that you and your family (and any future homeowners) can enjoy for years to come, make sure that you don’t cut corners when constructing your fire pit. Using sub-par materials or poor installation may save you a few dollars right now, but could shorten the lifespan of your fire pit or even run the risk of being a genuine safety hazard.

Do not decide on a portable fire pit if you’re looking to increase your real estate value

Though this might seem like common sense, purchasing a portable fire pit won’t do much to increase your real estate value. Potential homebuyers won’t see your outdoor space as an added feature of your house, instead just as an extension of its current homeowners. Additionally, moving a portable fire pit may be much heavier and inconvenient than you bargained for.


Summary

Whether you decide to go with a gas fire pit or a wood one, or grey stones versus tan stones, building a fire pit will be an excellent new gathering space for your friends and family, as well as a great draw for potential homebuyers. Once you’ve considered the Dos and Don’ts listed above, take the next step and get started on creating your dream outdoor living space.

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