Insight to Help You Install a Fire Pit for Your Backyard Enjoyment

A fire pit in your backyard can make your backyard into a spot right out of your last camping trip. With a fire pit, you can spend time outside in the evenings, tell stories, and make s'mores until you are ready to turn in for the night. But before you start a campfire in the middle of your lawn, make sure you find out what the right elements are for a good fire pit.  

Here are some tips to help you install an attractive and useful fire pit into your backyard landscape design.

Select Your Design

The first step before you can install a fire pit is for you to decide on the type of fire pit you want in your backyard. There are many styles of fire pits and many designs for the build, whether you want a metal fire pit or one made out of rock. You can buy a pre-made fire pit from a local home and garden store that is a metal frame, or you can build your own from concrete stones, mortar, and a central fireproof metal ring. 

If you choose to build your fire pit from materials you find locally, make sure you use fire-resistant materials that won't crack or shatter when exposed to the heat from the fire. For example, some rocks and stones won't withstand high temperatures, but you can find fire-rated bricks from your local home and garden shop.

You should also decide the size of your fire pit—whether you want it five feet across or two feet across. A larger fire pit will accommodate a larger gathering of friends and the center ring will allow you to build a larger fire. However, keep in mind you will need a larger area in your backyard to place one of its size. 

 Check with Local Ordinances

Before you install your fire pit, make sure to check with your local city or town and its ordinances on fire pits. Make sure you are allowed to have an open fire pit on your property or if you need a permit and have the fire pit in any specific type of enclosure. Your city may have regulations on fire pits to help control wildfires.

Also find out how far away from your home you will need to install the fire pit, and also from any surrounding structures. You don't want to install a beautiful new fire pit too close to your fence line, a backyard shed, your neighbor's home, or below a large tree's overhanging branches, as examples.

For more insight and assistance, contact outdoor fire pit installation services.