Fire Pits and Fire Tables

A fire feature is the one thing on a patio that gets used in every season. We sell and install gas fire pits, fire tables and wood-burning pits, and we build custom gas fire features into decks and patios. Here is how to pick one that you will actually use.

Gas vs wood

  • Gas: Turn a knob or push a button and you have fire. No smoke, no sparks, no ash, no wood to haul. Flame height is adjustable. Safe near a house with the right clearances. This is what we install most.
  • Wood: Real crackle, real smoke, real heat. Cheaper to buy. You feed it, tend it and clean it, and you deal with smoke drifting toward the neighbors. Many townships restrict open wood burning; check yours.

If you want to sit by a fire on a Tuesday after work, buy gas. If the fire itself is the hobby, buy wood.

Natural gas vs propane

Gas fire features run on either natural gas or propane, and like grills, the burner and valve are built for one fuel. Natural gas means a line run to the fire pit location, a shutoff, and a key valve or electronic ignition. Propane means a 20 lb cylinder hidden in the base of a fire table, or a tank with a line from your propane supplier.

A fire table on propane burns through a 20 lb cylinder faster than a grill does because it runs continuously at high output. On a 50,000 BTU burner you can expect roughly six to eight hours from a full tank. If you use the fire several nights a week, natural gas is the better choice. Tell us which fuel when you order; converting after the fact needs a factory kit and is not possible on every unit.

BTU and burner size

Fire pit burners are rated in BTU per hour. Residential fire tables usually run 40,000 to 65,000 BTU. Larger custom pits and linear burners can run 100,000 BTU and up. More BTU means a taller flame and more heat, and more gas.

Burner size is the physical ring or bar. A 12" round burner suits a small coffee table. An 18" to 24" round burner fits most dining-height and chat-height tables. Linear burners run 24" to 72" or more for long rectangular features. The burner should sit in a pan that fits the opening, with the media on top. Match the gas line size to the burner's BTU, or the flame will be weak at the far end.

Lava rock and fire glass

The media hides the burner and spreads the flame.

  • Lava rock: Porous volcanic stone. Cheap, natural look, holds and radiates heat. Must be fully dry before lighting; wet lava rock can pop and throw fragments.
  • Fire glass: Tempered glass pieces in many colors. Reflects flame, does not fade or produce dust. Costs more. Use glass rated for fire pits only.
  • Ceramic logs: Shaped to look like wood. Sit on top of a base layer of lava rock, not directly on the burner.

Use only the amount the manufacturer specifies. Piling media too deep chokes the burner and causes uneven flames.

Fire table vs fire pit

  • Fire table: A finished piece of furniture with a flame in the middle. Chat height (about 24") or dining height (about 30"). A ledge for drinks. Propane tank hides inside. Good for decks and finished patios. Available in aluminum, steel, concrete and composite finishes.
  • Fire pit: Lower and more open. A bowl, a ring or a built-in masonry or paver feature. More flame, more heat, more of a campfire feel. Usually natural gas or wood.
  • Built-in custom: We build gas fire features into decks, patio walls and outdoor kitchens with a burner, pan and stone or concrete surround sized to the space.

Placement and clearances

  • Follow the manufacturer's clearance to combustibles above and to the sides. Many gas fire tables need several feet of open air overhead; most cannot go under a low pergola or roof without an approved vent-through or a tall ceiling.
  • Keep fire features away from the house wall, railings and overhanging branches.
  • Wood-burning pits need a non-combustible surface underneath. A gas fire table on a composite deck usually needs a heat shield or a manufacturer-approved deck pad. Ask us before you set one on your deck.
  • Propane fire tables need ventilation in the tank compartment. Do not block it.
  • Local codes vary by township. We confirm what applies to your lot.

Covers

Buy the cover. A burner pan full of leaves and water is the number one reason fire tables fail to light. Use a fitted cover or a hard lid over the burner opening when the unit is cold, and a full cover over the whole table through the off-season. Keep the ignition module and valve dry.

Using them in winter

Gas fire features run fine in the cold. Natural gas has no cold-weather problems at all. Propane boils off slower as the temperature drops, so a low cylinder on a cold night gives you a short flame; keep a full spare. Clear snow off the burner and media before lighting, and let the media dry. Electronic ignition systems should be rated for outdoor use and kept covered. Many of our customers run a fire table right through December.

What to tell us

Natural gas or propane. Where it will sit: pavers, composite deck, under a pergola, open yard. Table or pit, and how many people sit around it.

Talk to us

Call (616) 610-4235 or request a quote. We sell, deliver and install fire features within about 50 miles of Holland, MI, and ship across Michigan. Browse fire pits and fire tables.