The snow has melted and sunny, warm days have returned. We don’t know about you, but one of the things we’re most looking forward to this summer is spending time hanging out in our back yard, around our fire pit.

What’s that you say? Oh, you would love to have an outdoor fire pit, you just don’t know how to go about designing one? No problem! Below, we have prepared a fire pit buying guide that highlights all you need to know about fire pits and what design options you have.

#1- Choose Your Shape

Fire pits tend to come in three different shapes; square, circular, and rectangular. Whichever you choose should depend on the area you plan to have it in (what shape will look best with the surrounding furniture/architecture), and what purpose it will serve.

Square fire pits are great for intimate gatherings.

Rectangular fire pits are great to put in front of a sofa, as a sort of coffee table, or even as an accent piece next to your pool, like this one.

Circular fire pits are ideal for larger groups to gather around and enjoy.

#2- Choose Your Height

The “occasional height” is 19" tall, is the lowest height, and pairs well with outdoor seating.

The “chat height” is 24" tall and is ideal for intimate, eye-to-eye conversations.

The “dining height” is 29" tall and is great for those who would like to use their fire pits as a place to dine. This height works great with dining chairs.

The “counter height” is 38” tall and acts as a great place to hang out during get-togethers and parties, where guests are standing or sitting in high bar stools.

#3- Choose Your Style/Finish

Of course, these options will change depending on the maker of the fire pit you choose, but we will share some of the most common styles and finishes.

SoJoe brand Moon & Stars

Espresso finish

Graphite finish

Textured finish (comes in multiple colors)

#4- Choose the Top

Again, the options for what kinds of tops you can choose for your fire pit will differ depending on who makes the product.

Ow Lee brand Hacienda Cast Aluminum

Ow Lee brand Richmond top

Ow Lee brand Rustic Slate screams “easy clean up!”

Berlin Gardens Marine Grade Polymer

Ow Lee brand Cast Aluminum Top

Ow Lee brand Hammered Copper Top

#5- Choose Your Media

The media you choose for your fire pit will mainly have to do with personal preference. Here are a few options you will see:

You don’t have to choose a color. You can go with logs or rocks to match the surrounding area.

You can also mix colors.

Or go with a bright color to make your fire pit really stand out.

Don’t be afraid to go for an earth tone combination of rocks, that can be quite beautiful too.

#6- Choose Additional Accessories

A lot can be done with accessories, including turning the top of your fire pit into a Lazy Susan, or having a flat top cover so it can be used for dining. When finishing off your fire pit, think about things such as fire pit covers, spark guards, and fire guards.

A fire guard may not sound beautiful, but they are practical and there are plenty of options available.

Ow Lee brand Ornate fire guard in 3 popular shapes

A simple fire pit dome spark guard

If you have any questions, feel free to call us at (802) 296-6714 or (800) 639-3715.