Fire Pit Ideas to Transform Your Backyard

Originally Published on March 26, 2020. Last Updated on August 9, 2023.

What’s on your remodeling or construction wish list? Many families pine for a pool in the sun. Others dream of a sprawling deck for barbecues and sunbathing. Regardless of the size of your backyard, most homeowners share one dream in common: that of a roaring fire pit.

Fire pits create a rustic, relaxed focal point for your backyard. Orienting outdoor furniture, lighting, and elements like lattice walls and more substantial structures to radiate outward from your fire pit immediately ground your design and gives you room to play. 

Long Island Fire Pit

Fire pits serve as a social gathering place regardless of the season. In the crisp autumn evenings, you and your family can gather around the flame, roast marshmallows, and tell ghost stories late into the night. During a sunny summer day, fire pits allow you to put the finishing touches on your famous barbecue recipe while watching the kids splash around in the pool.

With so many shapes, materials, designs, and construction methods to choose from, where do you begin? We’ve collected our favorite DIY projects and ready-to-buy fire pit ideas so you don’t have to pour over Pinterest any longer. 


Fire Pit Ideas You Can Build

When you collect and place the materials yourself, the design possibilities with a fire pit are nearly limitless. With some planning, precision, and plenty of hard work, you can carve an outdoor fire pit from scratch in any corner of the yard. DIY projects are more labor-intensive but usually translate to lower costs.

Round Stone Fire Pit

Stone fire pits are among the most affordable options for DIY fire pits in your backyard. When ordering your material, choose palletized stone for a uniform shape and size. Using a piece of rebar and string, determine the intended width of your fire pit area. Use spray paint to make a large circle. Excavate the area to a depth of about six inches. Make a second circle inside of that area with the circumference of your actual fire pit.

Pour premixed cement in the area in between the inner and outer circles and allow it to dry. Applying mortar as you go, lay the first round of fire bricks, the second and third round of fire bricks, and then carefully lay your pavers before finishing your seating area. Check out a step-by-step guide to guarantee your stone fire pit has a timeless appeal.

Round Stone Fire Pit

Square Concrete Fire Pit

Concrete fire features are becoming increasingly popular for sleek, contemporary outdoor aesthetics. These can also be more elevated, so your s’mores station is level with your outstretched hand as you lounge in a deep seating sofa. Square concrete fire pits entail many steps: first, you’ll want to construct the interior and exterior forms using fir boards. Add reinforcement and install wire or mesh matting to protect against the elements.

Once you complete this step, pour your concrete to the top of the form. Carefully strip the forms once the concrete dries and add touches like a smooth finish or a layer of slate along the top of the concrete. Fill the center with gravel about halfway to the top, and then secure your bowl. Finally, fill the remainder of the space with decorative rocks of your choosing. If this is the style that speaks to you, follow a detailed guide to make your DIY concrete fire pit a reality.

Square Fire Pit

Inground Stone and Brick Fire Pit

Inground fire pits blend seamlessly into the scenescape of your backyard. While this can be a safety issue if you have small kids or pets roaming around, installing an inground fire pit can add casual elegance to any space. This type of fire pit can cost you less than $100, depending on where you buy supplies.

First, dig a hole four feet deep and 12 feet in diameter, ensuring the sides are slightly angled out. Fill the hole with approximately 15 gallons of lava rocks. Set the bricks vertically around the rim of the hole, keeping them tilted on their sides. Shovel sod away from the edge of your pit in the circular area where you’ll set up seating and side tables

Arrange flat, decorative stones around the edge of the pit to cover the bricks. Fill in the top area in and around the flat stones with dirt, and you’re ready to build a fire! Check out photos and instructions to create your inground fire pit correctly. 

After having and loving wood products for years, the upkeep and maintenance were becoming too much of a hassle. We shopped around on many different websites looking for composite chairs. POLYWOOD’s style, design, colors, and price convinced us to go with them. Easy to assemble, strong and beautiful. Also, we chatted with a customer service rep at one point, and she was personable, funny, and so helpful. That interaction also helped seal the deal.”
— Neil K., POLYWOOD Customer


Fire Pit Ideas You Can Buy

Is a hands-on construction project not realistic? Whether you don’t have the time, skillset, or motivation to build a fire pit from scratch, there are several types of attractive fire pits that you can purchase for your backyard based on your budget. These options can elevate your design while adding a functional fire pit to your outdoor entertainment options.

Concrete Basin

Use the color scheme of the outdoor furniture you already own to dictate the ideal shade for a simple, affordable concrete basin fire pit. The floating effect of a freestanding bowl creates an unforgettable visual statement and accentuates circular patios and flat or small spaces. All you need before you order your concrete basin is the shade of your existing chairs or the hue you intend to buy. Homogenous color, especially when contrasted with your housing or decking materials, is a simple solution for cohesion.

Concrete Basin Fire Pit

Steel Cauldron

Whether you have a modern home with clean edges or a rambling wood cabin, the arresting sight of a hanging cauldron fire pit and grill will impress any visitor. Steel cauldron fire pits typically boast a tall triangular frame supporting a spherical cauldron that looks like it sprang into your backyard from a smithy or forge. These units, especially the larger-sized cauldrons, can be costly. For the right family and the right home, the artistry is worth the cost.

Propane-Powered Fire Pit Tables

Many homes with limited yard space or simple patios instead of traditional yards are turning to small metalwork standalone fire pit tables that are powered by propane. These chic, relatively inexpensive fire pit tables often come with a side table that secretly houses the propane tank. Depending on the type of metal used and the craftsmanship, these fire pit tables can run for just a couple hundred dollars.

Seashell Adirondack
Seashell Adirondack

Fire Pit Tables from POLYWOOD®

When you want a sizable fire pit table without the hours of labor or the regular maintenance, consider a fire pit table that brings the warmth of a roaring fire to your backyard with an adjustable flame. Available in square and round designs, our signature fire pit tables fit between four and six Adirondack chairs to serve as the centerpiece of your entertainment area. 

Vineyard Adirondack 6-Piece Chat Set with Fire Pit Table
Vineyard Adirondack 6-Piece Chat Set with Fire Pit Table
Vineyard 5-Piece Deep Seating Rocking Chair Conversation Set with Fire Pit Table
Vineyard 5-Piece Deep Seating Rocking Chair Conversation Set with Fire Pit Table

Constructed from durable HDPE lumber, our fire pit tables are weather resistant and won’t crack or rot. While we provide a cover to help protect your burner bowl in inclement weather, the rain won’t harm your fire table: water will quickly drain from the bowl without a problem.

Classic Folding Adirondack 6-Piece Conversation Set with Fire Pit Table
Classic Folding Adirondack 6-Piece Conversation Set with Fire Pit Table

 


Conclusion

With a little inspiration and a design that speaks to you, you can forge ahead and complete a DIY fire pit or save yourself some work and order one that matches your vision. Fire pit tables allow the entire family to gather for meals, games, drinks, stories, s’mores, and countless new memories. Once you put the finishing touches on your fire pit, determine what type of furniture best suits your space, whether you’re furnishing a desert retreat or a lake house.

12 thoughts on “Fire Pit Ideas to Transform Your Backyard

  1. The built in fire pit has become such a super cool and functional addition to so many patios! I’ve always really loved a real wood burning fire, but I am starting to get more and more requests for the quicker and easier alternative of propane burning fire tables! Either way the cozier the better!!!

  2. Very nice piece of information shared via this blog and keep sharing like this kind of information. I hope you share about fire pits that can be used in closed spaces or rooms. Thank you for sharing this in this blog.

    1. Hi Everett,
      I’m so glad you found the information helpful!
      Our firepit tables can be used in a screened-in porch or gazebo as long as the minimum area is 96 square feet and the minimum ceiling height is 92 inches. At least two walls do need be screened if your space is enclosed with a minimum screen area of 64 square feet.
      I hope this helps guide your decisions.
      Have a great day!

  3. Loved this article. Do you guys think a round or square firepit is better? I am on the fence. One other thing to consider when putting in an outdoor fire pit is making sure that you use material that does not get hot for the cap. The cap is the part that you can put your feet up on or drink on top of. I have made that mistake for a client in the past and will never do that again, so something to consider. Even home depot has some solid options for caps. Good luck….but there is nothing better than watching the dancing fire at night with a drink and watching your kids enjoy smores. Cheers!

    1. Hi Craig,
      It really just comes down to your personal preferences regarding the round or square fire pit table top. You will have a bit more surface area with the square top, but this can seem to limit you to 4 chairs unless you place more at the corners. The round tables can accommodate more chairs without looking crowded.
      As long as you use the glass windguard as required, then the table top surface won’t get hot.
      Thanks so much for reading the blog!

  4. love the blog.Warm nights spent sitting outside with friends are just around the corner, so have a seat, relax, and be inspired by these gorgeous outdoor fireplaces and fire pits There are. Innovative Fire Pit Designs JP planter

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