TL;DR: Fire pits can be a great addition to your timber deck, but there are important considerations. A wood burning fire pit can be risky due to the heat output and embers, while a gas fire pit offers a safer, albeit less authentic and not as warm alternative. Always practice safe fire handling - we'll also introduce our deck-safe wood-burning smokeless fire pits later on.
Alright, let's cozy up and talk fire pits for your deck! 🔥
NOTE: You don't have to wuss out and get gas...there is a solution - read till the end.
Wood-Burning Fire Pits: The Warm, Authentic, But Potentially Risky Choice
Wood burning fire pits are the real deal when it comes to creating that campfire vibe and beautiful heat. But before you get too excited, consider these downsides when putting them on your timber deck (or any decking/combustible surface):
Hot Stuff
Wood-burning pits can give off awesome heat (especially our smokeless ones), which might sound great for roasting marshmallows or grilling a steak over live fire, but not so much for your deck. All that heat can mess with the timber or composite, potentially causing damage or even igniting it!!
Smoke and Sparks
They can also be a bit of a smoke and spark show. Those little sparks can leave unsightly marks on your deck, not to mention being a fire risk. And with decks usually being on close proximity to your house - the smoke can be awfully frustrating.
Safety First
You need to make sure there's plenty of room between the fire pit and anything else on your deck. Sparks and flying embers are like trouble magnets, so keep your furniture, plants, and your deck safe.
Gas Fire Pits: The Safer (Boring) Choice
Gas fire pits may lack that genuine wood-burning crackle, but they bring some perks for your deck:
Cooler (Not Really)
These pits won't scorch your deck because they don't give off as much heat as a wood burning fire pit under almost any circumstance - especially not our smokeless fire pits
Clean
They're cleaner and greener, producing no smoke and no soot. One thing your deck will thank you for.
Flame Control
With gas fire pits, you have a lot of control (over a little heat). You can dial up or down the flame size as you please.
Basic Deck Fire Pit Safety - Regardless of fuel type:
Doesn't matter if it's wood or gas - you've got to follow some basic safety rules:
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Clearance: Keep your pit away from anything that can burn, like furniture, awnings, roofing, or plants.
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Fire Safety Gear: Have a fire extinguisher, hose, or a trusty bucket of water nearby just in case.
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Stay Close: Don't ever leave your fire pit unattended when it's running. Seriously, don't!
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Just be sensible: When it comes to fire of any kind - nothing is idiot-proof.
Deck-Safe Wood-Burning Smokeless Fire Pits
Okay, time to shine a light on our deck-safe wood burning smokeless fire pits - made right here in Hamilton (NZ). They give you the best of both worlds - an authentic fire experience without the stress of damaging your valuable deck when used correctly and sensibly!
Essentially - we got this request so much we changed the design to make them safe for any surface, with a few simple additions.
First off - we engineered the 'Heat-Delete' into the bottom of all the fire pits - you can check this out here on the Gather (our largest smokeless fire pit).
And then we designed and introduced the 'Ember-Shield', which is the base dish we introduced to minimise the concerns about embers when stoking the fire and adds an extra layer of heat protection as well! Essential for use on combustable and heat sensitive surfaces. Plus it looks amazing filled with decorative stone underneath the Smokelis Fire Pits!
Plus all our fire pits are engineered with a secondary-combustion - which makes them produce very little to no smoke and completely smokeless to almost 98% efficiency given good dry hardwood firewood and managed properly (which is easy by the way) - check out a video of the smokeless secondary combustion in action here
By choosing the right fire pit and following safety guidelines, you'll have a warm and inviting outdoor space that's perfect for gathering with friends and family around the fire. Enjoy the crackling flames and cozy ambiance without the stress!