Best Patio Furniture Choices

Looking to stay warm outside on cool nights? An outdoor fire pit may be your answer! These pieces of outdoor furniture can be used to generate heat on a cool evening at any time of the year. An outdoor fire pit is not really a hole dug into the ground, as it seems to suggest. On the contrary, it is actually more like a raised platform on which you build a fire.

An outdoor fire pit looks like a shallow dish or bowl sitting on top of a sturdy metal stand. Often the dish (or pit) is made of copper or steel and can range from 3 feet to 6 feet in diameter. The stand keeps the dish elevated at a height of between 12 to 24 inches off the ground.

Pure outdoor fire pits have no screen around the edge of the bowl and no roof to keep in the sparks or ash that inevitably blows out of a fire. In this instance, you are actually building a small exposed campfire. This is perfect for roasting marshmallows or hotdogs as well as generating good heat. However, your fires need to be monitored a little more closely than they would in an outdoor fireplace or chiminea. In fact, you may need to check with your neighborhood zoning laws to find out if you are even allowed to use a fire pit on your property.

An outdoor fireplace is merely an outdoor fire pit that is encircled by a screen mesh and capped with a cover or roof. Any fire is a potential hazard, but a fire in a fireplace is a bit safer than one in an exposed copper pit. The sparks and ashes are less likely to pose as much of a threat for damage because the mesh acts as a spark arrestor. However, you still get wonderful amounts of heat from the fire.

Outdoor fire pits are a great addition to any backyard. Not only can they be used for heat and cooking, but they can also become a gathering place. Don’t be surprised if your guests pull up an Adirondack chair or bench to sit on near the fire as they enjoy each other’s company!

You can find a wide variety of outdoor fire pits and fireplaces at many fine online retailers. A more limited selection may be available at your local home and garden center.

About The Author:

David Caban is a successful author and publisher of http://www.best-in-patio-furniture.com. A one-stop source of free information on patio furniture and outdoor décor for patios, decks and porches.