Best Patio Furniture Choices

A clay chiminea (or chimenea) is a Mexican outdoor fireplace. They have been used by many cultures for over hundreds of years as a source of heat for both warmth and cooking. Now they are gaining popularity on patios and gardens as both sources of heat and accent pieces. Originally made only of clay, you can now find them made of aluminum and cast iron, too. In this article, we highlight clay chiminea outdoor fireplaces.

In general, clay chimineas cannot handle large fires for extended periods of time and are more susceptible to cracking and breaking than the cast iron or aluminum versions. Dried clay is similar to glass in terms of fragility.

The type of clay used in construction of a chiminea is not as important as whether or not the fireplace was air-dried or kiln-dried.

Air-dried fireplaces are typically, although not always, “untreated”. This means that they have not painted or sealed in any way. Kiln-dried clay chimineas are typically (but not always) a higher-quality clay that has been painted and sealed.

In both cases, most clay chimeneas are manufactured in two pieces. One piece is the “bowl” or firebox, and the other is the “neck” or smokestack. When the pieces are finished drying, they are stored separately for several days.

After they have completely dried, the neck and the bowl are then fused together to create one single fireplace. The fusion joint is not extremely strong, so never lift a clay chiminea from the neck, because you could break the bond.

As you shop for outdoor fireplaces, pay close attention to the size of the fire bowl or firebox area. This is where you will be placing the wood you will be burning, so be sure it is large enough that you won’t have to cut wood down to size to fit the space. The height of the neck is not as important as the size of the firebox.

One point to remember with a clay chiminea is that, indeed, it is made of clay, which is nothing but water and dirt. If you let it sit in water long enough, it will turn back into mud. Therefore, never let your fireplace sit in water for an extended period, and cover it during rainstorms!

A clay chiminea can be both a wonderful source of heat and a beautiful accent piece. Look for clay models that have been kiln-dried and painted, and always be careful handling the fireplace so it doesn’t break!

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.