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it off with both pits and fireplaces can add to the resale of the
home, and ultimately pay for themselves if your house goes on the
market, and it could be a win-win situation.
Before investing in either, you will want to think about what it is
that you really want. Outdoor fireplaces are more intimate than a
fire pit. They can create a feeling of comfort and intimacy among
your guests and set the mood for a relaxing time.
Fire pits are more like campfires. Guests can gather around the pit
on all sides, and it promotes a more jovial ‘community’ atmosphere
as opposed to the intimate feeling of a fireplace.
Another point to ponder is when guests are circling the pit, there
is bound to be some smoke and ash moving toward at least a few
people at any given time. The goal of the fireplace is to
effectively draw the smoke up through the chimney and release it
into the air above the heads of those enjoying its warmth.
Outdoor fireplaces can extend the outdoor season
depending on the surroundings and setting. Indeed the fireplace is
going to give off warmth, and those facing that warmth are going to
enjoy the coziness of it. Depending on if the fireplace is built
under a structure it can create an outdoor living space that will
warm up nicely even when the evening temperatures drop dramatically
in the late fall.
One big advantage to the firepit is the cost to build. Building a
firepit from scratch can cost as little as $500 to $750 depending on
the materials. There are also pits for sale that are made of metals
and are very portable as well as inexpensive.
For building an outdoor fireplace, it is going to depend on what you
do and how you get it done. From a DIY from scratch to a custom
designed and contractor built the cost range will go from $1,500 to
$10,000 or more.
Fireplace costs will also vary according to the type of fuel you
will use. Gas fireplaces built with high chimneys will cost more
than a brick fireplace for burning wood.
Wood burning fireplaces have their pros and cons. First, wood is
somehow more romantic, more intimate than a gas fireplace. It is
almost like wood is the real thing, and a gas fireplace is a lessor
imitation. But there are also some big disadvantages to wood
fireplaces. First, they require wood, a natural resource, but not
always easy to find. Some may find that they limit themselves to the
number of times in a year they use their outdoor fireplace because
they must purchase the wood, stack the wood, keep it dry, and clean
up the area after they bring it all in.
Wood also creates ash that needs to be cleaned out of
the fire box of the fireplace on a regular basis. Once that ash is
removed, then there is a need to find a good location to dispose of
it.
A gas fireplace utilizing natural gas that is already running into
your home anyway assures a constant supply of fuel. Though when gas
prices are high, you may again want to be conservative on the number
of fires you light each season. The biggest advantage to a gas
fireplace is the convenience. There is very little cleaning
involved, you don’t have to have storage space for your fuel supply,
and you don’t have to dispose of ash.
And, if looking at the resale value of your home, gas fireplaces
have a higher return on investment.
Bear in mind that building a fireplace, or a fire pit of any kind is
going to be subject to local ordinances and zoning laws.
In almost all cases, your fire pit or fireplace will be considered
an open fire. There are rules as to where you can have an open fire
in relation to structures as well as property lines. Knowing this
ahead of time will help you figure out whether a fireplace or pit is
even an option on your property. Talking to
a city zoning officer or the county zoning officer ahead of your
investment will help you to determine what you can do safely and
without consequence.
Keeping to the topic of safety, the final advantage to a fireplace
over a pit is the safety. The fireplace, though still an open fire,
is more contained than a pit because it has three walls that will
help to contain the flames as well as the sparks from burning logs.
Once you have done your due diligence in
investigating your safety zones, thinking out which is best for you,
a fire pit or fireplace, then you may want to spend some time
searching online for experience videos. Choose a few to watch
through and see what is being built, who is building it and how
complicated it is going to be. To give you a
taste of what you might find, here are three videos quickly found
via YouTube.
Building An
Outdoor Fireplace (with tips from a professional mason!) - YouTube
The takeaway from this video is that you can go as big and intricate
as you can afford, but, if you are going to go all out, use a
professional.
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Also, if you are using heavy building materials like
brick, blocks, and stone, you must have a solid footing for your
fireplace. Using concrete to start your footing is a must to create
a stable construction.
There are a few of these tasks that you can do yourself, such as
digging the footer trench and mixing and pouring your own concrete
into the trench. Then when your contractor arrives, he is ready to
do what he does best, lay the fireplace and create your outdoor cozy
place.
Build with
Roman - How to build a Fremont DIY Outdoor Fireplace Kit - YouTube
You can build your own outdoor fireplace from a kit.
The video above features a specific name brand, not endorsed by LDN.
Go online and do a search of YouTube videos and you will find there
are a number of DIY kit videos by different name brands. You can
view and decide which one is the best for you.
The first take away from the video is to make sure the kit you order
has everything you will need, including detailed instructions.
The second takeaway is to read those directions front to back before
you ever start building the fireplace.
With this kit you do get to use tools and shape your
stones to a certain degree. Doing so, you have a greater experience
and in the end can feel even more accomplished than if you hired it
done.
This fireplace does not use mortar, but rather glue. You will glue
the layers as you build your fireplace upward.
The kit shown in the video may not be quite as intricate as the
fireplace by the contractor video, but it is still a very attractive
fireplace.
Drystack
Outdoor Fireplace Complete Build. - YouTube
This video is a complete do it yourself project that you can watch
and learn from, then create a fireplace to your liking. The takeaway
from this is the fact that there is no clue and no mortar needed,
though you can use an adhesive if you want a more permanent
structure. Why build a fireplace that isn’t permanent? Because you
can disassemble it and move it to a new location much easier than a
fireplace that is put together using glue or mortar.
So why would you want to move the fireplace? If you are living in a
rental property, you may ask your landlord for permission to build a
fireplace and the answer could be “can you take it down before you
move out?” If so, then you have an easy answer, yes, no problem, you
can take it apart and take it with you when you go.
This fireplace is made with cinderblocks and paver blocks, with no
cutting or reshaping required. The big keys to success on this build
is to build on level ground and use concrete blocks to establish
your foundation, keep the blocks snugged up together tightly, and
use caution when placing the offset bricks as you build the chimney.
Also, the taller you build the chimney the better it will be at
drawing smoke upward.
Another interesting take away from both DIY projects
is that building the front top wall of the fireplace is easy using
angle iron. This is iron that is shaped in an “L.” Place the iron so
that the back of the L provides a short “wall” to hold the bricks
from sliding out and at the same time will keep them suspended at
the top of the firebox opening.
Whether you choose a fireplace or a firepit, you will provide
yourself and your friends and family with an opportunity to enjoy
the outdoor living spaces at your home from the cool of early spring
to the chill of late fall.
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