A John Deere Publication

There's nothing quite like sitting around a campfire having a good time with friends and family. It's a good way to create a series of happy memories that you can reminisce about for a lifetime.

Rural Living June 01, 2025

Fire-pit Magic

More than stone rings.

by Lorne McClinton

The smoke's making my eyes water. I've a glass of whiskey in my hand and wistful thoughts on my mind. I'm throwing a one-man wake for my good friend Gary tonight. I'd just started writing Fire Pit Magic when I got a text from Gary's wife Cindy letting me know he'd died. The two of us had shared many a glass of whiskey around campfires over the decades. We helped our young sons cook hot dogs, toast marshmallows, and make s'mores together over the flames. We took turns stoking the fire until our faces were roasting and our backsides freezing. We argued, laughed, and solved the world's problems late into many a night.

What does this have to do with fire pits? Nothing, perhaps everything. For me, it speaks to the essential reason you would go to all the trouble and expense of installing a fire pit on your property in the first place. It has more to do with good times, fellowship, and friends than landscape design and watching a fire, although there's something hypnotic about watching dancing flames to round out a great summer day. It's a place to create happy memories with our family and friends.

Creating a magical place. So, how do you go about creating your own memory factory, your own space for fire pit magic? Fire pits have primarily been associated with cottage life and camping. But outdoor living spaces were gradually turning into an extension of people's indoor décor and lifestyle long before Covid. Interest exploded when the pandemic forced people to spend more time at home. All of a sudden everyone seemed to be looking for new ways to make their outdoor space more comfortable.

There's absolutely no shortage of fire pit options to consider. If you live in a municipality that allows open fires, you can burn firewood in something as simple as the classic ring of stones. If not, there are always steel rings, ceramic or steel bowls, or pyramids and outdoor fireplaces outfitted with spark screens to keep flying embers from creating a fire hazard. Wood burners are no longer the only choice of fuel either, many opt for propane or natural gas flame tables instead. They're a convenient alternative to the traditional campfire, especially if you live in an area that has rules prohibiting burning wood in your backyard. But, how do you decide which one to choose?

"The first step before choosing any fire pit is to stop and think about how your backyard and patio will be set up," says Eric Tamminga with Iron Embers, a leading premium fire pit manufacturer based in Guelph, Ontario. "A lot of people like the generic patio layout. The fire pit is placed in the center and there's a circle of chairs around it. But everyone kind of knows that the smoke will always blow in one direction and no one sits there, since the wind usually is coming from the west and no one ever sits on the east side. Lots of times what people choose is a bowl style because they're a little bit lower. This allows people to talk over it and to sit on all sides around it except where the smoke is blowing."

"Another consideration is do you want to install a fully built-in masonry fire pit area surrounded by flagstones?" Adrian Tamminga asks. "These can be very elegant [and be as elaborate as your budget allows]. However, make sure you're fully comfortable with its location, because once it's built you're locked in. It can't be moved out of the way for a different function like a party."

That's partially why raised steel fire bowls have become so popular. They can be moved up onto a patio, or down closer to the waterfront if you choose. These are available in a broad range of styles, sizes, and quality.

"A mobile heavy duty steel fire pit has a bunch of benefits," Eric says. "Stone is an insulator; it doesn't radiate heat. But steel heats up and radiates heat out so it's a lot easier to stay warm around a steel fire pit. They offer a lot more warmth on your legs and everything. That's become important especially in the shoulder seasons now that people are burning fires year-round. They can provide the same degree of elegance a fully built-in system has but have a lot more flexibility."

Above. There is absolutely no shortage of fire pit options that you can consider. Your choices can range from classic stone rings, ceramic or steel bowls, pyramids, outdoor fireplaces, or natural gas or propane flame tables. Adrian and Eric Tamminga say one of the advantages of a raised steel firebowl over a built-in one is they can be moved. Consider your space before you choose what size of fire pit you want. You want one big enough to fill the space but not so big you can't avoid the heat. There are all kinds of fire pit accessories available too. Propane or natural gas burning flame tables, essentially gas fireplaces built into patio tables, are gaining in popularity. They're smokeless, so they can be placed almost anywhere outside for a bit of atmosphere and heat.

Pyramid and chimney style fire pits are popular, too. But since they are a little taller, they can't easily be talked over. They'll often be set up on one side of the patio. Make sure you take prevailing wind direction into consideration when you set one up.

"Size is another consideration," Adrian says. "You want something that's big enough to fill the space. But, if you get something too big, you can't sit far enough away from it to avoid the heat."

Standard models will range from 18 inches up to four feet in diameter. If you have a bigger yard and regularly have six to 12 people over for fires, you'll likely want a bigger one. Larger commercial-sized ones are also available. Iron Embers' most popular models are their three-foot Cottager and their four-foot Pyramid.

Cost is a consideration, but quality and durability should be factors in your decision as well. If you're investing a lot of money to redo your backyard space, you're looking for something that's going to last and be a bit of a statement piece on the patio. You want something you can be proud of and that you enjoy when your friends and family come over.

There are a lot of steel ones on the market that are often quite inexpensive. However, these can be very light. Some will quickly rust out and need to be replaced in very short order.

"We've had customers come in that have burned through six in six years," Tamminga says. "They're just sick of constantly replacing them."

Outdoor fireplace option. A larger, fully-enclosed outdoor fireplace style is another option. These are big and designed to be the focal piece of your backyard. It'll typically be installed on a patio and have chairs and couches surrounding it in a crescent. Some models come equipped with chimneys that will direct smoke upwards and away from those sitting around it.

There are all kinds of fireplace options available, some have cool looking wood racks to organize and store firewood. Various grills can be added for cooking. These can all contribute to the magic memories being created.

Spark screens are a must in many areas to comply with local laws. Even if there aren't restrictions in your community, they are just a very nice feature for your own peace of mind. However, if you have a big fire pit you might want to get one that has a door that can be opened to stoke the fire. A heavy-duty spark screen can have substantial weight. You don't want to be lifting it on or off the fire pit every time you need to throw another log on the fire.

Wood-free choices are also available. Patio flame tables that burn natural gas or propane are now quite popular. These are essentially gas fireplaces built into a patio table. The burner element is covered when it's being used as a table but as the evening cools, it can be uncovered and fired up. They aren't quite as functional as the mushroom-shaped patio heaters they are replacing but they are aesthetically more pleasing. They come in three basic heights—coffee table height, dining room table height, and bar height.

They're very attractive because of their flexibility and convenience. Often people will install them right on their deck and they pair very nicely with pergolas. It makes them simple to use any time of the year. You don't always have to keep a wood supply on hand, and you don't have to do any chopping. Additionally, since some municipalities have laws that prohibit burning wood in your backyard altogether, a flame table might be the only fire pit option that you have available to you.

Since both natural gas and propane are clean-burning fuels, flame tables are essentially smokeless. Depending on your location, and your aesthetic preferences, that's either an advantage or a disadvantage.

You can sit around one all evening and won't go home with your clothes smelling like wood smoke. However, others love the smell. It's a timeless part of the joy of sitting around a fire.

Whatever fire pit style you choose, the memories you make around one will always come back to you.

As my wistful thoughts of Gary reminded me, their true value is the good times you share by the fire with family and friends. ‡