Unilock fire pit using the Estate Wall Stone.
Fall evenings are better spent around your own cozy fire pit!
Although it’s getting darker earlier and autumn evenings are chillier doesn’t mean you have to say goodbye to relaxing outdoors in the evening. Incorporating a fire pit into your backyard hardscape design is a solution that extends the usability of your outdoor entertainment space well into the fall adding notable comfort and a touch of affordable luxury. It’s not hard to imagine relaxing around your new fire pit with friends and family, sharing many a peaceful outdoor evening together!
When it comes to custom fire pit design the possibilities are nearly endless. No matter the size of your outdoor space or the look you desire – from rustic to modern to all looks in between – thanks to materials from trusted manufacturers like Techo-Bloc and Unilock finding just the right colors, textures, shapes, and styles for your new fire pit design is easier than ever. Round or square, below surface or above surface, gas-fired or wood burning, with or without chimneys – the possibilities are nearly endless. And the hardscape design team at Heinen is here to help you choose just the right style and materials to achieve the look you desire and the functionality you need – while seamlessly integrating the design into your available backyard entertainment space.
Wood-burning fire pits are perfect for at-home s’mores nights!
Fire Pit Types
For the most part, fire pits are either wood-burning or gas-burning. Determining which type is best for you depends on what you are hoping to get out of your fire pit. Wood-burning fire pits are popular for those who like to cozy up to the fire and enjoy the sounds of crackling and popping wood – plus, with a wood-burning fire pit it’s easy to add hot dogs and marshmallows to the festivities to create an impromptu campfire night!
Other homeowners opt for gas fire pits instead of wood thanks to their ease of use. For starters, lighting a fire or ending a fire is as easy as the turn of a switch. They’re also clean-burning, meaning there are no errant embers to worry about at the end of the evening – nor billows of eye-stinging smoke when the wind decides to change direction. And, if you really enjoy the look of a wood fire pit but want the benefits of a gas one, ceramic logs may be installed to give the appearance of natural logs.
Gas fire pits are fueled either by a natural gas line or a propane tank. A propane tank system costs less initially to install, but propane tanks do run dry – which requires scrambling to connect a spare or making a run to a hardware store to exchange tanks. Running a natural gas line from the home to the fire pit costs more to install but it does alleviate empty propane tank issues – and natural gas makes the fire pit more convenient and simpler to use.
Planning Your Design
Time to get creative! When it comes to the shape of your fire pit, circular has long been a leading choice since the design allows for everyone to easily fit around the fire and enjoy the warmth – but a custom-built fire feature can actually take on almost any shape desired.
The hardscape pros at Heinen incorporated this natural gas-burning fire feature and seat wall into a new tiered patio space and conversation pit.
When planning a fire pit, consider how many people you want your fire pit to accommodate. Some just want an intimate conversation space where one or two people can comfortably relax. Others choose to make their fire feature the focal point of their outdoor entertainment space. The shape and size of a fire pit really depends on personal preference and any hardscape elements you intend to install along with the fire feature. For example, many choose to build seat walls near the fire pit to both accommodate landscape elevation variations and provide extra seating near their fire feature. The options are nearly limitless!
Raffinato Fire Pit from Techo-Bloc.
There is one thing you can be certain – extending the seasonality of your al fresco life is much easier with a cozy fire pit in your outdoor living space! A custom fire pit is a hardscape feature you’ll enjoy year round – but especially so on cool, crisp fall evenings. Ready to tackle the planning and construction of a backyard fire pit? The hardscape pros at Heinen are here to help! The Heinen team has been making Kansas City backyards better for over 30 years and is second to none when it comes to planning, designing, installing, and maintaining beautiful backyard entertainment spaces!
