Fire pits add excitement to any patio, providing warmth, lighting, and a cozy atmosphere for relaxation. They’re ideal for family meals, romantic moments, and evening entertaining. When designing a custom metal fire pit for your outdoor space, safety and aesthetics go hand in hand. For instance, you need to know how far from the house a fire pit should be located.
How Far Should You Place a Fire Pit From Your House?
The minimum distance between a fire pit and your house should be 10 feet. This rule of thumb also applies to other structures, including garages, covered pergolas, gazebos, pavilions, and sheds. A fire pit needs to be its own thing, a separate space where you and your guests can gather.
Keep in mind that some cities and states have stricter fire safety requirements than others. For example, in Raleigh, North Carolina, homeowners must place fire pits and other recreational fires at least 25 feet from the house. You also have to follow seasonal prohibitions and precautions, which can change depending on atmospheric dryness.
How Much Clearance Do You Need Around a Fire Pit?
Besides making sure fire pits are the right distance from your house, you also need to keep them far enough away from combustible objects or surfaces:
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Piles of wood
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Decks
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Wood chairs or furniture
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Leaves
The 10-foot minimum distance rule applies to any open fire feature, including fireplaces and fire tables. When it comes to vertical clearance, however, the numbers are slightly different:
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Overhead: The bare minimum is 12 feet between your fire pit and any branches, vines, overhead beams, or string lights. It’s better to leave 20 feet.
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Base: Never place a fire pit on a wooden deck, in a garden, or on your lawn. Concrete, sand, gravel, stone, or pavers make a safer base.
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Chimneys: Any enclosed spaces, such as outdoor kitchens or barns, must have proper ventilation for fireplaces, grills, fire pits, and other sources of open flame. Ducted range hoods or chimneys are a must.
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Furniture: It can be tempting to place wood or wicker furniture closer, but maintain at least six feet of distance, or choose metal furniture.
What about propane tanks for gas fire pits? Follow your local regulations and model specifications. We recommend maintaining 10 feet of distance, but some models allow for installation underneath the fire bowl. In this case, you should keep at least six inches between the tank and metal surfaces.
What Other Fire Pit Safety Tips Should You Follow?
How far a fire pit should be from your house also depends on other factors, such as:
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Size of the unit
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Local climate (e.g., normally dry or humid)
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Wood-burning, gas, or propane fire pit
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Controls for flame intensity
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Safety measures, such as spark shields
Even the type of wood you use can impact fire safety. Softwoods, such as pine and spruce, create more smoke and embers. Hardwoods such as oak, maple, and walnut offer a cleaner burn, an ideal match for the elegance of a handcrafted fire feature.
Learn More About Fire Pit Minimum Distance Recommendations for Your Home
At World CopperSmith, we bring handcrafted artistry to every fire pit we create. Whether you’re upgrading your patio or creating a new backyard experience, we’ll help you design a fire feature that’s as safe as it is stunning. We’ll answer your questions about how far to place a custom fire pit from your house and help you choose from our selection of material options, design customization, and handcrafted finishes. Click on your favorite fire pit designs for more information.