A large fire pit has the potential to completely transform your outdoor living space while also providing lots of unique features that you simply won’t get with other outdoor appliances. It can quickly become the centerpiece of any gathering, you can use it for cooking purposes, and it’s a great way to create a cozy atmosphere in your backyard. We absolutely love fire pits, and we’re going to show you why you should consider getting one too.
What Is a Fire Pit?
A fire pit is traditionally just a hole in the ground that has been dug with the intention of containing a fire in it. Most old fire pits usually contain wood that turns for a really long time. However, modern fire pit innovations and design changes have completely changed the way that we use and perceive fire pits.
These days, big fire pits are both functional and decorative. Instead of digging a hole for your fire pit, modern versions are made from materials such as copper, brass, stone, or concrete. This raises the “pit” so you don’t need to dig a hole. However, it also makes it more practical to use your fire pit while keeping it safely contained with durable materials.
Fire pits typically come in various shapes and sizes. At CopperSmith, we offer a variety of different fire pit styles with our configurator. You can change everything from the material finish to the size, gas type, ignition, and even add extras such as lava rock and fire glass. We’ll help you create a completely bespoke fire pit for your exact needs that will fit your exterior decor.
What Can You Do With a Fire Pit?
There are many benefits of having a fire pit, but it all comes down to what you personally want to do with it. Here are a couple of the most common uses for a big fire pit in your home.
Social Gatherings
One of the most popular things to do with a fire pit is to create a space for hosting social gatherings. Imagine inviting a couple of your friends over to hang out in your backyard, then they notice you have a big fire pit. It becomes a conversation starter, it can be used as a focal point for your gatherings, and it also draws people in because it’s such an interesting appliance that can look outstanding as well.
So if you frequently invite people over for outdoor social gatherings, or you enjoy the idea of creating a social space for your guests, then getting a big fire pit is a great idea.
Outdoor Cooking
Another great way to use a fire pit is for outdoor cooking. It’s essentially just a massive heat source, so there are multiple different ways to use it for cooking. You could skewer something like marshmallows or even fish. This is a popular idea when combined with outdoor camping, storytelling, or just hanging out with your friends. If you want to get more serious with your fire pit cooking, then you can buy different kinds of equipment instead. For example, you could buy a hanging pot to place over the fire pit which can be used to make stews and soups, or you could get a grilling plate for meats and vegetables.
There are lots of different ways to use your fire pit for cooking. If you’re buying a fire pit specifically for cooking, then you may want to consider choosing between a propane and natural gas fire pit. While they’re both great options, natural gas fire pits may be more desirable because they can provide a consistent heat output whenever they’re being used. This makes it more convenient for cooking purposes.
Outdoor Warmth
If it gets rather cold during the winter season where you live, then you could turn your fire pit into a source of outdoor warmth. Lots of people don’t like being stuck indoors even when it’s cold. Instead, they like to sit outside to get lots of fresh air. If you enjoy this too but find it’s too cold during the winter season, then you might want to get a big fire pit to use as a source of outdoor warmth. You can easily control how large the fire is, and you can ignite it really quickly thanks to the gas systems inside of it–no need to chop firewood and light it manually!
Large fire pits are fantastic sources of warmth, so don’t overlook the idea of using them as an outdoor heater in conjunction with the other uses on this list.
Camping
If you and your family like to have camping nights and weekends in your backyard, then a fire pit can be a fantastic appliance to have for multiple reasons. It can replicate having a campfire outside your tent, but it’s far easier to control and safer to use. You can use it to roast marshmallows as you tell stories, it can be used to heat up water for drinks, or you can just use it as a source of light and heat when you’re camping in colder weather. It’s a brilliant appliance to have if you love camping, and you can customize the size so that it fits in your designated camping space.
So if you’re a camping enthusiast and have spent many nights in a tent in your backyard, a fire pit could be the ultimate comfort appliance to have.
Aesthetic Reasons
Lastly, people often get a large fire pit in their backyard because it can look absolutely stunning in the right surroundings. At CopperSmith, we offer a range of custom big fire pits that can be completely customized to your liking. We have lots of different shapes and styles, all of which are popular and unique in their own way. You could get a round bowl fire pit if you know that you’ll be huddled around it while camping, or a raised rectangular fire pit if you plan to have outdoor seating around it.
For even more customization, you can change the finish on the material, the size of the fire pit, and even the gas type and ignition. To go even further, you can add lava rocks and fire glass to give it a unique look. We’re confident that you can find a fire pit that suits your style and preferences in our collection.
Fire pits don’t have to look dull and boring. With our bespoke fire pit customization options, you can get something that suits your decor and personal preferences.
Types of Fire Pits
There are different types of fire pits that you can buy and set up in your backyard. Each one has its own advantages, so let’s take a look at the differences.
Propane Fire Pits
Propane fire pits typically use propane gas as the main fuel source. Functionally, they don’t look much different from natural gas fire pits because they both use gas. These are usually really easy to use and set up since they can be placed anywhere in your backyard. However, you’ll need to refill the tank on a regular basis since they do eat up fuel quite quickly. They also tend to generate less heat than other types of fire pits.
Wood-Burning Fire Pits
Wood-burning fire pits can come in many different shapes and sizes, and they’re also not limited in their design because they don’t require any parts to distribute gas. As such, wood-burning fire pits are usually made in all kinds of materials like stone, bricks, metal, and so on. However, the main difference is that you’ll need to cut your own firewood and ignite it yourself.
While these can be an economical and more environmentally-friendly option, they do take a lot more work to maintain since the size of the flame needs to be monitored carefully. Wood-burning fire pits also take a bit more time to put out, and they can generate a lot of smoke because you’re actually burning wood. The heat generated by a wood-burning fire pit is often a lot higher than gas type fire pits, but you need to stock up on a lot of wood, cut it, and also maintain your fire pit to take advantage of it.
In general, these can be much cheaper to operate, but it requires a lot more work, could potentially pose health risks, and the fire pit itself demands more maintenance.
Natural Gas Fire Pits
A natural gas fire pit is our top recommendation over both wood burning and propane gas. These can be treated as direct upgrades to propane fire pits because they take a permanent connection to your natural gas line. This means you can use it indefinitely as long as you’re getting gas to your home. They don’t need to be refilled, and it’s easy and convenient to just turn them on and start using them. This minimizes the risk of accidents, makes it a breeze to use, and maintenance becomes simple as well.
The only downside to a natural gas fire pit is that it’s not portable since it needs to be installed. Installing it also tends to be more costly than installing other types. As such, we’d highly recommend planning a permanent spot for your natural gas fire pit beforehand. It should be in a convenient location that allows you to make full use of it.
How To Choose Your Ideal Fire Pit
So now that we’ve covered many of the benefits of having a fire pit and the various types, how do you choose your ideal fire pit? With so many different designs and customization options available at CopperSmith, we understand that it can be overwhelming to choose. So to help you out, here are a couple of important things to think about when choosing a fire pit for your backyard.
What Material Fire Pit Material Should You Pick?
While fire pits can be made with many different materials, our top choice overall will go to copper fire pits and brass fire pits. This is because they come with lots of unique advantages that you wouldn’t get with materials such as stone and brick.
- It won’t rust or wear out over time. Copper and brass fire pits don’t rust which is usually one of the concerns people have when getting a metal fire pit. Your fire pit will be exposed to the elements when it’s not in use, so it’s good to have a material that can withstand rain, snow, and other outdoor challenges.
- It offers outstanding durability. Copper and brass are two of the finest fire pit materials thanks to their durability. With a high melting point, there’s no fear of the fire pit itself being destroyed by constant use. This fantastic durability also helps it stay in good shape while requiring very little maintenance.
- Completely customizable. Our fire pits are completely customizable in terms of material, size, and other extras. If you want an extra large gas fire pit, then we can easily achieve that using copper and brass. This is because we can shape the metal as we see fit, creating a fire pit that is the perfect shape and size for your needs.
While we love stone and brick fire pits too, they just don’t have the same benefits as a metal fire pit. The extreme durability they offer coupled with the customizable shapes and finishes give copper and metal fire pits the edge.
If you’re interested in installing a large fire pit in your backyard, then don’t hesitate to contact our specialist team at CopperSmith. We can help you decide on a location for your new fire pit, and the ideal material, and even make suggestions for decorative elements. Check out our full selection of fire pits to see everything that we have on offer.
