What goes in the bottom of a fire pit? (2023)

What should I put at the bottom of my firepit?

What do you put in the bottom of a fire pit? You'll want to start with a layer of sand at the bottom of the pit, and then top the sand with gravel, lava rocks, fire pit glass, paving stones or even bricks for your fire pit. Alternatively, you can simply use dirt.

One of the easiest ways you can keep a wood burning fire pit in good shape is by adding sand to the bottom of the pit, whether it's in-ground or a moveable steel container. The sand will insulate and absorb heat, containing the fire and protecting the pit materials.

Fire-proof silica sand is an excellent base layer for a fire pit. Silica sand can be used as cost-effective filler to cover the bottom areas of a fire pit. Fire glass or lava rock can be added on top of the sand for effect.

Basically, the layer of sand that you put at the bottom of your fire pit is designed to protect the metal that is used at the bottom of the bowl. The extreme heat produced by the fire needs to be absorbed, and sand does a good job of that.

Some materials like hard rock, gravel, or sand weren't meant to reach high temperatures and can spark and explode if your fire gets too hot. Instead, use lava rocks for your fire pit or lava glass beads as a filler for your fire pit. They are a safe way to create drainage and make your fire pit look nice.

A big advantage of stones is that you can use them as an additional layer of protection for the ground beneath the fire pit. For example, if you place stones above dirt or sand, this can act as an additional protective layer. Stones can also look very beautiful at the bottom of a fire pit.

Can You Use Play Sand For a Fire Pit? Play sand if perfectly safe to use at the bottom of your fire pit. If your fire bowl or ring has a screen around the bottom of it then you have what's called an “open burning system” and this isn't possible to use play sand in.

Place some sand in the bottom of the fire pit. Sand will act as an insulator and help to disperse the heat more evenly. The grass underneath and surrounding your fire pit can still get quite warm from the heat of the fire, so giving it a water a few times throughout the night or in advance will help to cool it down.

Pea gravel is great to add to a fire pit area because you don't have to be precise, it's comfortable to walk on, and it doesn't cost much per bag. Cover the entire weed block fabric with the pea gravel.

All fire pits need some type of lining. A fire pit liner protects the integrity of the fire pit and provides a safe space in which to have a fire. Lining your fire pit with a metal liner or fire ring, fire bricks or granite, will ensure your fire pit will remain an attractive feature for longer.

How much sand do you put in the bottom of a fire pit?

You don't need very much sand in the bottom of your fire pit in order to achieve an even heat and protective layer. While fire pit sand manufacturers and fire pit manufacturers may have their own specific recommendations for you to follow, the average amount of sand needed is 1-2 inches.

Coat your fire pit after use

The most common coating is regular kitchen spray oil, the type used in cooking. It's quick, and cheap to buy too! A quick spray onto all of the surfaces and a rub with an old rag will thoroughly coat each part and form a barrier that prevents rust forming.

It is recommended to put sand at the bottom of a fire pit. Sand absorbs the heat and distributes it equally throughout the whole base of the pit. If there's no sand, then the heat may become more concentrated in one area of the base.

Building one is easy: Put two logs in your pit parallel to each other, then stack two more on top perpendicular to them. Continue to stack logs to the desired height, then place kindling in the center square and ignite.

Build the Fire Pit Gravel Base

Adding gravel on top of the compacted dirt will create a base for your fire pit. Pour a generous amount of crushed gravel paver base into the hole so your finished base will be approximately 5 inches thick.

Gravel works well as a natural surrounding for a fire pit. It's a great material to lay down around your fire pit since it won't show any noticeable charring or ash stains if the fire is raging. Just don't put any gravel in the fire pit itself.

With traditional use, lava rocks should last for about two years before replacements are required because of the build-up of grease, which can affect flavor, as well as the natural deterioration of the lava rocks from frequent heating and cooling after use.

Once your Lid has been placed on your fire pit, you are free to step away while the embers cool down completely. Please be aware: you should never use Lid when there are still flames visible in the fire pit, only when red, hot embers are visible. “This lid works great!

A pyramid-shaped stack of kindling over top of the tinder works best for starting a wood fire pit. Using a long-stemmed match or high-quality lighter, ignite the pile of tinder and wait for it the flames to reach your initial stack of small pieces of kindling.

What makes a fire pit smokeless?

Smokeless fire pits work by capturing the smoke from burning wood in a double-walled structure which then reburns it so that less smoke escapes into the air.

Heat shields can be used on your grass, wooden decks, concrete surfaces, and many other surfaces. Heat shields are portable and easy to assemble. You just place one under the fire pit on a flat surface, and light your fire without worry.

The fire in a clay chiminea needs to be built on a bed of sand so the fire doesn't actually come into contact with the clay. Check your instructions carefully to make sure you set the fire properly. Not doing so may cause cracks in a clay chiminea. Children's play sand will work well.

Remove any grass or weeds from the area. You can choose to use dirt as the base of your firepit. You can also add a layer of sand and then a fireproof material. Gravel, Lava rocks, fire pit glass or silica, paving stones, or bricks are all safe options.

The hole should be 12 inches in diameter and 18 inches deep. Fill this hole with large gravel. If the soil doesn't drain well or there is heavy precipitation, dig a trench from the center out. If you're adding a drainpipe, dig about 10 feet from the fire pit.

Pea gravel is great to add to a fire pit area because you don't have to be precise, it's comfortable to walk on, and it doesn't cost much per bag. Cover the entire weed block fabric with the pea gravel.

In-ground and metal fire pits need a drainage hole for water to drain out. If you have an open and in-ground fire pit in your backyard, you must have drainage for your fire pit. Otherwise, water will pool inside your fire pit causing it to rust. It can severely damage your fire pit burner making it difficult to light.

Final Thoughts. You know that you should never put pea gravel in a fire pit now. It's not even going to be a good idea to have pea gravel in the area around your fire pit because it's just not a good stone for those purposes. Pea gravel is something that can easily explode when it is exposed to too much heat.

All fire pits need some type of lining. A fire pit liner protects the integrity of the fire pit and provides a safe space in which to have a fire. Lining your fire pit with a metal liner or fire ring, fire bricks or granite, will ensure your fire pit will remain an attractive feature for longer.

It is Low Maintenance. Lava rock will give you what you put into it. In other words, if you take proper care of your fire pit, you will have long-lasting lava rocks. Cover your fire pit regularly, and you will only have to clean your lava rocks every 6 months to 1 year.

How deep should a fire pit be?

The hole should be 12 inches in diameter and 18 inches deep. Fill this hole with large gravel. If the soil doesn't drain well or there is heavy precipitation, dig a trench from the center out. If you're adding a drainpipe, dig about 10 feet from the fire pit.

Remove any grass or weeds from the area. You can choose to use dirt as the base of your firepit. You can also add a layer of sand and then a fireproof material. Gravel, Lava rocks, fire pit glass or silica, paving stones, or bricks are all safe options.

You can protect your fire pit from rain by covering it with a tarp. You can use a special tarp designed for fire pits, or you can use one designed for grills. Either way, a heavy-duty tarp made of a strong synthetic material should protect your fire pit from the elements.

Store moveable pits in covered areas:

Simply moving the pit into a shed, garage, or under a deck keeps it snug and dry during rainstorms. Remember to be sure the fire pit is thoroughly cooled before storing in a covered area; fires can reignite quickly and can cause tremendous damage to your property.

Yes, they can get wet. However, the buildup of moisture inside a propane fire pit can cause interference with the gas burners, which can prevent lighting and rust of the equipment. Proper care should be taken to avoid these things.

The main benefits of using sand are that it helps to soak up the heat and evenly distribute the heat throughout the fire pit. Sand is also great for protecting the actual metal bowl from the intense heat the fire can put out. At the end of the day, there is no harm in putting sand in the base of a metal pit.

Use construction adhesive between the layers of blocks to secure the concrete block pavers as you build the fire pit walls. Remove the second row of blocks that were temporarily placed. Add beads of construction adhesive to the bottom layer to bond everything in place.

Lava rock which is wet or has moisture inside can pop or burst causing pieces of hot rock to fly out of the fire pit.