It is also generally safer for people to sit closer to an electric heater than to a fire pit.īut if you were interested in looks and heat, you may want to consider having an outdoor fireplace installed.īoth wood-burning and gas models are available. Many of them are attractive and can add to the ambiance of your outdoor area. If the reason why you want a fire pit on your deck is for warmth, there are a plethora of electric and gas-powered outdoor heaters that provide even more heat than a fire pit without the dangers of an open flame. However, there are alternatives to a propane fire pit for those that think even minimal risk is unacceptable or for people who are uninterested in doing what it takes to be safe. Alternatives to Fire Pits for a Wooden DeckĪs stated above, we believe that using a propane fire pit on a wooden deck is reasonably safe when you take proper precautions. Make sure that the fire extinguisher is rated to handle a propane fire. Keep a fully charged fire extinguisher in easy reach on your deck near your fire pit. We believe that it is safe to use a propane fire pit on a wooden deck, but you should always monitor your fire pit when used. Never allow children to play unsupervised near a fire pit, and never leave the fire pit unattended. They will also protect your deck from possibly cracking, warping, or discoloring from the heat. These are made of non-flammable materials to provide additional protection. Make sure that there are no curtains, pillows, rugs, towels, or anything else near the fire pit.Īny furniture by the fire pit should be made of metal, and it should not have fabric cushions.Ĭonsider placing your fire pit on a heat pad or a fireplace rug. Some people like to add rocks or gravel for ambiance, and they can indeed look great, but they can also “pop” when the moisture inside them gets too hot.Ī rock that’s hot enough to explode on its own can damage a wooden deck, and it can harm anyone who happens to be in its path. Never add anything flammable to your propane fire pit. These rules are for your safety and you should follow them. Your municipal fire codes may require that you have a certain amount of clearance around your fire pit, and your area may institute burn bans during certain times of the year. You should always have respect for open flames!įollow local ordinances and manufacturer’s use directions.
Fire pit tables for decks how to#
How to Safely Use a Propane Fire Pit on Your Wood DeckĮven though it is generally considered safe to use a propane fire pit on a wood deck, there are some safety precautions that you should follow. Wood-burning fire pits can easily reach temperatures over 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit.Įven the most powerful propane fire pits top out a few hundred degrees below that. Secondly, propane fire pits are much safer to use on wood decks than wood-burning fire pits.įor one, there is no chance of sparks or embers escaping since it’s only the propane gas that is burning.Īlso, propane fire pits don’t get as hot as wood-burning fire pits do. This alone does not ensure safety – fire-retardant materials will ignite, but then they will extinguish themselves – but it does help reassure you when using a propane fire pit on your wood deck. Why Propane Fire Pits Are Safe to Use on Wood Decksįirst, you should know that many decks are built from wood that has been pressure-treated and treated with fire-retardant chemicals.Ĭomposite wood decks also have fire-retardant properties. Read on to learn more about using a propane fire pit on a wood deck. Some alternatives may work just as well and be even safer.
It should be safe to use a propane fire pit on a wood deck, but there are safety precautions that you need to observe.
If you have a wood – or composite wood – deck and you think that you’d like to put a fire pit on it so that you can enjoy sitting outside even on cooler nights, you might be wondering if this is a safe choice.
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