Now that the cooler days of autumn have arrived in Australia, this is the perfect time to consider the purchase of a fire pit for your back garden. As someone who is keen to add a fire pit to their new home, there are several factors you should consider in advance, so you can be sure that you are getting the right type of pit for your needs. These are two main questions you need to ask yourself before you contact your local landscaper.
What Type Of Stonework For The Fire Pit?
While using leftover bricks is one way to make a fire pit, using stonework gives you a look that is professional and polished. There are some different types of stones worth considering, such as:
- granite combined with basalt rock which gives a non-uniform colour to add interest to the firepit
- gneiss rock which has already been subject to high temperatures during formation, so it is a stable rock to use near heat
One thing you don't want to use in your fire pit is sandstone. This is because it has small pockets of air inside it, which could cause the rock to explode when the air gets heated.
Wood or Gas Fire Pit?
This question is a personal choice one, and different factors determine which one is better for you. A gas fire pit, for example, is a clean way to add fire flame to your back garden. An LPG tank fuels the fire pit, and this tank is stored some distance away from the fire pit in a discrete location. You turn it on and off instantly with the flick of a button. However, a gas flame does not give the same smoke grilled taste to your marshmallows that you will get from a wood fire pit.
While a wood fire pit is messier to clean up as you need to dispose of the ashes regularly, the cost to fuel the fire pit can be minimal if you head out into the forests and collect broken tree branches from the ground. Wood is the natural option, but some people do not like the "messiness" that comes with it.
Once you have decided about the stonework and the fuel source, give your landscaper a call to discuss the type of design that best suits the current layout of your back garden. An experienced installer can finalise a new fire pit in 2-3 days, so the sooner you order it, the sooner you and your family can be enjoying it during the autumn nights.
