The fire does not only warm but also pacify. Contemplation of fire is like meditation: it cleans the mind and soothes the soul. And if it is quite problematic to place a fire pit in an apartment, then it is not difficult to arrange a lounge area with a fireplace even on a small backyard. You can choose a stationary design, or you can buy a ready-made mobile bowl. The best option is a multifunctional part. How to achieve this and what are the pros and cons of different models – we will talk in this article.
Types of fire pits
First, decide what you would like most of all: relax near the fire with a company, fry meat or arrange a small area where you can burn dry branches and fertilize plants with ash. In any case, the fire pit can be made multifunctional, based on your needs.
Stationary pits can be divided into:
- Submerged in the ground;
- Aboveground;
- Mobile.
Mobile fire pits
They can be transported, although this requires at least your own car, or even better – a pickup truck. In the set you can usually find all the necessary accessories – a shovel, a poker and others, which is very convenient. This option is suitable if you are thinking about moving in the future. A mobile pit can be taken to the parents' country house or to a rented cottage.
But usually such units, despite their transportability, are quite bulky, so they are valued for something else: aesthetics and ease of use. After the assembly, if it is needed at all, you can immediately lay out the fire. Also, mobile hearths often strike the imagination with a whimsical or futuristic design.
Submerged models
In the daytime, you can sunbathe or just relax in the lounge area. It is quite possible that you will have no time to bask in the sun during the day's worries, but in the evening you just want to sit comfortably in a wicker chair in front of a burning flame with a cocktail in your hand.
Submerged hearth models are not difficult to make even with your own hands: you just need to remove the top layer of soil and arrange a place for a fire. The only caveat: do not make the pit too deep, because oxygen is needed for burning. The perfect depth would be 1-1.5 feet. Small stones should be poured on the bottom, for reliability, it is better to lay a metal sheet on the sides, and put several rows of stones or blocks on top.
Aboveground fire pits
Even the simplest pit, or as it is also called a bonfire, invariably becomes a place of attraction for the entire company gathered, warming the cool evening and uniting people. In addition to the practical function, the fire pit is a separate element of landscape design. It is able to decorate your backyard and become its highlight.
The aboveground fire pit is lined with a wall made of heat-resistant materials, which will not allow the wind to blow out the fire and keep the heat. For aboveground pit, it is important to choose a place more carefully. Let the smoke from the fire not reach residential buildings. A hill or, conversely, a hollow will not work, a flat area with a good view away from trees and buildings will be perfect. If the shape of the hearth is round, it is preferable that at the widest point it is about a meter wide.