With the winter nights now drawing on, firepits are becoming more and more popular across the UK, providing the perfect way for you and your family to continue enjoying your outdoor space while warding off the winter chills. If you’re sizing up a space on your Indian sandstone paving for your own firepit though, there are a couple of things it’s worth bearing in mind first!
Choose your location carefully
First things first – you’ll have to make sure you’re very careful about the space you choose for your firepit (as you often have to be for the sorts of things you intend to set aflame). That means don’t designate an area for it that’s too close to a building or a boundary fence, as flying sparks could potentially even start a fire themselves. There’s also the smoke to consider, as you could find yourself in trouble if it drifts over to a neighbour’s property, or – heaven forbid – across a major highway.
Even if you’ve got all that sorted, make sure you don’t make that time-honoured mistake of putting it in a space that turns out to be not quite big enough. Countless people have their firepits installed only to find that the seats are uncomfortably close, with nowhere to move back to when trying to get a bit of respite from the heat. If in doubt, err on the side of caution.
Don’t forget to look up
Closely tied into the discussion about location, this one is more about safety. Namely: if you intend to enjoy your firepit in a covered patio or other sheltered area, you’ll need to think about ceiling height and ventilation. Most firepits come packaged with details of minimum required ceiling heights. Anything lower than that risks extensive heat damage to the ceiling itself over a long enough period.
Again, smoke is also a major consideration for safety reasons; you’ll need to ensure that your firepit isn’t going in any kind of completely enclosed space, and that there’s always proper ventilation. Smoke is highly toxic and it can build up surprisingly quickly in a space that’s not fully ventilated – so don’t get caught off-guard!
Lighting and dousing
Lighting and extinguishing your firepit probably sounds pretty straightforward, and indeed it is – as long as you’re using strictly approved lighters, and on cold coals only. That means don’t be tempted to use petrol to light the flames, as you’ll probably find that every one of your friends and family members tends to be quite attached to their eyebrows (and their epidermis, come to think of it).
When it comes to putting it out, ideally it shouldn’t be doused with water either, as the sudden drop in temperature can cause the pit itself to crack. Instead, the best way to do it is simply to let it peter out naturally, with someone always there to watch it until it’s finally out.
That said of course, take care to keep a bucket of water, sand, or a garden hose nearby for emergencies. Health and safety always win out over the integrity of your fire pit itself!
Protect your patio
As you might expect, this is quite a crucial consideration! It’s not unheard of for decks or patios to get stained from firepits, so it’s something to consider when you’re selecting the location for your firepit. Some people prefer to choose a firepit that’s been treated to produce a rust patina finish, which then hardens off following a few months of being exposed to the natural elements. It’s also a good idea to protect the surface under the firepit with a heat shield, such as a set of decorative stones.
That’s all the key points covered! If you’ve got any specific questions about using fire pits with paving stones, don’t hesitate to give our team a call on 01282 860571 and we’ll be happy to help however we can.
And if you ever need any new (or replacement) Indian paving slabs, we can help there too – we supply the highest quality sandstone paving in the whole of the UK, and we stock shades in a variety of popular colours, including Kota Black, Kandla Grey, Autumn Brown and Golden Leaf. Why not take a look around our site, and see if you discover a new favourite?