Outdoor Fireplace DIY - Should You Even Consider It?

Nothing creates a more striking focal point in your backyard than an outdoor fireplace.

Family and friends will love the warmth of the flickering flames, and everyone will enjoy this perfect location for meals and conversation any month of the year.

An outdoor fireplace DIY project is a feature many homeowners desire because it adds so much to the overall ambiance of any backyard patio design.

What to Consider Before Installing an Outdoor Fireplace

While there are complete fireplace kits available that make it easier to build one yourself, there are many other topics you must consider before you can begin installation like:

• Local codes and homeowners' insurance
• Location
• Materials and style
• Gas or wood burning
• Safety
• Budget

Missing an important step while building your own outdoor fireplace could leave you with a pile of rubble, like my poor friend who skimped on a proper foundation for his brick fireplace. He was incredibly lucky no one was hurt when his outdoor fireplace DIY slowly sunk into the ground and fell over several months after completion.

Safety concerns abound when building such a substantial structure. A large fireplace made of stone featuring a tall chimney will involve engineering skills to keep it upright.

Gas fireplaces will require pipes that may need to be run both above and underground, with the correct fittings to prevent gas leaks that could become a fire hazard. It's also imperative your outdoor fireplace includes measures to protect people and pets from the extreme heat a fireplace emits.

Keeping a disaster at bay is a reason you should consider leaving such addition as an outdoor fireplace or kitchen to your backyard patio to the professionals.

If you still think you can handle an outdoor fireplace DIY, keep reading to see all that installing an outdoor fireplace entails.

1. Local codes and homeowner insurance

Before investing in an outdoor fireplace project, it is imperative you make sure there is not a local ordinance or code that forbids outdoor fireplaces.

Due to concerns over pollution or potential fires from floating embers, many communities forbid outdoor firepits or fireplaces. Other cities may dictate which type of fuel you can use to create your fire for safety reasons. Each locality will have different rules when it applies to outdoor fires, so do your due diligence when it comes to the codes in your town.

You may also need a permit and follow specific rules to ensure the safety and integrity of your structure, such as the distance of your fireplace to buildings or the height of the chimney.

Check in with your homeowners' policy to see if the insurance will cover any possible damage from your outdoor fireplace. Burning embers from your fireplace could float and land on the patio furniture of your neighbor and leave burns. You will be held accountable to pay to replace that furniture.

Even if the damage was accidental, it's best to know upfront whether or not your policy will cover it or if you need to add a rider to your policy once you add an outdoor fireplace. You may find your carrier will not cover your outdoor fireplace at all, because the liability is too high.

2. Location and use

You need to give the location of your outdoor fireplace a lot of thought. The patterns of the sun and wind, the location of trees, property line setbacks, along with the proper amount of space you need around the fireplace all play a role.

You can put outdoor fireplaces on decks, patios, or have them set on their own foundation. Each area will demand its own set of rules for safety and allow the chimney to draft correctly.

You will also need to leave a minimum of five feet of space in front of your fireplace to allow room for chairs so your guests can enjoy the warmth from the fire without being too close. The more area you have for seating, the better. An expansive patio will allow you to place an outdoor dining table near your fireplace, as well as comfortable lounge chairs.

The way you plan to use your outdoor fireplace will help determine the best location for it in your backyard patio design.

If you love to entertain outdoors, you may want it closer to your home for quick access to your kitchen and bathroom facilities, making it more convenient for you and your guests.

Maybe you desire a private nook where you can create a cozy romantic spot for enchanting evenings. In this case, a location further from the home, perhaps behind a line of shrubbery, may be ideal.

Once you find an outdoor fireplace design you love, get out your tape measure, and pinpoint possible locations in your landscape where the width length and depth dimensions of the fireplace you desire will fit safely.

Mark these areas and watch how the sun moves throughout the day at each one, as well as if the wind tends to blow in one direction more often than others. You want the smoke from your fire to infringe as little as possible upon your neighbors.

Check that the final height of your outdoor fireplace will not block sightlines from your house that you enjoy, like that beautiful mountain range on the horizon.

3. Style and materials

There are many styles of outdoor fireplaces, from pottery chimineas, cast-iron units, and a wide array of models made of brick, stone, or concrete. Designs can range from traditional-looking to those that have a southwestern, Mediterranean, modern, or eclectic feel.

Choose a specific style that suits your aesthetic and also complements the architecture of your home and blends seamlessly into your backyard landscape design.

No matter how stunning of a style you select, your fireplace material matters. You want your fireplace to last a lifetime, so make sure you build it of the correct elements. Heat-safe stone, block, brick, or concrete will hold up to the expansion and contraction heating and cooling causes.

Using the wrong materials will lead to cracks or other damage that over time will cause your fireplace to degrade.

The interior of your fireplace (known as the firebox) should have a lining of fire-rated bricks or steel that can withstand extremely high temperatures. A fireplace with a chimney must include a flue-pipe that is also fire-rated within the structure.

Any stone fireplace will require a cement footing for support. Depending on where you live, the depth this foundation set in the ground will vary. This type of fireplace can then have a deck built around the base or can stand freely on a patio or section of lawn.

Never set any outdoor fireplace directly upon a wooden deck. Portable units, like chimineas, should sit upon tiles or blocks that are heat safe.

4. Choosing gas or wood burning

Outdoor fireplaces can burn wood, propane, or natural gas. A wood-burning unit will require extra care to eliminate embers blowing in the wind and for clean up of the ash.

Gas units burn much cleaner, and you can control them with the flip of a switch. Some gas can be directly piped to the fireplace, while others may use a portable tank. The installation of gas lines should be done by a professional to ensure safety.

5. Safety precautions for fireplace use

There are many tips to keep your family and guests safe and structures intact when you have an outdoor fireplace.

It is imperative to protect decks and nearby structures from fire-starting embers that float out during a fire or from logs that fall out from the fireplace.

Fireplace screening is a smart move and may be a requirement in obtaining a permit to install an outdoor fireplace. Keeping embers from straying is why you should always keep a mesh cover over your fireplace openings.

A ring of blocks or tiles under or around the base of your fireplace will create a safe barrier against hot embers. Never allow pets or small children near the fireplace, and never leave a fire with no supervision.

An outdoor fireplace is not the place to burn trash, nor should you toss wood into a gas-burning unit.

6. Budgeting for your outdoor fireplace

You can purchase a portable fireplace for around $100, a pre-fabricated kit for $1500, or have a professional create an original design that can set you back upwards of $10,000.

Expect to pay more for permanent stone structures set on a foundation, or for fireplaces that have additional features, like a pizza oven.

Knowing what you have in your budget to build an outdoor fireplace will help you determine if you have the funds to hire a professional crew to install your unit, or if it's best to save labor costs and do it yourself if you have the tools and skills in construction, masonry, and DIY directives to get it done.