Fire pits provide a great social space for your outdoor garden or patio area. As a homeowner, you can even build your very own fire pit in a wide variety of styles and sizes. Since patio installation is very expensive and firepits are becoming so popular you have to ask yourself the question, will fire pit damage concrete patios? If the plan is to install a fire pit on top of the concrete this answer becomes more critical.
Yes, fire pits can generate intense heat which may cause concrete to expand and crack or even explode as the moisture in the concrete escape.
Concrete has tiny pores throughout which contains small amounts of moisture locked inside. When heated to extremely high temperatures, by the fire pit, the moisture locked up inside the concrete vaporizes as it tries to move away from the source of heat.
However, with no escape route because the concrete is so dense and impermeable it cracks or explodes to release the build-up of pressure.
How to prevent fire pits from damaging concrete?
Concrete is made up entirely of non-combustible materials and therefore makes a perfect base for a fire pit. Since concrete will expand when exposed to high temperatures and could potentially crack or explode we have to do something to prevent this.
Thre are a number of options available for the astute homeowner to prevent their patio’s concrete from getting damaged by the fire pit. You can use an above-ground fire pit with a fire pit mat or pad, a stone fire pit away from the patio or use a propane fire pit.
Use an above-ground fire pit to prevent concrete damage
And above-ground fire pit moves the heat much further away from the patio concrete. The protection can be further enhanced with the use of a heat retardant mat – otherwise known as a fire pit mat or fire pit pad. All you have to do is place the fire pit mat underneath the fire pit to prevent the high temperatures from reaching concrete.
These fire pit mats are the perfect solution as they act as insulation and prevent heat from making contact with the patio. They are very affordable and can be purchased cheaply at your local hardware store or conveniently on Amazon. I use the Newtex FirePad High Temp Mat with my fire pit.
It is much cheaper than relaying the patio concrete yearly after regular fire damage. The added benefit is that the ash that falls through the venting holes at the base of the fire pit bowl lands on the mat instead of on your patio or grass and can be cleaned up easily.
Using a permanent Fire Pits
You can use a permanent fire pit, however, you will have to replace parts of your concrete patio every few years as a result of cracking. Concrete normally cracks when faced with constant high and low temperatures. If this is your choice, you can use fire-resistant rock as a barrier between the concrete patio and your fire pit.
This is a specialist job and you may want to contact a professional installer before you create your fire pit, just for you to be familiar with all available options.
Using a natural fire pit.
It is possible to make your fire pit by using a few big stones. Clear away a bit of grass about 3 feet diameter somewhere away from the home. Pour about two inches of sand on the spot. Get some big stones and place them in a circular formation.
You may use this space as your fire pit. Make sure no wood or coal extend over the edge of the stone as you do not want the fire from the fire pit to spread.
Safety Tips
Here are a few safety tips that you should follow in order not to damage your concrete patio or even burning down your home. Thre are more but the ones below will suffice for now.
Level the area
Make sure the area where the fire pit is going to be located is totally level. An unstable fire pit is a dangerous thing. You do not want it to tip over and hurt anyone.
Close to the house
Make sure that you locate the fire pit away from the house or anything that is flammable, i.e. fence, wooden decks, trees or propane tanks to name a few.
Weather conditions
Try not to light fire pits on windy days. The wind could carry embers considerable distances and could potentially catch flammable objects alight.
Clean up
The ash from the fire pit can damage concrete. It is therefore important that you remove the ash from the concrete as soon as possible after using the fire pit. It is a great idea to power wash the area occasionally to get rid of the ash residue.
Conclusion
Placing your fire pit on concrete is completely safe if you take the necessary precautions. If you are using an above-ground fire pit use a fire pit mat at the base to prevent patio damage. If the project is too technical for your skill level it is best to get professional help. Professional help is much cheaper than replacing a damaged patio.
