How to Use a Fire Pit
Make sure you can legally use an in-ground fire pit in your home., Take a good look around your yard or patio when positioning your fire pit., Consider how you want your guests to interact., Gather your materials for a fire., Make sure that you use...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Make sure you can legally use an in-ground fire pit in your home.
Check with building officials and local codes to ensure that you won't break any laws.
Every city is different and yours may have certain codes which only allow a certain type of fire pit.
Get in contact with the planning offices in your area to see if any restrictions apply. -
Step 2: Take a good look around your yard or patio when positioning your fire pit.
Your pit should be far away from any flammable structure.
With an in-ground fire pit you need to make sure it’s built in a clear area.
It should be a safe distance away from your home, deck, overhangs, trees, etc.
You should also keep your fire pit away from heat sensitive plants, dry grass, bales of hay, open firewood, and other materials that could ignite.
If you don’t already have your in-ground fire pit built, check wind patterns in the area before you build.
You want to position your pit so that it doesn’t blow smoke into your home. , You may want to position your fire pit in an out-of-the-way place for late night intimate gatherings.
Or, you may want it more centrally located to encourage conversation and interaction between your guests.
Wherever you decide to place it, make sure that you pick a safe location.
If you haven’t built the in-ground fire pit, make sure you pick a place that will stay clear of any plant life for years.
It’s best to pick an open flat area for your guests as well.
If you are on a slope it might be more uncomfortable to sit around the pit.
If you are in a more enclosed area, smoke from the pit might be an issue. , The easiest way to get a fire going in your in-ground fire pit is to sort your wood, kindling, and tinder.
To help you build the best fire, sort your materials by size.
Place all your large logs together, followed by your smaller logs, kindling, and tinder.
If you plan to cook any food over your fire, don’t use any starter logs or gels.
These items contain chemicals which get into the smoke and can get on your food. , If there’s any moisture in the wood, especially the larger logs, it will be harder to start your fire.
You can easily find tinder in your own yard from dry grass and leaves that you've raked up.
Otherwise, newspaper works well.
It’s also a great idea to have water on hand for putting your fire out. , Because you can’t reach under any sort of grate in your in-ground fire pit you need to build an upside down fire.
An upside down fire means placing your larger logs in first and stacking smaller logs, tinder, and kindling on top.
Place your large logs in the bottom of your pit, and spread the logs out to cover the base.
Then, place your smaller logs on top in a criss-cross pattern to allow for airflow.
Add your tinder.
Create a small pile or ball with your tinder.
You can even tie it up with some string if you need.
If your tinder is too spread out it won’t create enough heat at once to ignite the rest of your materials.
Place smaller twigs and other kindling on top of the tinder bundle in a tepee-like fashion.
These small branches will quickly catch fire and help to ignite your larger logs.
The tepee shape of your kindling will create a small pocket of heat from your tinder and ensure that your kindling gets an even burn.
Never use pressure treated wood.
It emits toxic fumes.
You can tell if the wood is pressure treated by its green tint. , Be sure not to overload the fire pit with wood.
You don't want the flames to get too high.
When lighting your fire, the safest way is to you use a long match or lighter.
Light your tinder and watch the fire grow.
You may want to light your tinder in a few places to help the fire get going.
If you are using any newspaper, you can also shove balls of it between your larger logs and light the newspaper.
Softwoods such as pines and firs are easier to light and are good for getting your fire started.
As your fire begins to burn it will create coals and embers.
When the flames begin to die down, add larger logs to keep your fire burning. , After the initial ten or twenty minutes, most of your kindling will have burned up along with your tinder.
These bits of material will start to form natural coals and embers which still provide plenty of heat.
Use a poker or large stick to move your coals and embers together.
Add some oxygen by blowing on the coals to add more heat.
You can now start to place larger logs on top of these coals to keep your fire going.
Hardwoods like oak, ash, cherry, maple, and poplar are great for adding to a hot fire.
These woods last longer than softwoods but are harder to light. , Once you’re done enjoying your fire pit, properly put out the fire.
If possible, allow the fire to burn down completely to ash.
Pour water over the fire and make sure you drown all the embers.
Keep pouring until you don’t hear any more hissing.
If you don’t have water, cover the embers and ashes with dirt and sand which is preferably damp or wet.
Stir the ashes and embers.
A shovel works well here.
Once everything in the pit is wet and cold, you can use the shovel to scrape the materials out of the pit.
In most areas you can dispose of your ash in your regular garbage.
Check with your local municipality for any specific laws or codes in your area. -
Step 3: Consider how you want your guests to interact.
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Step 4: Gather your materials for a fire.
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Step 5: Make sure that you use dry wood.
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Step 6: Place your materials in your fire pit.
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Step 7: Light the fire.
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Step 8: Maintain your fire.
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Step 9: Put out your fire.
Detailed Guide
Check with building officials and local codes to ensure that you won't break any laws.
Every city is different and yours may have certain codes which only allow a certain type of fire pit.
Get in contact with the planning offices in your area to see if any restrictions apply.
Your pit should be far away from any flammable structure.
With an in-ground fire pit you need to make sure it’s built in a clear area.
It should be a safe distance away from your home, deck, overhangs, trees, etc.
You should also keep your fire pit away from heat sensitive plants, dry grass, bales of hay, open firewood, and other materials that could ignite.
If you don’t already have your in-ground fire pit built, check wind patterns in the area before you build.
You want to position your pit so that it doesn’t blow smoke into your home. , You may want to position your fire pit in an out-of-the-way place for late night intimate gatherings.
Or, you may want it more centrally located to encourage conversation and interaction between your guests.
Wherever you decide to place it, make sure that you pick a safe location.
If you haven’t built the in-ground fire pit, make sure you pick a place that will stay clear of any plant life for years.
It’s best to pick an open flat area for your guests as well.
If you are on a slope it might be more uncomfortable to sit around the pit.
If you are in a more enclosed area, smoke from the pit might be an issue. , The easiest way to get a fire going in your in-ground fire pit is to sort your wood, kindling, and tinder.
To help you build the best fire, sort your materials by size.
Place all your large logs together, followed by your smaller logs, kindling, and tinder.
If you plan to cook any food over your fire, don’t use any starter logs or gels.
These items contain chemicals which get into the smoke and can get on your food. , If there’s any moisture in the wood, especially the larger logs, it will be harder to start your fire.
You can easily find tinder in your own yard from dry grass and leaves that you've raked up.
Otherwise, newspaper works well.
It’s also a great idea to have water on hand for putting your fire out. , Because you can’t reach under any sort of grate in your in-ground fire pit you need to build an upside down fire.
An upside down fire means placing your larger logs in first and stacking smaller logs, tinder, and kindling on top.
Place your large logs in the bottom of your pit, and spread the logs out to cover the base.
Then, place your smaller logs on top in a criss-cross pattern to allow for airflow.
Add your tinder.
Create a small pile or ball with your tinder.
You can even tie it up with some string if you need.
If your tinder is too spread out it won’t create enough heat at once to ignite the rest of your materials.
Place smaller twigs and other kindling on top of the tinder bundle in a tepee-like fashion.
These small branches will quickly catch fire and help to ignite your larger logs.
The tepee shape of your kindling will create a small pocket of heat from your tinder and ensure that your kindling gets an even burn.
Never use pressure treated wood.
It emits toxic fumes.
You can tell if the wood is pressure treated by its green tint. , Be sure not to overload the fire pit with wood.
You don't want the flames to get too high.
When lighting your fire, the safest way is to you use a long match or lighter.
Light your tinder and watch the fire grow.
You may want to light your tinder in a few places to help the fire get going.
If you are using any newspaper, you can also shove balls of it between your larger logs and light the newspaper.
Softwoods such as pines and firs are easier to light and are good for getting your fire started.
As your fire begins to burn it will create coals and embers.
When the flames begin to die down, add larger logs to keep your fire burning. , After the initial ten or twenty minutes, most of your kindling will have burned up along with your tinder.
These bits of material will start to form natural coals and embers which still provide plenty of heat.
Use a poker or large stick to move your coals and embers together.
Add some oxygen by blowing on the coals to add more heat.
You can now start to place larger logs on top of these coals to keep your fire going.
Hardwoods like oak, ash, cherry, maple, and poplar are great for adding to a hot fire.
These woods last longer than softwoods but are harder to light. , Once you’re done enjoying your fire pit, properly put out the fire.
If possible, allow the fire to burn down completely to ash.
Pour water over the fire and make sure you drown all the embers.
Keep pouring until you don’t hear any more hissing.
If you don’t have water, cover the embers and ashes with dirt and sand which is preferably damp or wet.
Stir the ashes and embers.
A shovel works well here.
Once everything in the pit is wet and cold, you can use the shovel to scrape the materials out of the pit.
In most areas you can dispose of your ash in your regular garbage.
Check with your local municipality for any specific laws or codes in your area.
About the Author
Donald Jackson
Experienced content creator specializing in creative arts guides and tutorials.
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