When the temperatures drop below freezing many of us just want to hibernate. If you like to get outdoors but the rest of your family wants to curl up under a blanket, adding an outdoor fireplace might just entice them to join you in the open air.
Do a quick Google search for “outdoor fireplace ideas” and the images that come up are jaw-dropping. Get inspired, and save a few of your favorite images. This will give you a starting place when you go to hire a contractor and set a budget.
There’s something mesmerizing about watching a fire, hearing the wood crackling, and cooking over an open fire. If you’ve been thinking about adding a fireplace to your outdoor living area, this could be the perfect time to do it.
We’ve put together some things to think about when it comes to turning your outdoor fireplace ideas into reality.
You want your outdoor fireplace to be a focal point, and ideally, not far from your outdoor kitchen. Typically, you view your fireplace from the front or the sides, so the back can be placed against a wall or fence, or free-standing at the edge of the patio.
You (and we) will need to follow local codes with regard to placement. Zoning laws regulate how far from an existing structure the outdoor fireplace must be located, as well as how close it can be to your property line.
You must also consider wind direction. Ideally, your fireplace can act like a wind break. The last thing you want is to place it facing prevailing winds. That’s because doing so will wreak havoc with the fire itself and smoke.
All of these location considerations should come first because the size of your fireplace will depend on where we can locate it.
While we love a wood-burning fireplace, some people don’t like the smoke or the smell – especially if someone in your family suffers from asthma. So, you’ll want to decide early on what fuel you want to burn in your outdoor fireplace.
Some of your options include:
You’ll also want to consider what materials you want to use to construct your fireplace. Select from stone, brick, and outdoor fireplace pavers. Pavers are one of the more common materials as they come in installation kits and don’t cost as much as a brick-and-mortar fireplace.
We install custom-built fireplaces as well outdoor fireplace designs from Belgard, Techo Bloc, and others. With the look of stacked stone and tumbled stone, these kits come in a number of sizes. So even if you don’t have a lot of patio space, there are options that can work for small areas.
To ensure you turn your outdoor fireplace ideas into reality, you want to work with an experienced outdoor fireplace contractor like LiveWell Outdoors. We work closely with you every step of the way, from planning to designing to the actual outdoor fireplace installation.
And while most people are hunkered down inside during January and February, our hardscape team is hard at work installing outdoor fireplaces and other hardscape elements. Just schedule a consultation to get started and you’ll be sitting before a roaring fire before you know it! . We work in Maryland, DC, and northern Virginia.
