Placing A Firepit On Your Patio Paver Backyard Could Be A Mistake. Here's Why
Installing a patio paver backyard patio could be one of the best ways to add more livable space to your home. Many people spend a good amount of money and time on the process. The only thing that could improve it is a big firepit that allows you to enjoy the outdoors a bit longer in the cooler weather. But adding a firepit could cause damage to the pavers, including causing discoloration. Does that mean you can't have a nice firepit here?
While you may not want to just build a firepit with pavers and place it directly on the patio, there are a few helpful ways to get around this. It can be safe to do with a few extra steps that protect the pavers and create a safe experience for your family. You can have a firepit built onto the patio using the proper materials, or you can choose to have a portable one installed. Here are the most important considerations before you get started on your firepit.
Where you build the firepit makes a big difference
Are you building the firepit from scratch or installing it on top of an existing patio? If you are designing a new paver patio for your backyard, this is the perfect time to build the firepit into the structure. That is, you can use pavers around the perimeter and not directly under the firepit. Instead, allow ground exposure in the center. On the other hand, if you are adding one to the top of the existing paver patio, you'll want to make a few changes to your design.
It's possible to purchase a set of pavers designed for firepit building, have a professional install it, or create more of a freely designed space instead. You can also incorporate a fire bowl into the design. In short, you'll build out the paver structure and place the fire bowl in the center. These are typically rounded, bowl-shaped additions that help to contain the fire. Depending on the style you use, some are perfect for wood burning, while others can incorporate a natural gas line for a more permanent structure. To install a gas line, be sure to turn to a plumber. These bowls fit within the concrete structure and protect the pavers from discoloration but not heat. You'll still need high-quality concrete pavers to create a strong structure.
Alternative solutions for having a firepit on your paver patio
If you're not interested in any type of structural change to the paver patio, consider the addition of a portable firepit that contains the fire in a metal structure. These are a good option because they are portable, which means you can rearrange the patio as much as you need and want to do so. However, choosing those with feet that won't damage the pavers by scratching them up is a good idea.
Pavers of brick, stone, or concrete will not catch fire. However, they will suffer discoloration from the heat of the fire. To avoid this, consider the use of a firepit pad. These are large mats of various sizes you can place under the firepit. Most are made from rubber though others are polyester. They should be fire-resistant, non-flammable materials. If you are adding a firepit on stilts, this method works very well because there's enough space for the mat to be placed. A pit pad doesn't work well if you are building directly on the ground.
You can also just go with it. Yes, the heat will create some discoloration, but replacing the pavers is not difficult to do as long as you do not use mortar to hold them in place. A good power washing and cleaning of the firepit and patio can also help remove some of the soot buildup.