Better Looking Than Pea Gravel: The Alternative For Your Fire Pit Area That Comes From Mexico

Having a fire pit in your backyard is a great way to create an ambient space for you to gather with family and friends in the evening for some lively conversation. But if you're going to go to the trouble of building one, especially if you're after the best fire pit to take your patio to the next level, you want the surrounding area to be as aesthetically pleasing as possible. So instead of putting pea gravel down around your fire pit structure, why not invest in a much better-looking alternative that comes straight from Mexico — Mexican beach pebbles.

Like pea gravel, Mexican beach pebbles are smooth, rounded stones. They have been made that way through constant exposure to the pounding of the rolling surf and are only found on the Pacific coast in Mexico. They have to be harvested by hand, making them extra special when used in landscaping. This, of course, means that they come at a premium price because they're also hand-sorted for size, shape, and color. You'll normally find that there are four common color variations — black, red, brown, and mixed. The black Mexican beach pebbles are actually a dark gray color, and it's these that tend to look amazing surrounding a fire pit, as opposed to pea gravel, which mainly comes in brown or cream shades. You'll also want to select button-size pebbles up to 1 inch in diameter, as these are perfectly suited for pathways and walkable areas.

Apart from their obvious aesthetics, Mexican beach pebbles are a durable material that can elevate your patio and fire pit area. They will provide a nice, stable base for you to place your seating, and they're not degraded by the heat. Unlike pea gravel, the stones don't scatter easily, so they require less maintenance to keep the area looking good. The pebbles are also porous, and their rounded shapes let water drain through freely. If you want to make the project a little more affordable without taking away from the look you're keen to create, you can always put down a base of gray crushed stone fines around an inch deep, and lay your Mexican beach pebbles on top of this.

While these lovely rocks are fantastic for around your fire pit area, you should never use them inside your fire pit. Their porosity means that they will absorb moisture, and when heated sufficiently, this will turn to steam and could cause the pebbles to explode. For inside the pit, you want to use lava rock instead, which will give you the perfect campsite-style fire pit for a cozier backyard.