Build Your Own Outdoor Fireplace - Part 1

You sit in your backyard in a comfortable chair with your feet propped up on the flagstone seating of your own outdoor fireplace. The crackle of the burning wood and the kids trying to obtain the perfect roast on their marshmallows brings you back to your childhood at the campground. The flickering flame produces a warmth not allowing your feet to feel the chill of the evening. This can be a reality if you ever thought about building your very own outdoor fireplace. If you are a handy person and feel like you are capable of building it yourself, you could be enjoying your very own outdoor fireplace soon. Whether you've given a fireplace much thought or not, there are lots of decisions to be made. So many things need to be thought of so the following paragraphs will guide you through a few of the things that need to be addressed.

Where in your backyard do you want to construct your fireplace? Before you answer that question with certainty, step back and take a good look at your entire yard. By doing this you may eliminate many areas quickly for fire danger reasons. Think about which way the wind blows most of the time and imagine embers leaving your chimney in that direction. What is in the direct path? The biggest concern will be shrubs, grass, and trees that may be dry in different seasons. You probably don't want the fireplace to be within 10-15 feet of a mature tree with lots of dry leaves still on it.

Do you have a place that will offer plenty of seating? This fireplace may become the congregation point for parties and you will want enough room for your guests. Search online for outdoor fireplace pictures and you'll see that most have lots of vacant space in front of them. You may want to make sure there are no utility lines such as electrical, water, gas, irrigation, or sewer buried where you anticipate building. The last thing you want to worry about is having to destroy your fireplace to repair damaged utility lines down the road.

Do you have the tools necessary for building your own fireplace? The right tools will definitely bring a bit of ease to your building project. You will need various tools such as a trowel, buckets, a hose, block cutting tools, a level and it seems the list keeps going. If you don't own these tools and others not listed above, don't worry. Reach out to friends, family, and neighbors for the possibility of borrowing them. If you still need some tools afterwards don't buy the expensive ones as even the cheap tools should survive the fireplace build. Some tools such as block cutting saws can be rented from your local tool rent shop or home improvement as well if they're needed. They tend to be very expensive to purchase and most people don't town them because they are specialize tools.

Many neighborhoods around the country as well as local building codes prohibit outdoor fireplaces or they require submitting plans before construction. This has almost become the norm in newer neighborhoods with home owner associations. Many times if your plans and/or sketches show that you have given some thought to the fireplace structure with regard to the final look, to include dimensions and whether it will match the existing décor, the plans will be approved. Home owner associations will look more at the aesthetics of the fireplace and local building codes will deal more with safety concerns such as structure height and the fire within.

If you plan your outdoor fireplace accordingly and don't rush into it, you will be able to build a beautiful structure that will be the talk to the neighborhood.

Get More Outdoor Fun With Outdoor Fireplaces

Since its introduction, fireplaces were intended to solely provide heat inside the house. As years pass, however, designs for fireplaces have upgraded making them suitable for outdoor use. Outdoor fireplaces are just as efficient as that of indoor fireplaces in producing heat. The aesthetic attraction of these fireplaces is also not sacrificed because of its diverse designs and styles.

Outdoor fireplaces have allowed the extension of living rooms from inside the house to the outside. Homeowners can now entertain more guests in the yard and welcome them with the same warmth and coziness as that of what's produced by the fireplace inside the house.

Choosing the best suited outdoor fireplace for your yard or patio may just be a challenging task. Just as the wide array of kinds and styles of indoor fireplaces, outdoor fireplaces also provide homeowners with a confusing number of designs and types to choose from.

Unlike indoor fireplaces, outdoor fireplaces have the advantage of portability. Some of these hearths were designed to be taken from one place to another thereby giving the opportunity of placing the fireplace at certain points around the house. They can be taken to a spot that will enable them to provide heat to a good number of people. Their strategic location will improve its efficiency. They are also made from lightweight materials making camping, picnics, beach parties and other activities more enjoyable and bearable during a somewhat cold season. Being portable also makes these fireplaces easy to be stored when not in use. To prevent the fireplace from wearing out easily, homeowners prefer to keep it inside during snowy winters and heavy rains. Easy storage will not be an issue with portable outdoor fireplaces.

Furthermore, there are also permanent outdoor hearths. They are designed to take on the same elegance and grandeur as that of indoor fireplaces. They are also made with extreme durability to withstand any weather conditions. These kinds of outdoor fireplaces will greatly complement your patio or pool because of its architectural beauty. However, choosing the right kind of material that the fireplace is made out of is essential. For instance, if you plan to place it by the pool, selecting metal iron isn't best recommended as they will easily rust upon constant contact with water. However, purchasing a special kind of paint to cover the iron fireplaces from time to time will help in its added longevity.

Outdoor hearths usually run on firewood or gas like the indoor hearths, whichever the homeowner prefers. Unlike the fireplaces inside the homes, outdoor fireplaces eradicate the requirement of having a chimney or vents to release the fumes. Homeowners are now provided with the convenience of burning firewood without worrying about smoke buildup within the house. Using firewood with provide the best fire because it is most authentic. Moreover, gas burning outdoor fireplaces are highly preferred by most as they can be maintained with ease. Although the fire produced is merely artificial, they have an added benefit because they create fire instantly with a single touch of the button. They also burn cleanly than wood so harming the environment isn't an issue. With the option of using propane to fuel the fire, the portability of the outdoor fireplaces is manifested.