Custom outdoor fire pitsin Woburn, MA

Matching the fire pit to the patio, picking a shape, what goes inside it, adding one to an existing patio, and the questions to settle before you build.

Built to match the patio it sits on

A fire pit looks best when it looks like it was always part of the yard. We build ours from the same family of materials as the patio, seat walls and steps around it: Unilock wall block in a color that suits the pavers, round New England fieldstone for a more natural look, and granite or block caps on top. On the Stoneham patio on our patio design and installation page, the round fire pit is built in a block that matches the curved seat wall behind it, so the two read as one piece.

Round, square or a custom shape

• Round. The classic choice. Everyone sits at the same distance from the fire, and chairs arrange themselves naturally in a circle.
• Square. A more modern, structured look with clean lines, like the square fire pit beside the pool on our Lynnfield job.
• Custom shapes. A fire pit sized or shaped to fit a particular patio, garden or seating layout.

We'll help you pick the size, material and color that fit your space when we meet you at the house.

What's inside a fire pit that lasts

From the outside a fire pit is a ring of stone, but most of what decides how long it lasts is hidden. It sits on a compacted base like the patio around it, so it doesn't heave and crack apart after a few winters. A wood-burning pit is lined with a steel fire ring or fire-rated material, because direct heat cracks ordinary wall block over time. The bowl needs a way for rain to drain out instead of sitting in the bottom and freezing. And the cap is set so it sheds water rather than letting it into the joints.

Adding a fire pit to an existing patio

If you already have a paver patio, it may be possible to add a fire pit to it; we can look at yours at the estimate. Typically the pavers where the pit will sit are lifted, a base is prepared, and the pit is built and tied back into the surrounding pavers, which look better and last longer than a pit simply set on top. If the patio is old, sinking or too small for chairs around a fire, it may make more sense to rebuild or extend the patio at the same time.

Seat walls and seating around the fire

Seating is what makes a fire pit get used. Plan the patio around the ring of chairs, not just the pit itself, so nobody ends up with their back against a railing or their chair half on the lawn. A curved seat wall on one side of the fire gives built-in seating that never needs to be put away, and it shields the fire from the wind. The fire pits in our patio and fire pit photos include several with fieldstone and block seat walls.

Wood or gas

Wood-burning fire pits give real heat and the smell of a fire; they also give smoke and ash to clean out. Gas fire pits light with a switch and leave no ash. A natural gas fire pit needs a gas line from the house, which in Massachusetts has to be run by a licensed gas fitter, and a propane pit needs a spot for the tank. If you might want gas, it's easiest to plan before the patio is built. Our backyard fire pit guide compares the two in detail.

Placement and town rules

Where the fire pit goes matters for safety as much as for looks: clear of the house, overhanging trees and fences, and somewhere the smoke won't blow straight into the windows. Towns and fire departments around Massachusetts have their own rules on backyard fires, so check yours before you settle on wood. The backyard fire pit guide covers placement and the local rules.

What decides the price

The price of a fire pit depends on the size, the shape, the material, whether it is wood-burning or gas, and whether it is part of a new patio or added to an existing one. Seat walls and the patio around a fire pit usually cost more than the pit itself. Our paver patio cost guide explains what moves the price of the patio around it. The visit and the estimate are free, and you get a price before any work starts.