Can't Decide? The Pros and Cons of Various Fire Pit Designs in Cortlandt Manor, Westchester County, NY

Adding a fire pit to your outdoor living space is one of the best decisions you can make. It’s an investment in your lifestyle, allowing you to use your backyard more than just in the warm days of summer. But, choosing the right fire pit design is the first challenge. Can’t decide? The pros and cons of various fire pit designs in Cortlandt Manor, Westchester County, NY will help you choose, so you can get out there and enjoy your new fire pit sooner.

Modern Spaces

The modern design aesthetic leans toward clean lines, simple designs, and minimalist ornamentation. The ideal fire pit for a modern space could be square or rectangular, and made with sleek modern materials such as concrete, or plank style concrete wall units.

The pros of square and rectangular fire pits include the look, which is in keeping with a contemporary linear aesthetic. The shape naturally lends itself to a definition of space. You could use a rectangular fire pit as a divider between an outdoor dining space and a seating area.

Square and rectangular masonry fire pits give your outdoor space a structured and formal look. They can complement the shape and size of your home, whether your home is grand or modest.

For best results, choose a generous capstone where you can rest your feet or a beverage. Integrating outdoor lighting under the cap stone helps keep the fire pit area safe once the fire is out.

Square and rectangular fire pits with a generous cap stone can also transition between a fire pit and a fire table, with the latter serving double duty as an actual dining space. These fire features are fueled by natural gas or propane, and are taller than regular fire pits. They can be coffee table or dining height; or, if you entertain often and want real drama, bar height.

The con of a square or rectangular fire pit is that it’s hard to fit people all the way around so that everyone has equal access to the warmth. In a crowd, for example, anyone sitting at the corners would be further from the flames. On a chilly evening, this could be less than appealing, except for those who tend to overheat.

Rustic/Relaxed Spaces

A round fire pit evolved from a campfire. It’s the ideal shape for a relaxed space with a rustic vibe, since round fire pits make it easy for everyone to gather and sit close to the flames like our ancestors did.

The pros of a round fire pit is design versatility: choose from a variety of materials including masonry, metal bowls, concrete bowls, and more.

There are no cons to a round fire pit that we can think of.

Shapes aside, what about the various fuels? There’s no one-size-fits-all; you just need to weigh the pros and cons and decide what works best for you.

Wood Fire Pits

With a wood-fueled fire pit, you will have to deal with smoke and the mess of wood. This makes wood-fueled fire pits unsuitable for poolside use (because of splinters), and wood fire pits should never be placed near or under anything flammable including a pergola or mature trees.

However, you’ll be rewarded with an authentic campfire aroma and sounds, and you can cook over a wood fire pit (use fruit wood for better-tasting food).

Natural Gas or Propane Fire Pits

With natural gas or propane, you will enjoy a cleaner fire area (no wood mess), greater safety (an “off” switch), and more consistent flames across the entire length of a rectangular fire pit.

You can place a natural gas or propane fire pit within a pergola, under a covered porch, or under trees.

You won’t enjoy the crackling fire sounds or campfire aroma, and you won’t be able to cook on the fire pit because food spills can bake onto the lava rock or decorative glass, where they can be difficult to clean.