An outdoor fire pit in your backyard provides the ideal space for friends and family to gather during the cooler months. After laying the base of your fire pit with sand and gravel, you will want to select the best fire pit rocks for your needs, and you won’t be short of options.
Fire rocks come in a variety of sizes and styles. Just make sure that you select stones intended for fire pit use. Never attempt to burn landscape or river rocks, as the heat can cause them to explode.
Read on to learn everything you need to know about selecting the best fire pit rocks for your purposes.
Selecting Your Style of Fire Pit Rock
Fire Pit rocks come in six different styles, with a wide range of color and reflectivity within those categories. Let’s discuss the features and benefits of each type to help you choose the best fire rocks for your needs and personal preference.
Fire Glass
As the name suggests, fire glass refers to small, flat pieces of tempered glass that make an excellent filler for a gas fire pit. They remain a popular choice because of their shimmering, jewel-like quality.
Fire glass comes in myriad brilliant shades that do not fade after burning for long periods of time. Its sharp corners contribute to its brilliance; however, fire glass requires gloves while handling.
Crushed Fire Glass
Crushed glass is a variation on standard fire glass. The smaller size produces an iridescent glow, but the tiny shards are sharp and require gloves or special equipment for handling.
Fire Diamonds
Fire rock diamonds have less shimmer than fire glass, but their unique shape helps to generate a fuller fire pit flame.
Fire Beads
The rounded texture of fire beads helps create a higher flame in the fire pit.
Fire Cubes
Cubed fire rocks have the size and dimensions of uniform ice cubes. Their orderly appearance helps create a sleek modern appearance to your fire pit.
Fire Dots
These tiny, rounded fire rocks fit closely together and help to subdue the flame instead of enhancing it.
Choose the Size and Reflectivity of Your Fire Rocks
The size of your fire rocks is instrumental in determining the volume and intensity of the flame. Fire rocks run from size ¼ inch to around one inch. The smaller fire rocks offer the best choice for producing a low, intimate flame. Fire rocks larger than ½ inch are effective in generating large flames.
Fire rocks come in varying degrees of reflectivity, including:
· Reflective: These highly polished fire rocks create a mirroring effect on the fire pit flames.
· Semi-reflective: Semi-reflective fire rocks have some of the properties of reflective rocks and effectively create contrast between the dark and light aspects of the flame.
· Non-reflective: These rocks are tumbled but not polished. They don’t provide the iridescent shimmering effects of polished fire rocks.
To learn more about selecting the best fire pit rocks, or to schedule a consultation, call Verdant Landscaping at (803) 335-5028.