A great way to create a place for family and friends to gather is by adding a fire element to your backyard. An open fire brings warmth and ambiance while extending your entertaining season into the shoulder months.

The popularity of outdoor fireplaces and fire pits has grown over the past few years and each offers its own advantages. Fire pits are inexpensive and are an easy DIY project. They can be fancy or fairly simple and can seat a lot of people in a circle around it.

An outdoor fireplace has a much higher cost. If space is at a premium in your backyard, a fireplace may work better since seating is only needed on one side. The flame in a fireplace is better protected from the wind and the chimney can direct smoke away from people. A well designed fireplace can also act as a privacy screen.

Whichever fire feature you choose, check with your municipality for local fire codes before you start your project.

Fire pit kits

Building a fire pit from a kit is an easy DIY weekend project. Kits include enough heat resistant concrete stones to build a pit usually three rows high with no need for cutting. See in-store for availability.