Designing fireplaces in the garden

Since the beginning of time people have been fascinated by flickering fire. An open fireplace in the garden is therefore for many the icing on the cake of garden design. For warm evenings with romantic flickering flames there are many different design possibilities. From small to large, brick or mobile, made of stone, metal or glass – for a fireplace in the garden there are many different variations.

Masonry fireplaces

If you have a little space left in the garden and can plan generously, you should include a brick fireplace in the design. This can be set into the ground in a lowered garden area, where the step into the fireplace area also forms the bench, or at the same height as the floor level with additional chairs and benches set up outside. There are no limits to the variety of shapes for freely planned fireplaces. Design your fireplace to be round, oval, angular or elongated – just like the rest of the garden design. You can also choose from a variety of stone types for the construction, for example clinker, granite, paving stones, sandstone, fireclay or quarry stones.

Make sure, however, that the stones are heat-resistant and do not crack at high temperatures. If you prefer to keep the fire at eye level, you can opt for the classic brick fireplace variant of a garden stove or brick barbecue with fireplace. These are available as a kit in specialist shops.

Campfire and swedish fire

If you like it rustic, you can build an open fireplace instead of a fireplace. For this you need a wind-protected place with a solid base on which you can remove the turf in a suitable radius. Then create an outer boundary with a few heavy stones or wooden blocks. The firewood is piled up in the middle of the fireplace as a pyramid. All around mats or seat cushions provide for real campfire romance. A classic Swedish fire is a special, near-natural type of fire bowl. See this Link for other landscapings in the garden.

A specially slit tree trunk or wooden block about 50 centimetres thick burns out from the inside. In contrast to conventional firewood, coniferous wood is primarily used for a Swedish fire; the burning time is two to five hours. A Swedish fire can be placed anywhere on a non-combustible surface. After burning down, the well cooled remains of the log are disposed of in the organic waste.

Metal fireplaces

Fire bowls, fire baskets and fire columns in the garden made of iron or corten steel are becoming more and more popular. They are available in countless variations, large and small, with high or low edges, lacquered or rust stop. You can install the vessels permanently on a fixed floor or flexibly place the variants with feet where you wish. But always make sure that the surface is stable, non-combustible and heat-resistant. Do not place fire bowls and baskets on the lawn! The high heat development can lead to smouldering fires in the ground! A wind-protected installation site protects against smoke and flying sparks.

Fire baskets that are open from below will cause embers to fall out, which, for example, must be collected on a metal plate. If the fire bowl is permanently installed in one place, you should protect it from rain with a lid, otherwise it will run full and rust.

From the fireplace to the grill

When an open fire crackles in the garden, you can easily get an appetite for a hearty meal. Stick bread and marshmallows can be held over the flames by any fire. For the larger hunger many fire bowls or fire baskets can be equipped in addition, with a grill grate. So the fireplace can be quickly and easily converted to a garden grill.

Tip: When building the fireplace, plan for the size of the grill grate at the same time, so that there will be no fixing problems later. Alternatively, a tripod with a swivel grill can be placed above the fireplace, which can simply be set up and dismantled as required. On the other hand, many ready-made grills (not disposable grills!) without grate and lid can also be used as a small fire bowl.

Gas fireplace – noble and clean

Who does not want to do without open fire in the garden, but has no desire on firewood, a gas fire-place can be installed in the garden. These noble fireplaces are usually made of glass and metal and look less rustic, but very elegant. Some fireplaces are operated with gas bottles, for others a gas line must be put by the professional. Gas fireplaces burn cleanly and are to be switched on and off by push of a button. Less complex and smaller are gas or yellow driven table fire-places. However, they are not suitable for grilling.

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