Outdoor Fireplaces 

Enjoy the outside space of your home.

Introduction:

There is nothing more enjoyable than spending time outdoors with your family and friends.  Summertime backyard barbecue and pool parties are the common outdoor activity when entertaining in the summer months. 

By adding a fireplace to your yard or patio you can add to the enjoyment you receive while spending time outside.  Outdoor fireplaces make it possible for you to spend your evenings outside during summer nights with the warm glow of a fire.

Most homeowners  don’t really consider the outside of their home whenever they think about the living space of the home but if it is designed properly we might find that we actually enjoy being outside our home more than we enjoy being inside. One way that you can add some utility and comfort to the outside living space is by adding an outdoor fireplace.

When we usually think about fireplaces we think about sitting inside our home enjoying the look of a fireplace burning in the den, kitchen, or living room. We don’t consider the outdoor living space and building an outdoor fireplace. If this is the case you are really missing a part of your home that can give you a great deal of enjoyment.

The first thing that you need to take into consideration whenever it comes to outdoor fireplace design is the local building codes for your area. You might be surprised to learn that there are codes which govern outdoor fireplaces, even if you live out in the country. However, in some locations the code is very loose or may be nonexistent for outdoor fireplaces. Check with your local code officers to determine what is permitted so that you do not run into difficulties after you have constructed your fireplace.

In nearly all cases you will need to apply for a building permit and submit a design in the form of a plan so that it can be approved. Although the primary reason for the permit is to insure what you are building is in compliance with building code. The second reason is so the town tax collected can get its share of your home improvement increased in value.

There are many different types of outdoor fireplace designs to choose from. For example, most people prefer a stone fireplace for the outside, but there are several other designs to consider. You may not necessarily want the traditional fireplace look. You may not want a contained fireplace at all. As an alternative to a contained fireplace you can construct a fire pit from stone or brick.

If you enjoy cooking outside you can either have a separate oven, which is heated by the fireplace, or you may want an open top fireplace so that you can grill food over the top of an open fire.

There are many choices in outdoor fireplaces, but this is a project that is permanent and does not lend itself to being changed once it is built. You should consider all of the design options before starting and then build the fireplace that you really want and that will serve your needs.

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