Not that long ago, it seemed like fire pits were primarily seen on campgrounds and were mostly enjoyed by scouts and rugged outdoor enthusiasts. Today, however, fire pits are one of the fastest growing trends in residential outdoor living and come in all sorts of shapes and types. Homeowners who don’t have one, likely want one. Let’s face it, fire pits are hot.
Belgard walls offer an excellent opportunity to build a gorgeous fire pit that not only serves as a favorite gathering spot but is also a cohesive and permanent part of the overall outdoor living design. In addition to being used to construct the fire pit itself, Belgard walls can be used to create coordinating design elements, such as steps, water features, columns, and garden or seat walls.
Below are some ideas on how to use Belgard walls to construct fire pits that are not merely functional, but seamlessly integrate into the landscape to become the focal point of a cohesive outdoor living design.
• • •
For this first design, Celtik® Wall was use for a variety of coordinating elements, including the fire pit, steps, seat walls, flower box, and retaining wall.
• • •
The home below used Celtik® Wall to convert a severely sloped yard into an amphitheater. The graduated retaining wall doubles as seating for the coordinating fire pit.
• • •
For the next design, a destination area was created overlooking the lake by using Weston Stone® for the fire pit, columns, and protective parapet wall.
• • •
Weston Stone® was used in this design to create the fascia for step of the sunken fire pit, as well as for the fire pit itself, accent columns, and surrounding garden walls. In the area surrounding the fire pit, the garden wall also serves as a backrest for the seat wall.
• • •
Wall products can also be used in combination to create an interesting look. For the gas fire pit below, the majority of the pit was constructed with Belair Wall®, which mimics the texture of the home’s masonry veneer. Weston Stone® was used for the base and as decorative accents.
For more wall ideas, read our blog on Trends in Landscaping Walls.
Tags
2 comments
Do the cement blocks stand the high heat that can develop in fire pits?
It’s never a good idea to directly expose concrete to high heat, as it will discolor and degrade. Best practices are to include a metal fire ring or to line the interior with firebricks.