Outdoor Kitchens & Fireplaces

Tips For The Perfect Outdoor Fireplace

Minneapolis Outdoor Fireplace Contractor: Tips on outdoor fireplace design including size and material considerations. In additon, we will give you tips to ensure your Mn outdoor fireplace lasts a lifetime.

Outdoor Fireplace Design

Most people enjoy sitting in front of a fire on a cool fall evening maybe roasting some marshmellows for the kids or having a few cocktails with some friends. There is nothing better than sitting in front your MN stone outdoor fireplace on a cool night. It's important to make sure the design of your MN Outdoor Fireplace fits your needs. Will you be entertaining large groups of family and friends or mainly using your fireplace for quiet relaxation. For most people it is a combination of the two. When designing your Mn outdoor fireplace It's Important to consider the size of the outdoor fireplace and how it fits into your backyard. It is also important to consider what feel you want your whole outdoor space to have. Will you Tie in a pergola with some hanging lights to your backyard fireplace, or maybe an outdoor kitchen or built in grill and bar. These are all important things to consider when designing your outdoor living area. 

Size and Material Considerations

The size of an outdoor fireplace can make a huge difference in the look and feel of your outdoor living area. If you have a smaller backyard and patio area you will want to build an outdoor fireplace that is porportional to the rest of area. In this case I usually build the fireplace around 9 feet tall, any smaller and the smoke from the outdoor fireplace will not draw properly and could end up in the sitting area. If you have a larger patio and outdoor living area then you will want to build an outdoor fireplace that is larger between 10 and 12 feet tall. There are many options when it comes to material to use when building a MN Outdoor Fireplace. The most common material to use is natural stone, but brick, stucco, and manufactured stone are good choices as well. Any of these options will provide you with a unique look. Most people lean towards natural stone because of the vibrate colors and its durability. Brick provides a classic traditional look and manufactured stone is also a good option when trying to stay within a tight budget. I also like to incorporate other materials to my outdoor fireplace designs like rustic barn wood or copper and other metals. These materials can set your outdoor fireplace design apart from the norm and create the unique one of a kind look you may be seeking. 

Tips for Outdoor Fireplace longevity

Maintaining your outdoor living area may seem like a danting task but with a few helpful tips your outdoor fireplace will last a lifetime. One tip for maintaining a MN Outdoor Fireplace is keeping it clean. Dont burn wet wood or too much wood at one time.  Outdoor fireplaces are meant to have the same size fire you would have if you were using an indoor masonry fireplace. You do not want to have a bonfire type of fire in a full masonry fireplace, it's just too hot and could crack the clay tile liner and possibly the masonry structure. Another tip is to remember to slowly build up your fires, heating up the structure and flue slowly will prevent the structure from expanding to quickly. This is especially important if you use your MN outdoor fireplace in the winter, if the structure is ice cold and you heat it up too quickly it could crack. The most important tip is to never put out the fire in an outdoor fireplace using water. I know it sound like that is the first thing you should use. In reality if you have been burning in your fireplace for awhile the whole structure will be hot, if you spray cold water from your garden hose on the hot masonry structure it will crack. The best way to extinquish the fire is to have a metal bucket and shovel handy, let the fire burn down then shovel up the coals and put them into the metal container. These are just a few tips on how to keep your  Minneapolis Outdoor Fireplace in good shape so that you can enjoy it for years to come.