Is Granite Good for a Fire Pit?

Is Granite Good for a Fire Pit?

0 comment JamesJung Granite, Home Improvement April 25, 2022

More homeowners today choose to create lovely outdoor living spaces for entertaining and as a welcome retreat for the family. Often, homeowners wish to add a unique fire pit to their outside oasis to warm their bodies, hearts, and souls on chilly spring or autumn days or on cool summer nights.

Before building your dream fire pit, you must first choose your preferred building material. So, is granite a good choice for fire pits? The answer is a resounding yes according to the experts at Marble Concepts. Read on for some in-depth facts regarding the use of granite over concrete or metal for your outside fire pit.

1. Is Granite Good for Fire Pits?

Granite is a natural stone that is fantastic as a building material for a fire pit or other outdoor lawn or patio feature. This material is fairly dense meaning that it will not readily absorb water from heavy rainfalls.

Porous stone and other materials can quickly absorb rainwater and hold it making it unsuitable for use in a fire pit that will burn real fire. This is because heated stones that are less dense and more porous can explode if the rock or brick contains a lot of moisture if the fire heats the stones up enough.

Granite is far less likely to have this serious to consider problem. Granite also comes in a wide variety of colors and pattern selections that allow greater creativity when designing something unique like a backyard or patio fire pit for example.

2. Benefits of Using Granite for a Fire Pit

Along with being a sturdy and durable natural stone material that is unlikely to crack or explode when heated during use as a fire pit, granite has many more benefits to consider as well.

Granite Handles the Freeze/Thaw Cycle Better Than Most Materials

Granite is extremely strong and handles the frosty weather conditions in the winter season as well as temperature extremes in other months of the year. Some other natural stone materials, concrete, and metal often break down or become otherwise damaged during the freeze/thaw process that occurs in regions that have all four-season climate and weather changes.

Granite Does Not Require Much Maintenance Like Other Materials Do

Another great advantage of choosing granite for your fire pit is its zero to low maintenance requirements. Other materials cannot boast the same, as metal will rust and stain nearby patio and other surfaces should the metal become damp and start to rust after being outside in the elements for a lengthy amount of time.

What About Using Brick Over Granite for a Fire Pit Instead?

The use of brisk to create a fire pit has been a popular choice in the past, but this requires more effort to build and requires the use of mortar which needs some maintenance care over time.

Also, brick tends to be less durable and sturdy, making brick an unsuitable choice for making a fire pit if the home has young children or curious pets. The mortar can begin to crumble over time, and it often does not take much for a brick fire pit to topple over with even a small amount of force.

It will take many bricks to make a fire pit, but a granite fire pit will need fewer loose pieces of stone to create a gorgeous one-of-a-kind fire pit feature that everyone will envy. This aspect makes the installation of a granite version far less time-consuming and requires less overall physical exertion as well.

3. Why Choose Granite Over Concrete or Metal?

Many department stores that carry lawn and garden or camping supplies will have various fire pits that are usually made of metal. At first glance, these metal fire pits tend to be less expensive than the pricier natural stone versions including granite.

Granite Is Preferred Over Metal or Other Material Due to Its Cool Surface

When thinking about installing a fire pit, remember to consider the safety aspects. Granite is often preferred over metal or other material selections due to its cool-to-touch surface. This is a smart choice especially if the fire pit is going to be installed into a smaller space or if there will be younger kids or pets running around while the fire pit is in use.

Metal and concrete fire pits tend to heat up rapidly and can remain hot long after the fire in the pit is put out. This creates a safety hazard that most homeowners really never think about until someone gets burned or hurt.

Carefully Research All Aspects of Material Price Between Granite and Other Choices

Everything needs to be carefully considered and compared to arrive at an accurate assessment when deciding between granite or metal as a fire pit material selection. Metal tends to rust when exposed to the elements over time. This means that metal fire pits may have to be replaced a lot sooner than fire pits crafted of stronger and more durable materials like granite.

Most granite fire pits will last decades or even a lifetime. When all of this is considered and compared, it is easy to see that granite may in fact be the more cost-effective choice when thinking of long-term use.

Granite Offers More Size, Color & Pattern Options Over Other Materials

Granite offers more choices when it comes to the size of the stones, color combinations, and patterns over other material options. Unlike brick, granite is heavy enough to be laid in place without requiring the use of mortar between each one. The weight tends to hold the heavier stone in place instead making this an excellent material choice for DIY enthusiasts and homeowners that have some experience with building construction too.
Granite Can Create an Original One-of-a-Kind Fire Pit for Your Outdoor Space

Some properties have odd shapes that make installing permanent outdoor water and fire features a bit of a challenge. In smaller spaces, there are narrow limits with regard to space and sizes. Granite can be custom cut to create an original and authentic fire pit design that no other home in the neighborhood will have.

There are not this many options when choosing to use either metal or concrete to fashion your fire pit. Learn more about your fire pit material choices by scouting out granite companies nearby. Some even offer DIY fire pit kits that can make this home improvement protection that much easier and less cumbersome.