A fire pit is a contained masonry structure, built from brick, block, or stone, designed to hold an open wood or gas fire safely within a patio or hardscape area.
A masonry fire pit is built from materials that hold up to direct, repeated heat, brick, block, or stone on the interior, often with a non-combustible liner where a gas insert is used. It sits within or beside a patio, usually with the surrounding paving pulled tight to the structure so there's a clean, stable surface for seating and foot traffic around it.
Even though a fire pit is small compared to a patio or a wall, it still needs real base prep, gravel or paver base under the footprint so it doesn't settle or crack unevenly. Skipping that step because the structure looks minor is a common shortcut, and freeze-thaw cracking a fire pit base looks and behaves the same as it does anywhere else on the property.
More masonry vocabulary from the glossary.
The services where this term comes up.
Chelo's Brick & Stone serves Hillsville, Galax, Wytheville, Fancy Gap, and Independence, VA. Call for a straight answer and a free on-site estimate.
