Outdoor Hardscape Ideas for Fireplaces

Determine your budget. Fire features can be very expensive, particularly if they are custom-built.

Determine the features you want your fireplace to have. Will it be primarily for warmth or lighting? Do you want to roast marshmallows or hot dogs, or do you prefer an enclosed feature? Will you be sitting or standing next to it? Will you want to prop your feet up next to the flames? Will your fire feature be a major focal point of your outdoor space, or will it be an accessory? Make a list of the features you want your fireplace to have.

Shop around to see what styles and features are available in pre-made fire features. Some options include stoves, fire bowls, fire rings and traditional upright fireplaces. Fire features can be wood-burning or gas. Gas-burning logs, fire rocks and fire glass are used in most gas fire features and are available in a variety of styles and colors. Installation of gas-powered fire features may require a professional. Consider this added expense when budgeting for your fire feature.

Discover the available materials on the market if you prefer to build your own fire feature. Fire bricks generally serve as the inner core to ensure other types of stone are protected from damage or explosion. You can build the outer wall using cinder blocks and cover their surface with any imaginable style of veneer. Additionally, you can surround the fire brick with various types of stone pavers, boulders or river rocks mortared together with pre-mixed or dry-mix mortar.