If you’re looking to design a backyard landscape, you’ve probably got your eyes open for the perfect fire pit. Radiating warmth, a crackling flame, and glowing embers create the perfect atmosphere to roast hot dogs with the family on the patio or connect with friends near the house. It also allows for variety and style to your gorgeous outdoor landscape design.
Whether you want a fun, traditional centre for your new backyard patio design or you simply want to make your deck more relaxing, a fire pit is the best feature to add to your outdoor space. But one glaring question to consider when shopping for fire pits is: “should I go with a wood-burning fire pit or a gas fire pit?”
We’ll discuss the differences below.
Wood Fire Pit Vs Gas: Which Is Cheaper?
Cost & Installation
Both wood fire pits and gas fire pits come in a variety of shapes and sizes, so costs vary. For example, a portable table pit could cost more than a square stone pit or a bowl pit. If you’re a born saver, wood is the way to go. With less time and materials required and lower unit costs, these fire pits can save you a lot compared to gas. You can save even more by turning it into a DIY project, although it’s better to have it installed professionally for safety reasons.
Generally, gas fire pits are larger than wood because they need a storage tank for fuel, making them more difficult and costly to install. They also require more material to set up, including lines for natural gas, which have to be professionally laid out and carefully checked over for gas leaks. Considering all these things, gas fire pits are more expensive than wood fire pits, depending on the buyer’s preferences and the difficulty of the gas line install. Gas and wood to fuel the fire also add to the cost of both.
Maintenance
Although more cost-efficient to put in, a wood fire pit requires more maintenance and storage. First of all, you have to either buy chopped wood or chop your own. Then you need somewhere to store it and keep it dry. Wood-burning fire pits leave logs, ash, and soot, which you’ll have to shovel out regularly. All these things will cost extra time and money that you can save with a gas fire pit.
Since gas fire pits burn with either propane or natural gas, starting a fire is as easy as pressing a button. Then you can kick your feet up and relax. The only cleaning needed is a quick wipe of the outside occasionally, and you can protect it from the elements by simply putting the lid on it. Other than routinely checking gas lines or buying a couple of propane tanks, these fire pits don’t take much to maintain. For natural gas fire pits, you won’t even have to worry about buying liquid propane or wood.
Experience
Wood vs Gas: What Will You Choose?
Wood Pros
- more affordable
- faster installation
- wood is renewable
- better experience
Wood Cons
- not clean burning
- takes time to start a fire
- outdoor wood storage
- more work to keep fires burning
Gas Pros
- clean burning
- lights quickly
- burns continually
- fewer fire hazards
Gas Cons
- more expensive
- can be dangerous
- large fuel tank
- longer to set up
