Gravel's good, but make sure it's not too small or it'll scatter everywhere. I went with medium-sized river rock over landscape fabric—drains well, stays put, and doesn't track into the house as much. Worth considering if you're still tweaking things.
Medium-sized river rock is definitely a solid choice. I did something similar around my fire pit, but instead of landscape fabric, I went with crushed granite underneath. It compacts nicely and drains really well, plus it was pretty budget-friendly compared to some other options. The river rock on top keeps things tidy and looks great too.
One thing I'd add—make sure you have a decent border or edging around the area. I skipped that step at first, thinking it wasn't necessary, but after a few months, rocks started creeping into the grass and made mowing a pain. Ended up adding some simple metal edging later on, and it's been a lifesaver.
Also, if you're worried about safety, keep an eye on sparks and embers. I found that having a wider ring of rock around the pit helps catch stray embers before they hit anything flammable. Just something to think about as you're finalizing your setup...
"Ended up adding some simple metal edging later on, and it's been a lifesaver."
Totally agree with this. I skipped edging at first too, thinking it was just extra work, but man, chasing down stray rocks every mowing session got old fast. Also, good call on the wider ring of rock—sparks can travel farther than you'd think. Sounds like you're on the right track though, just keep an eye out and enjoy your new setup!
I hear ya on the edging—I went with bricks instead of metal, mostly because I had extras lying around from another project. It worked okay, but honestly metal would've been smarter. Bricks shift around and grass sneaks in between more than you'd think. Also, good point about sparks traveling; people underestimate just how far embers can float, especially if it's breezy. Learned that one the hard way... nothing serious, thankfully, but enough to keep me cautious. Sounds like you're set though, enjoy it!
Bricks can actually work pretty well if you prep the base right—digging down a bit, laying a solid gravel bed, and packing it tight usually stops shifting. Mine's held up fine for years...just takes a little extra effort upfront.
