Sounds like you've got a solid setup there. I've had mine for about five years now—stone pit, gravel surround, pretty similar to yours—and honestly, it's been trouble-free. Just keep an eye on sparks during windy nights and maybe have a bucket of water or sand handy nearby. Other than that, enjoy it... nothing beats relaxing by the fire after a long day.
"Just keep an eye on sparks during windy nights and maybe have a bucket of water or sand handy nearby."
Good advice there, though personally I'd lean towards sand over water—less messy and won't crack hot stones. Curious, did you guys put any thought into seating arrangements around your pits?
Sand definitely makes sense—less cleanup and safer for the pit itself. Good call on seating arrangements too. A few quick points from experience:
- Keep seating at least 3 feet away from the pit edge for safety and comfort.
- Consider wind direction when placing chairs—no one likes smoke in their face all night.
- If you're using wooden benches, treat them with a fire-resistant finish.
Sounds like you're already thinking things through pretty well...enjoy the new setup!
Good points overall, but I'm not totally sold on sand being the best choice. A friend of mine used sand in his pit and it ended up getting damp after rain—took forever to dry out and made starting fires a pain. Have you considered gravel instead? It drains better and stays dry longer. Also, 3 feet seems a bit tight for seating distance...maybe 4-5 feet would feel safer, especially if kids or pets are around. Just my two cents from setting up my own pit recently.
Gravel definitely drains better, but have you thought about heat retention? Wondering if gravel might hold onto heat longer and make cleanup trickier...anyone had experience with that issue?
