I went with gravel under mine after my ember mat got a hole burned through it last summer. Honestly, I didn't even notice until I moved the pit to clean up and saw the scorched grass underneath—yikes. Gravel's been way less hassle since then, and I kinda like the look better anyway. Mats are handy, but yeah, they're definitely not a set-it-and-forget-it solution.
Gravel's definitely a solid choice—way more forgiving than mats. I tried one of those ember mats too, thinking it'd be the easy route, but ended up with a melted spot after just a couple weekends. Switched to gravel and haven't looked back since. Plus, gravel drains better when it rains, so no soggy mess underneath. Mats are convenient in theory, but in practice...meh, not worth the hassle for me.
Gravel's great, but I went a slightly different route and did a combo—gravel base with decorative stone pavers around the pit itself. Looks awesome, plus gives a stable surface for chairs and tables. Had a mat before too, and yeah...mine didn't melt but got pretty gross after rainstorms. Gravel drains better for sure, but adding pavers gave me that extra 'luxury' feel without sacrificing practicality. Just another option if you're looking to level up your fire pit area a bit.
Totally agree on the gravel and paver combo—it's a solid choice. I've done similar setups in a few developments, and homeowners always appreciate the balance between looks and practicality. One thing I'd add: make sure your pavers aren't too smooth or polished. Had a client once who chose super sleek tiles, and after a bit of rain, it turned into a slip-and-slide situation...not ideal around fire pits. Textured or slightly rougher surfaces are definitely safer and still look great.
Good point about the slippery tiles—I hadn't even thought of that. When we did ours, we picked a rougher stone paver and it worked out great. One thing I'd add is to double-check the spacing between the fire pit and seating areas. I initially underestimated how hot it gets sitting close, even with a smaller fire pit. Had to rearrange furniture a bit to make it comfortable. Definitely worth considering early on...
