Should You Get a Square Propane Fire Pit for Your Backyard?
If you enjoy outdoor living, you should consider buying a fire pit for your home. Solar lights and other lighting options let you stay outside longer at night, but a crackling fire in a fire pit offers a cozy atmosphere lighting cannot match.
You might not have access to wood for a fire pit, or your home might be somewhere that makes finding wood difficult. Instead of buying wood, you can get an attractive round or square propane fire pit to have a homey fire in your backyard.
Benefits of Propane Fire Pits
Round or square propane fire pits offer all the warmth and homeyness of a fire pit without the need for gathering, buying, or storing wood.
If you opt for propane, you won't have to clean up ash and soot from burning wood. Starting the fire is as easy as flipping a switch, too. You won't need fire starters or spend time standing over the pit, hoping the flame will catch.
Propane doesn't deposit the smoke smell in your hair and clothes like burning wood. It's a clean-burning gas.
Finally, a square propane fire pit burns cooler than a wood fire pit, so you might enjoy it even during the warmer months when you wouldn't start a high-heat producing wood fire.
You can find propane fire pits in various shapes and styles to choose one that works best for your backyard and fits the décor. But which is best, a round or square propane fire pit?
What's Better, Round or Square?
The shape of a fire pit doesn't make one better and one worse. It comes down to which one works best for your space.
Can a fire pit be round? Round fire pits and campfire spaces traditionally are round. The circular shape lets heat and light disperse around the fire. But a square pit doesn't keep heat or light from circulating around the fire.
A round or oval fire pit can feel cozier as people gather around it, but people can still form a circle around a square or rectangular fire pit. The shape of the fire pit doesn't have to affect seating unless you want it to.
A square propane fire pit can fit easier into a small space and works well with any design. It can enhance the angles and straight lines in a modern space or provide some contrast in a yard with more curves and loose-flowing lines.
How Big Should a Square Propane Fire Pit Be?
Your fire pit should be a size that fits well within the space and allows for seating around it without people feeling like they're too close or crowded.
The ideal size for a fire pit is between 35 and 44 inches to allow enough room for several people to gather around it. But your ideal size is whatever size works best for your outdoor living space.
Here are a few attractive square propane fire pits that might work in your backyard or patio.
COSIEST Square Fire Pit Table
This square propane fire pit is wide enough beyond the burning pit surface to use as a narrow ledge for things like plates or drinks. The burn area is 21 x 21 inches and connects to a 20 lb propane tank.
The faux stone is gray-green and offers a modern, expensive look that contrasts nicely with the red lava rocks in the burn pit. You'll also get green fire glass for decoration.
The 50,000 BTU fire pit comes with a waterproof cover to protect it. You'll also get a glass wind guard to go around the burn pit to keep the flames going.
Materials: Faux stone and stainless steel
Style: Modern
Size: 35 x 35 inches and 13 inches high
Weight: 84 pounds
SUNBURY Rectangular Propane Fire Pit Table
This 50,000 BTU fire pit has a 36 x 10 burn pit and provides enough outer edge to use as a table. It comes with 13 pounds of lava rocks for the burn pit and a tempered glass wind guard.
The pit is heavier than some brands at nearly 100 pounds, but a handle on the side provides a way to move it. Push-button starting makes it easy to light, and a knob lets you adjust the flame to three different levels. The table works with standard 20 lb propane tanks.
The rectangular shape makes it easy to line people on both sides for a cozy gathering. It fits better in narrow spaces than a square or round pit might.
Materials: Concrete
Style: Modern
Size: 56 x 28 inches and 13 inches high
Weight: 97 pounds
YeSea Square Propane Fire Pit Table
If you want a smaller fire pit, this YeSea model might better fit your outdoor space. It's 16.5 inches square at the bases and spreads to almost 22 inches square at the top. It comes with a glass wind guard you can put up around the 12-inch burn pit that connects to a standard 20 lb propane tank.
The fire pit has a metal frame and aluminum construction and comes unassembled, but assembly is simple. The fire pit has a 37,000 BTU stainless steel burner with easy starting, so you can enjoy a backyard fire anytime.
Cover the fire pit when not in use for a handy table surface that's easy to move where you want since it's so lightweight.
Materials: Aluminum
Style: Modern
Size: 22 x 22 inches and 26 inches high
Weight: 20 lbs
Final Thoughts
When comparing models, measure the space you plan to put it to help you narrow down by size.
Add enough room to account for seating around the pit to determine which size will work best on your patio or backyard. Don't forget to consider where people will walk. Allow space behind or in front of your outdoor seating to get around the fire pit table.
A large fire pit allows more room for more people to gather close, but don't despair if you have a small patio or space available. Even a small square propane fire pit can add warmth and atmosphere to any backyard.