On 12/9/2011 11:11 PM, Smitty Two wrote:
I've been using a small fire bowl with impunity on a painted wood deck.
Last time around, though, I kept the fire going for several hours and
the paint showed some localized discoloration.

I've now purchased a new fire bowl, about twice the capacity, and the
directions are pretty clear about not using it on a wood deck. I'm
planning to have larger fires, and wondering what I can use between the
bowl and the deck that might insulate the wood from the heat. Ideas?

Has it got legs? I put a patio firepit on a small rolling flatbed. I
fastened a couple of squares of wood decking to the flatbed, then
fastened the legs of the patio firepit to the decking squares to keep
it stable. The bowl of the firepit was about a foot above the deck
squares, and the squares were about six inches off the ground. This
worked fine for many years, and I could roll it into storage when I
wasn't using it.

I currently use a firepit with taller legs and a much deeper bowl. The
walls of the bowl are high enough that there is no blowing or dropping
of embers from the fire, and it stands far enough off the ground that
I don't worry about heat scorch.

I was driving past a two-story house with a deck one morning this past
autumn and saw the deck in flames. It was a barbecue grill (charcoal,
I suppose). A squad car pulled up in the driveway and the cop was
grabbing the fire extinguisher from the trunk as I went by. I expect
the owners had used their grill the night before and hadn't ensured
that it was well and truly out.