Firepit on a Wood Deck
 

You know those outdoor firepits you put wood in and have screens like
fireplace screens? Well, they say to not use on a wood deck. But what
if I put stone pavers below it and out two or three feet? Would they
radiate the heat enough to keep the deck from catching fire? Would the
occasional spark that escapes the screen fly more than two feet?

wrote in message
oups.com...
You know those outdoor firepits you put wood in and have screens like
fireplace screens? Well, they say to not use on a wood deck. But what
if I put stone pavers below it and out two or three feet? Would they
radiate the heat enough to keep the deck from catching fire? Would the
occasional spark that escapes the screen fly more than two feet?


Probably, but stuff happens. Could be risky.

I can visualize you explaining to your insurance adjuster examining your
burned down house how someone on the internet said it would be ok.


wrote in message
oups.com...
You know those outdoor firepits you put wood in and have screens like
fireplace screens? Well, they say to not use on a wood deck. But what
if I put stone pavers below it and out two or three feet? Would they
radiate the heat enough to keep the deck from catching fire? Would the
occasional spark that escapes the screen fly more than two feet?

On 15 Dec 2004 06:14:01 -0800, someone wrote:

You know those outdoor firepits you put wood in and have screens like
fireplace screens? Well, they say to not use on a wood deck.

They "say" that trying to keep from getting sued by dingbats who burn
down their houses starting with a deck fire.

Personally, I would not charcoal or gas barbeque on a wood deck, but
many people do. (I have a raised stone patio; gravel fill inside
timber crib, just for the grill, but many people would have just had a
deck there.)

You wanna do it, go ahead, its your deck. And if it catches fire,
don't come running to us. You were warned.

-v.


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A friend melted a bunch of vinyl siding off his house with an out of control
grill. I use a high quality Weber gas grill on a wood deck. It is designed
to be used closed to keep the hot air in. Would be pretty hard to burn
anything down with it.


"v" wrote in message
...
On 15 Dec 2004 06:14:01 -0800, someone wrote:

You know those outdoor firepits you put wood in and have screens like
fireplace screens? Well, they say to not use on a wood deck.

They "say" that trying to keep from getting sued by dingbats who burn
down their houses starting with a deck fire.

Personally, I would not charcoal or gas barbeque on a wood deck, but
many people do. (I have a raised stone patio; gravel fill inside
timber crib, just for the grill, but many people would have just had a
deck there.)

You wanna do it, go ahead, its your deck. And if it catches fire,
don't come running to us. You were warned.

-v.


Reply to NG only - this e.mail address goes to a kill file.

I have a chiminea on my wood deck. It is on a 3' square slab of
bluestone. If a roaring fire is going, once in a blue moon an amber
will make it off the bluestone. The fire pits are more exposed to the
wind, then again, they have the screen. So the bottom line is same as
anything else. There is a certain amount of risk involved, as long as
you understand and mitigate it (i.e. don't leave it unattended), you
will not have a problem. And make sure the embers are really OUT
before you go to bed.

A single ember landing on the deck will at most leave a cosmetic mark
if there is someone watching it. You did'nt build with balsa did you?

wrote in message
oups.com...
You know those outdoor firepits you put wood in and have screens like
fireplace screens? Well, they say to not use on a wood deck. But what
if I put stone pavers below it and out two or three feet? Would they
radiate the heat enough to keep the deck from catching fire? Would the
occasional spark that escapes the screen fly more than two feet?

If you're right there watching it, it doesn't matter, because you can
just step on any flung embers and put them out. If you have a fire
going when you're *NOT* watching it, you deserve to have your
house burn down anyway. Where is your fire extinguisher, anyway?

--Goedjn

Where is your fire extinguisher, anyway?

Garage, just outside kitchen door.

Master bedroom, near second-story emergency escape ladder.

Basement.

I'm the original poster of the firepit-on-a-wood-deck question.
My conclusion is to not do it.

On Thu, 16 Dec 2004 11:16:31 -0500, someone wrote:

just step on any flung embers and put them out.

Many decks have small spaces between the boards. It is quite possible
that a small ember could get between where is can't be stepped on
easily, and/or be in contact with the joists below, or if there is any
accumulation of leaves or other debris under, etc. etc. You make your
judgements and you take your chances. Everything has risk.

-v..


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