Propane Fire Pit, Natural Gas or Wood: Pick the Fuel Before the Patio or Deck Is Built

If you are planning a new patio or deck with a fire pit, propane is the most flexible gas option for most Northeast Florida yards. Plan the tank spot, gas line route, venting and drainage before the patio is poured or the deck is framed. Natural gas works if your home already has a meter, and wood needs no lines but the most room from decks, covers and the house.

When should you choose the fire pit fuel?

This post covers how each fuel changes the build, where the line or tank goes, what a conversion involves, and how far a fire pit should sit from decks, pergolas and covers.

Decide the fuel early, at the same time as the patio or deck layout. The fuel decides what goes under the patio, where a tank sits, and whether the pit walls need vent openings. It also decides how close the pit can be to a deck, pergola or patio cover.

A wood-burning pit needs nothing under the patio. A propane or natural gas pit needs a supply line, and sometimes power for an igniter. If those lines are not in place before the concrete is poured, adding them later means cutting finished work.

The order that saves the most work

1. Before excavation. This is the easiest time to plan a gas line.
2. Before the base is compacted and the slab is formed. This is the next easiest.
3. Before deck framing starts. On a deck or pool deck project, set the pit location first so the layout leaves room for a pit pad and a clear path for the line.

The takeaway: Choose the fuel when you choose the layout, not after the slab is poured.

Propane vs. natural gas vs. wood fire pit: which should you choose?

The three fuels differ in supply, what goes under the patio, how the pit is built and what you deal with day to day.

Not every street in Jacksonville, Orange Park or St. Augustine has natural gas service. If your house has no meter, natural gas is usually off the table. The real choice is then propane or wood.

The takeaway: With no gas meter, compare propane and wood; with a meter, natural gas saves refills but may need a long trench.

Where does the gas line or propane tank go?

Natural gas

The line starts at the meter, which is often on the side of the house away from the patio. That can mean a long trench across the yard. Gas piping is typically installed and pressure tested by a licensed gas or plumbing contractor, and it usually needs a permit. Ask who on your project handles that work and who pulls the permit.

Propane

There are two common setups.

• Cylinder in an enclosure. A grill-size cylinder sits inside the pit base or a side cabinet, with no buried line. The enclosure must hold the tank, be vented, and open easily so you can swap the tank.
• Remote tank. A larger tank sits away from the patio with a buried line to the pit. Your propane supplier sets rules for where the tank can go and needs truck access for refills. Pick a spot that can be hidden with plants and does not block a side gate or AC unit.

Tank placement rules trace back to the national propane standard, NFPA 58. Your supplier applies it to your yard.

Run the line through a sleeve

For either fuel, run the line through a sleeve under the patio. A sleeve lets the line be pulled or replaced later without breaking concrete.

The takeaway: Mark the meter or tank spot and the sleeved line route on the plan before any digging starts.

What does a gas fire pit need inside the pit?

Burner size

The burner manufacturer lists minimum interior dimensions for the pit. The pit is built to the burner, not the other way around.

Venting

Propane is heavier than air and can collect in an enclosed pit base. Manufacturers typically call for vent openings on opposite sides of the enclosure so air moves through. Natural gas is lighter than air, but the burner manual still sets venting rules. Vent openings are easy to build into a block wall during construction and hard to add after.

Ignition

Options include match-light, push-button spark and electronic ignition. Electronic ignition needs power, which means an electrical line to the pit. That is a second trench to plan.

Drainage

Summer storms in Northeast Florida can fill a fire pit in an afternoon. A gas valve and burner should not sit in water. Sandy soil helps, but a compacted base and a concrete slab do not drain, so the pit needs a gravel sump or a drain path.

Salt air

Near Ponte Vedra, Jacksonville Beach and Atlantic Beach, stainless steel burners and hardware hold up better against corrosion.

The takeaway: Size the pit to the burner and build the vents and drain path in during construction.

Can you convert a wood-burning fire pit to propane?

A wood pit can be converted, but it is a retrofit, not a swap. Here is what it usually involves.

1. Inspect the pit. Years of hot wood fires can crack caps, liners and block. Measure the interior against the burner you want.
2. Clean it out. Remove ash and soot, and pull any metal insert that will not work with a burner pan.
3. Set the burner pan. Fill the bowl with gravel to bring the pan to the right height, and keep a drain path below it.
4. Cut vent openings. This means cutting through finished block and caps with a saw. Edges can chip, and the cuts should match the look of the pit.
5. Bring in fuel. A remote propane tank or a natural gas meter means a trench. Where the route crosses a finished concrete patio, the slab is saw-cut, the trench is dug, the line goes in a sleeve, and the cut is patched. Patches rarely match weathered concrete exactly.
6. Add power if needed. Electronic ignition means another line.
7. Test and inspect. The gas line is pressure tested and inspected as your jurisdiction requires.

Sometimes the simpler answer is a freestanding propane fire table set on the patio, with the old pit kept for wood. If you are building a wood pit now and may want gas later, lay an empty sleeve from the pit to the patio edge before the slab is poured.

The takeaway: An empty sleeve laid now costs far less work than saw-cutting a finished patio later.

How far should a fire pit be from a deck, pergola or cover?

Decks

Wood and composite decking are both combustible. Before putting any fire feature on a deck, check the decking manufacturer’s guidance on fire pits and heat sources. That applies to Trex, TimberTech, MoistureShield and wood. A common approach is to set the pit on a concrete patio next to the deck rather than on the boards, and plan both at once during deck installation. Our post on fire pit and deck layouts for Florida yards covers those layouts.

Pergolas

A wood pergola puts combustible beams overhead. An aluminum pergola does not burn, but a solid or louvered roof traps heat and gas. Burner manuals list overhead clearance. Check it before you place a gas pit under any pergola.

Pavilions, lean-tos and patio covers

Most gas fire pits are rated for open sky only. A solid roof holds heat and smoke under it. The usual answer is to set the pit past the roof edge, on the open part of the patio, and keep the pavilion or cover for seating and shade.

The house

Keep the pit away from windows, soffits and the AC unit. Wood pits need the most room, often 10 feet or more from structures and overhanging branches, but follow your local fire rules. Burn bans can apply during dry spells, and the Florida Forest Service posts current fire conditions. Many HOAs in Nocatee, Ponte Vedra and Fleming Island have their own rules on fire features, so check before you design.

The takeaway: Put the flame under open sky and on concrete, then let the deck and cover sit beside it.

What should be on the plan before work starts?

Put these on the drawing before work starts. That way the crew building the patio, deck or cover and whoever runs the gas line work from the same plan.

• Fuel type
• Meter or tank location
• Line route and sleeve locations under the patio
• Who runs and tests the gas line, and who pulls the permit
• Power for ignition, if any
• Vent openings and burner size
• Drain path in the pit
• Clearances from the deck, pergola, cover and house

A fire pit is one part of a larger hardscaping and patio plan. If it sits near a pergola, a pavilion or a patio cover, plan the gas, power and drainage for all of them together.

What to expect when you hire Coastal

Coastal Outdoor Construction builds patios, decks, covers and fire pits across Jacksonville, St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra, Orange Park and Fleming Island. The first step is a yard walk to look at the meter or tank options, the grade and where water runs after a storm. A good estimate shows the pit location, the fuel, sleeve locations, the drain path and the clearances to the deck and any cover. It should also say who handles the licensed gas work. Request an estimate and bring your fuel questions to the first meeting.

The takeaway: A plan that names the fuel, line route and clearances keeps every trade working from the same drawing.

So which fuel should you pick?

For most Northeast Florida yards without a gas meter, propane is the practical gas choice. Natural gas makes sense if a meter is already on the house and the trench is reasonable. Wood is the simplest build but needs the most room and the most cleanup. Whichever you pick, settle it before the patio is poured or the deck is framed.

Planning a patio, deck or cover with a fire pit? Contact Coastal Outdoor Construction to set up an estimate and walk the yard.

Frequently asked questions

How long does a propane tank last in a fire pit?

It depends on the burner’s BTU rating, the flame setting and the tank size. A grill-size cylinder runs out much sooner than a larger remote tank. Check the burner’s rating and ask your propane supplier to estimate run time for the tank you plan to use.

Does a propane fire pit put out as much heat as a wood fire?

A wood fire usually gives off more radiant heat, along with smoke and embers. A gas fire pit’s heat depends on the burner size you choose. In Northeast Florida many people use a fire pit for the look and a light chill, so a moderate burner is often enough.

What should go in the bowl of a propane fire pit?

Use fire glass or lava rock rated for gas burners, in the amount the burner manual specifies. Do not use river rock or stones from the yard, since trapped moisture can make them crack or pop when heated. Too much media over the burner can also affect the flame.

Can I switch a propane fire pit to natural gas later?

Some burners can be converted with a kit from the manufacturer that changes the orifice and fittings. Others are built for one fuel only. If a switch is possible down the road, buy a burner that lists both fuels and have the conversion done by a licensed gas installer.

What should I do with a propane fire pit before a hurricane?

Shut the tank valve, disconnect the cylinder and store it upright outdoors in a secured spot, not in the garage or house. Remote tanks should be anchored as your supplier requires, since flooding can move an unsecured tank. Cover or remove loose fire glass and lids that wind can pick up.

Can I use a gas fire pit during a burn ban?

Burn bans vary by county and by order, and some cover gas fire features while others focus on open wood burning. Check the current order from your county or the Florida Forest Service before lighting any fire pit during a dry spell. Your HOA may also have its own rules.

Should I cover a propane fire pit when it is not in use?

Yes. A fitted cover keeps rain, pollen and leaves out of the burner and media, which helps in Jacksonville’s wet summers. Close the gas valve at the tank or shutoff when you are done, and let the pit cool fully before covering it.