The end of August in Rhode Island has a particular quality to it. The days are still warm, the evenings start to cool, and the backyard — which has been the center of the household all summer — feels like it has a few more good months left in it if you let it. A fire pit is the single most effective way to extend that outdoor season. Once you have one, the idea of losing October and November evenings to the indoors seems almost wasteful.
Fire pit installation in Rhode Island has become one of the most requested backyard additions over the past several years, and it’s not hard to understand why. A well-built fire pit turns a summer backyard into a three-season one, creates a natural gathering point for family and friends, and adds to a property in both value and character.
Here’s what to know before you start planning yours.
Built-In vs. Freestanding: The First Decision
The first choice in a fire pit project is between a built-in fire feature integrated into your hardscape and a freestanding unit that sits on the patio. Both have legitimate use cases.
Freestanding fire pits — portable metal bowls, table fire pits, and similar products — are the lower-cost entry point. They can be moved, don’t require construction permits in most cases, and can be set up quickly. The trade-off is that they don’t offer the same visual permanence or design quality of a built-in feature, and some types require propane tanks that need to be stored and replaced.
Built-in fire features — constructed from natural stone, concrete block, or manufactured hardscape materials — are permanent landscape elements that integrate with your patio design. A properly built fire pit or fire column becomes part of the backyard in a way a portable fire bowl never does. Built-in fire features can be designed for wood burning or connected to a natural gas or propane line for convenience.
For a fire feature that will be used regularly and is meant to complement a pool patio or larger hardscape project, a built-in design is almost always the better long-term investment.
Gas vs. Wood Burning
This is a genuine preference question with practical implications on both sides.
Wood burning fire pits provide the authentic campfire experience — crackle, smell, and the ritual of building and tending a fire. For many people this is the point. Wood burning is also generally the more affordable construction option since there’s no gas line to run. The trade-off is that it requires a wood supply, produces smoke that can be an issue with certain wind conditions, and isn’t as convenient for a spontaneous evening fire.
Gas fire pits — whether natural gas piped from the house or propane from a tank — offer push-button convenience. The fire starts immediately and shuts off cleanly. There’s no smoke, no ash, and no need to manage a wood supply. The look of a gas fire pit is generally cleaner and more modern. The installation cost is higher because of the gas line, but ongoing use is significantly more convenient.
In Rhode Island, where many backyards are in residential neighborhoods with close-set homes, gas is often the more neighborly choice. Smoke direction is unpredictable and can be a problem for neighbors seated near the fence line.
Placement Matters More Than People Realize
Where you put a fire pit in relation to your pool, patio, and property lines is a decision worth thinking through carefully before construction.
Rhode Island municipalities generally follow fire code guidelines that require open flames to be set a minimum distance from structures, fences, and property lines. The specific requirements vary by town, so checking with your local building department or working with a contractor who knows the local codes is important.
Beyond code minimums, practical placement considerations include:
- Wind patterns: A fire pit placed where the prevailing summer breeze sends smoke toward the pool or seating area is going to get used much less than one where the smoke blows away. Observe your backyard’s wind patterns on a typical summer evening before committing to a location.
- Proximity to the pool: Close enough to create a natural gathering flow between the pool and the fire, but not so close that embers are a concern near the pool deck or water.
- Sightlines: Positioned to be a visual anchor in the backyard, not tucked in a corner where it becomes an afterthought.
Integrating the Fire Pit Into Your Overall Hardscape
A fire pit that’s designed as part of a cohesive hardscape project — rather than added as an afterthought to an existing patio — almost always looks and functions better. When the fire pit, patio surface, seating walls, and pool surround are designed together, the materials and proportions can be coordinated so everything reads as a unified space.
The Pools Plus Hardscapes Division builds fire pits, fire columns, and fire tables as part of comprehensive backyard projects. Whether you’re starting from scratch or adding a fire feature to an existing patio, the team can design something that fits your space and style.
What About Permits?
Built-in fire features in Rhode Island often require a permit, particularly gas-connected installations. The permitting process is straightforward when you’re working with a licensed contractor who handles it as part of the project. It’s one of those things that seems easy to skip and then becomes a problem when you try to sell your home and the feature isn’t permitted.
Fall Is the Perfect Time to Plan
If you want a fire pit in your backyard by next summer — or by October of this year — now is the time to start the planning conversation. Late summer and early fall is when the Pools Plus Hardscapes team has the best scheduling availability, and projects designed and permitted now can often be built before the ground freezes.
Reach out to Pools Plus to discuss your fire pit project and get a quote. The backyard season doesn’t have to end with summer.
