Why Put Sand in the Bottom of a Fire Pit? (What Kind?)

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SaveWhy Put Sand in the Bottom of a Fire Pit

Fire pits are designed to allow you to enjoy the benefits of a campfire experience without all the work. Simply put a fire pit in your backyard and you’re done!

Sand helps ensure that the heat in your fire pit is dissipated evenly and this way protecting your fire pit bottom. A layer of sand in the bottom is meant to protect the firepit bowl, sand creates a protective surface so that debris from your fire won’t stick and start to destroy the bottom.

What kind of sand do you put in the bottom of a fire pit?

Some people may not know what kind of sand to put in the bottom of a fire pit, but it is important.

The best type of sand to use in the bottom of a fire pit is silica sand. The silica sand will resist heat and is non-combustible. Silica sand is the best option to use in a wood firepit because it will not add any additional smoke to the fire, and will absorb heat and not melt.

What about fire pit glass?

Fire Pit Glass can come in various forms such as gel, liquid, rocks, or pebbles. Fire pit glass has been a popular trend for the last few years because it’s stylish and gives off that “wow” factor when you have guests over.

When using Fire Pit Glass, it is very important to put a layer of sand in the bottom of your fire pit bowl to protect the surface from getting too hot. If your fire pit bowl gets too hot it can cause the glass to crack and break, which is not safe for use.

It’s best to use silica sand as the protective barrier between your glass and the bottom of your wood burning firepit.

How often are you supposed to replace the sand?

There is no exact answer or definite number of years that a layer of sand will last in your fire pit because it depends on several different factors.

The more frequently you use your fire pit, the more quickly you will use up sand. How hot a fire you have, how often you let your fire burn out before putting it out with water and letting it cool; all of these factors contribute to how soon the sand may need to be replaced.

The best factor you need to take in account is how often you use the fire pit. If you have a fire every night, it will accumulate more ash in the bottom and you will have to replace the sand sooner than someone who doesn’t have a fire everyday.

And, don’t forget to take in consideration how hot you build your fire and how long it burns for. The longer a fire burn the more ash will accumulate on the bottom of the bowl and it may need to be re-sand sooner rather than later.

What can happen if too much ash builds up in the bottom?

If too much ash builds up in the bottom of your fire pit, it can restrict airflow, and cause a lack of oxygen supply to the fire. This causes your wood to smolder instead of burn efficiently which releases more smoke into the air than necessary.

Once every couple of weeks take out any ashes you may have from the last use and replace it with fresh sand for optimal performance.

Where do you put sand in a fire pit?

Silica sand should be placed in the bottom of the firepit. As mentioned before, silica is an ideal material to use because it absorbs heat, which will help keep the bowl of your firepit cooler and protected from the burning debris.

You should spread the sand out evenly in a layer that is at least one to two inches deep. This will allow your fire pit to be functional for longer.

Should I put stone in the bottom of my fire pit?

You can use lava rocks or lava glass beads as a bottom filler for your fire pit since they are the safest way to create drainage. You can also use hard rock or gravel, but it’s not recommended because they can overheat and can spark and explode.

Whatever your fill of choice is, make sure the fill is completely dry before igniting the fire. Rock will absorb water, in special river rocks, erheat sometimes they can explode, even lava rock if wet.

If you’re not sure what sort of filler to utilize, small volcanic ash or crushed lava tock are less expenvie in general.

Can I use beach sand on the bottom of a fite pit?

You can use beach sand, but silica sand is better to use in the bottom of a fire pit.

Silica sand is typically finer than beach sand, so it packs together more tightly when you dump it in the bottom of your fire pit and doesn’t form as many air pockets which might burn out your embers quicker.

Do you need to put anything under a fire pit?

If your firepit has legs in order to elevate it from the ground you don’t need to place anything under it. In the case where your firepit is not elevated, you should place a protective surface under it for insulation to prevent it from damage your grass or whatever is below.

Some common protective surfaces are:

  • Sand;
  • Gravel;
  • Stone slabs;
  • Cement slabs.

Where do you get silica sand?

You can find silica sand at any home improvement store, such as Home Depot or Lowes. Silica sand prices can range from $10 to $30 depending on the size of the bag and the store you go.

It’s important to remember that as the size of your fire pit increases so should the amount of sand in the bottom increase.

Once you have your silica sand in the bottom of your bowl all that is left to do is add some wood and light it up! With a layer of sand protecting the surface, this will help ensure that you are able to use the firepit for an extended period of