Is a gas or wood-burning outdoor fireplace better?

The case for gas outside

Gas outdoor fireplaces are the ones we install most on Asheville-area patios, and the reason is simple — they're ready when you are. You flip a switch or tap a remote and you've got flame, no cold-start smoke, no kindling, no ash to shovel the next morning. On a covered or screened space that no-smoke part matters even more, because wood smoke has to clear a roof or it hangs.

Gas runs off the natural-gas main along the Asheville and Hendersonville corridors, or off a propane tank out in Fairview, Candler, Brevard, and the cabins — either way, we run and pressure-test the line, pull the permit, and meet the inspector. A gas unit like a Napoleon or Heat & Glo outdoor firebox also throws steady, adjustable heat, which earns its keep on our cool mountain evenings that stretch most of the year.

The case for wood

Wood is the real thing — the crackle, the smell, the deep radiant heat off a bed of coals. For a lot of folks that experience is the whole point of an outdoor fireplace, and no gas flame fully replaces it. The tradeoffs are the ones you'd expect: hauling and storing seasoned wood, waiting through a smoky cold-start, tending the fire, and cleaning ash.

Draft and smoke also depend on the chimney being tall enough and clear — our ridges, valleys, and tall trees cause downdrafts that can push smoke back at you if the build is wrong. Wood also can't sit under a low covered roof the way a sealed gas unit sometimes can.

How we'd help you choose

We'd rather match the fireplace to how you actually use the patio than sell you the pricier option. Entertaining a lot, or want fire on a weeknight without a project? Gas. Chasing the campfire experience on an open patio with room for a proper chimney? Wood. Fuel geography plays in too — if you're already on a gas main, gas is nearly effortless to feed; if you're rural on propane, we'll size the tank and line for it. The honest answer usually comes out of a free in-home look at your space. Call (828) 545-0525.