Should I get an outdoor fireplace or a fire pit?
It comes down to how you'll use the space. A fire pit is 360-degree, lower-cost, casual gathering — everyone faces in, it stays low, and it's easy to place. An outdoor fireplace is a taller architectural focal point that blocks wind, throws heat one direction, works better under a covered patio with a flue, and adds more resale value. Both run gas or wood.
Where a fire pit wins
Pick a fire pit when the space is social and open. Everyone sits in a circle facing the flame, so it's the natural centerpiece for a crowd, and its low profile doesn't block the view or the conversation across it.
It costs less to build, it's flexible on placement — portable or built-in — and it runs on gas or wood. On a wide, open patio where you want people gathered close and the mountains still visible over the flames, the pit is usually the better call.
Where an outdoor fireplace wins
Choose a fireplace when you want architecture and directional performance. It's a vertical anchor — a stone focal point that defines a patio the way an indoor hearth defines a room — and because it stands tall with a firebox, it blocks wind and throws heat toward the seating instead of straight up.
With a proper flue it can live under a covered patio where a fire pit struggles, and it tends to add more resale value than a pit. The tradeoffs are a bigger footprint and a higher cost. Our [choosing-a-fire-pit guide](/guides/choosing-a-fire-pit) walks through more of this.
How we'd help you decide
In practice, the lot decides a lot of it. Windy or sloped sites — common on our ridges — lean toward a fireplace's wind block; open, level patios lean toward a pit. Then it's budget, whether you're under cover, and gas versus wood.
Both are licensed gas work when they burn fuel, and both come from one accountable crew here: appliance, venting, gas line, permit, and inspection. Come by the Asheville showroom to see them side by side, or call (828) 545-0525 for a free in-home design consultation.
Related questions
- Does an outdoor fireplace add more home value than a fire pit?
- Is a gas or wood-burning outdoor fireplace better?
- Does an outdoor fireplace block wind better than a fire pit?
- Are gas fire pits worth it compared to wood-burning fire pits?
- Can an outdoor fireplace go under a covered patio roof?
- How much does it cost to install a gas fire pit?
Still deciding? Talk to a real installer.
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