Where should an outdoor fireplace go in my backyard layout?
Up in Waynesville at nearly 2,650 feet, cool evenings run weeks longer than they do down in Asheville, so an outdoor fireplace gets real use — put it where it blocks the prevailing wind and faces your seating, on a level pad the sloped Hazelwood-era lots usually require. Confirm gas or propane before you settle the exact spot.
Long season, real use
At nearly 2,650 feet, Waynesville runs 10 to 15 degrees colder than the lower WNC towns, and its heating season stretches about three weeks past Asheville's, so an outdoor fireplace here isn't a summer novelty — you'll pull chairs up to it well into spring and again early in fall. That argues for a spot you actually want to sit in when it's cold: sheltered from the prevailing wind, facing the seating so the whole group catches the reflected heat, and close enough to the door that a chilly walk doesn't keep you inside. A wood-burning fireplace also rewards the extra elevation with real backup heat when a winter storm takes the power out.
The pad on a Hazelwood slope
Much of Waynesville's older Hazelwood housing sits on sloped lots, so before we talk placement we talk grading — a level, retained pad is usually part of getting the spot right, and it's smarter to build that in from the start than to wrestle a fireplace onto uneven ground. Waynesville's fuel is mixed: some homes run natural gas, others propane toward the edges, so we confirm which you have before siting, since a propane build wants to sit within reach of the tank. Running that gas line is licensed work — we pull the Haywood County permit, pressure-test the line, and meet the inspector, about 35 minutes west of our Asheville showroom. Call (828) 545-0525 for a free in-home design consultation.
Fireplace help in Waynesville
We install and service fireplaces throughout Waynesville and the rest of Haywood County — just 35 minutes west from our Asheville-area showroom.
Related questions
- Outdoor fireplace or fire pit — which is better for my patio design?
- What styles do outdoor fireplaces come in?
- Should an outdoor fireplace match my house's stone or siding?
- What fireplace options look good in a screened porch or sunroom?
- How do I design seating around a fire pit — built-in seat walls or outdoor furniture?