4 Ways to Enjoy Outdoor Fire Tables & How to Select the Right One

Imagine watching the summer sunset on the lake. As a cool breeze picks up, you contemplate heading inside for the chilly evening. But wouldn’t it be a shame to end the night while it’s still young? Instead, extend your outdoor living time and keep the party going with a fire table!

Summer evenings around a fire builds memories… lasting, homey, cozy memories where family stories are swapped and family game night competitions heat up. Believe it or not, the best memories are yet to be made, and they can happen around a warm fire table on the lake after a day of cornhole and fishing. Now that’s lakeside living.

Sounds picture perfect, right? Here are more great reasons to get a fire table, plus some tips for picking the right one for you and your family…

4 Great Ways to Enjoy a Fire Table

1. Fire tables create warmth on a chilly day or night

After the sun goes down and the warmth of the day fades, you may be tempted to snuggle up on the couch and watch a movie. But you are living your lakeside dreams, so why not stick around for stargazing? Better yet, tell the grandkids embarrassing stories of their parents growing up in the glow of a hearty fire. (Those kinds of stories stick with them!)

Selection Tip: Speaking of grandkids, if you know they will occasionally or frequently be around the fire table, be sure to select one with a glass surround for safety. You wouldn’t want those chubby and cute little fingers to get caught near the flames.

2. Fire tables set an unforgettable ambiance

Adding a fire table to a screened porch or enclosed four-season porch with ventilation is a perfect way to transform your space right before your eyes. The shadows dancing on the walls and the cozy atmosphere creates the ideal memory-making conditions.

Selection Tip: Fire tables are versatile in shape size and height. They can be round, square or rectangular. Their heights may vary from chat height (coffee table height), or dining and bar height. BUT — don’t just select the first one you see!

If you know how you want your fire table to be used, and where, you can select the height that best creates a cozy ambiance and invites family, friends, and guests to linger longer. For style, choose a fire table that fits well with the style of your home. This could be wood, stone, tile or metal.

3. No need to buy, store, tote or burn wood

Do you hear the words “fire table” and already smell the smoke stuck in your clothes and hair? Or what about the daunting task of hauling up a cord of firewood for the weekend? The best part about a fire table is that you don’t have to worry about those things!

Fire tables use a propane tank or natural gas to fuel the flames. Simply turn the fire on or off whenever you choose, for as long as you choose, without the firewood hassle or the smoke smell. What a relief!

Selection Tip: Propane is a better option if you would like the ability to move your fire table from place to place. If you choose a gas fire table, it will need to remain at the source.

4. Fire tables can become a gathering feature

A fire table doesn’t have to stand on its own. The best ones are a focal point that invite people to gather. To do so, we suggest decorating the area around it! Add comfortable outdoor furniture and stylish pillows for people to enjoy. Here are 5 Simple Steps to Prepare Your Outdoor Patio Space. A great outdoor living space is the epitome of lake house luxury and relaxation, and a fire table is just one beautiful piece of that.

Selection Tip: One of the joys of gathering grandchildren around the fire is… s’more-making! However, fire tables are decorative gas appliances, not meant for cooking, so you’ll want to do your marshmallow toasting elsewhere.

How to select the right fire table for you

1. Decide on the function first. This will help you determine the height and shape your fire table needs to be. Look at your outdoor space and decide where it will be going and the size of the space you have to work with. Other considerations include safety (will there be children around?) and how you will use it (dining around the fire or relaxing nearby?).

2. Select a style that you love and that matches your home. What is the current style of your space? Fire tables are usually made from wood, stone, tile or metal. What styles do you like? Decide if you want it to blend into the space or stand out as a feature.

3. Do you prefer to use propane or natural gas? This question may be a simple yes or no based on the availability of natural gas. Propane is an inexpensive option that does require you to run and get a refill. The more you use the fire table the more you have to refill the tank. If natural gas is available, it alleviates having to run and get a new tank like propane would, and the cost isn’t bad either.

Once you have these questions answered, you can find the perfect fit for you, your family, and your home. Let the memories commence!

Whether you are planning a family game night tradition or quiet evenings reading a book by firelight, a fire table will add that extra cozy ambiance to your outdoor living space and an unforgettable summer (and spring and fall) by the lake. It doesn’t get much better than that.

We can’t wait to help you get your outdoor space ready to host your first cookout! Visit our store to pick up all the outdoor essentials you need or get advice on how to create an outdoor space you will love.

Until next month,

The Lakeside Living Team