4 Unique Rustic Fire Pit Ideas For A Backyard

rustic fire pit in luxury backyard with white chairs surrounding it on a gray rock patio

When you are finalizing your backyard design you probably are considering features like an outdoor kitchen, terrace, and maybe even a swimming pool. Additionally, you’ve probably tossed around the idea of a fire pit. What if your landscape is more on the rustic side? What if you like boulder work. Maybe you have a rustic house made from timber frame and you want your landscape to match including your fire pit  What are some rustic fire pit ideas?

Rustic Fire Pit Fuel Source

All fire pits can be designed as either wood burning or natural gas or propane burning.  Check with your local codes and ordinances to see if you can legally install a wood burning fire pit. Many locations do not permit these due to the fire risk and the smoke disrupting your neighbors.  With any fire pit you will usually need a permit.  If you choose to build a gas or propane fire pit the gas work will need inspections and certified installers.

Rustic Fire Pit Material Location

Well, first and foremost you should consider where you live and what’s available in the region.  If you are in a mountainous region, there are probably many boulder options.  Check your local masonry supply companies for what they have in stock. Don’t be afraid to ask what they can bring in for you.  It’s good to touch and feel the rocks you can integrate into your fire pit. Don’t get too far into your design process before doing this.

Carved Boulder Rustic Fire Pit Ideas

Carved Boulder Rustic Fire Pit Ideas In Backyard With Pool And green trees

Once you’re ready to start designing your fire pit, you can start by considering one of the most impressive rustic fire pit ideas out there, a carved boulder fire pit.  This is a fire pit made from a single boulder or rough slab of stone carved to incorporate the fire box within the boulder.  This is one of the most expensive options for a rustic fire pit. Depending on where you live you may have trouble finding the right artisans to create this look for you, but as you can see it can be an outstanding choice for the right landscape.

Stone Slab Rustic Fire Pit Ideas

Stone Slab Rustic Fire Pit Ideas In Large Backyard With Rock Wall Surrounding A Circular Green Lawn With Small Tan House In Backyard

The next concept in rustic fire pit ideas, is the stone slab.  This is especially good for wood burning fire pits where you don’t want a large sculptural feature. Instead, this is a great fire pit to appear rustic in a minimalist way and not impede the view.  To build one of these fire pits you simply lay a large stone flush with the lawn or patio area, and use it as the base for your fires.  You may want to choose a stone on the darker side since the stone will blacken from the soot.  

Granite Curb Rustic Fire Pit Ideas

Granite Curb Rustic Fire Pit Ideas In Mini Side Yard With Wet Stone and Small Green Shrubs

The granite curb fire pit is both rustic and refined, depending on the cut of the granite. The use of a more polished granite will result in the look of perfection, whereas the use of a chopped granite or rock faced granite will result in more of a rustic feel.  One thing to consider with all rustic fire pit ideas is the use of rough surfaces generally achieves that rustic feel better in all cases.  

Boulder Rustic Fire Pit Ideas

Boulder Rustic Fire Pit Ideas In Natural Backyard With Weeds And Other Rocks Scattered round for a brown and green setting

One of the most common rustic fire pit ideas is the boulder fire pit. These fire pits are a carefully assembled grouping of natural boulders. They are set in such a way to appear natural. These make a great addition to your rustic backyard. In fact, boulder fire pits can create the focal point for evening entertaining.  

Summary

Whatever rustic fire pit ideas you choose to integrate into your backyard, they are certain to give your property the unique look and feel of hand hewn natural materials integrated into your backyard. There are endless possibilities and we’ve only covered a few options here in this article.