Should You Put Sand at the Bottom of Your Fire Pit
Why put sand in the bottom of a fire pit and what sand to use?
If you’ve seen sand at the bottom of a fire pit you might wonder why it was there and what should be at the button of a fire pit.
Here at Flames and Fires blog we explain why sand is used sometimes to fill the bottom of a fire pit so you can see if yours requires that.
Which fire pits require sand at the bottom and which don’t?
Sand is usually used for metal fire pits fueled by charcoal or wood, but gas fire pits don’t need it.
Using sand is recommended for lightweight metal and painted fire pits to extend their life and avoid metal damage. However, heavy duty cast iron and unpainted fire pits don’t require sand, as they are made of a stronger metal. You also don’t need to worry about the paint chipping off in unpainted fire pits or fire bowls. Apart from that, some fire pits have a hole in the bottom, so you won’t use sand for those.
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Why should you put sand at the bottom of a fire pit?
It is good to put a layer of sand at the bottom of a metal fire pit to protect the finish. Sand helps dissipate the heat evenly when the fire reaches a higher temperature and prevents damaging the metal or its discoloration.
How much sand to use?
You will normally need a layer of a couple of inches of sand. It depends on the type of your fire pit, so check the manufacturer’s recommendations. You should be able to find instructions on the packaging or the user manual.
What type of sand?
You can use sand for fire pits but any type of sand will work. Can you use all purpose sand for a fire pit? Yes, you can use all purpose sand for your fire pit, this sand is cheaper, so that’s a good option.
Are there any disadvantages of putting sand in a fire pit?
Yes, cleaning becomes more complicated and water will stay at the bottom, if your fire pit gets rained on.
More tips on using sand for your firepit
If you use sand in your firepit, avoid the sand getting wet, as wet sand will cause the metal to corrode. To keep your fire pit dry, you can use a fire pit lid or move it under a roof while not in use.
What else can you put at the bottom of a fire pit?
Other fire pit liner materials include: rocks, lava rocks, fire pit glass, gravel, or even dirt. We will cover them in the next articles.
Final note
We hope it helps you decide whether you should use send for our fire pit and take good care of it.
What is you take on this? Do you put sand in your fire pit of you thing it’s unnecessary?
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