Why Can't I Have a Fire Pit on a Wood Deck?

Building Codes

• Building and safety codes often prevent a fire pit from being placed on a deck. For example, the New York City Fire Codes have a 10-foot rule that prevents building any type of outdoor fire around, "... any building of combustible construction, combustible building siding, combustible furnishings such as plastic or wood chairs and tables, and combustible decking." Violations of these codes often bring a fine and even imprisonment.

Quality Difference

• The reputation of fire pits suffer from the weakest among them. Many pits are well-built and will last a lifetime, providing a safe opportunity to enjoy a warm outdoor fire with friends on a cool evening. However, others are poorly made, and within a short time they have problems such as the bottom falling out or a side collapsing when loaded with flaming wood. Because the authorities regulate for maximum safety, they assume that all fire pits are equally poorly constructed.

Manufacturer's Warning

• Most manufacturers of portable fire pits warn against putting the pit on a combustible surface such as a deck, which is their way of acknowledging that in spite of best intentions, oftentimes bad things happen that no one anticipated. A fire pit can be knocked over or something can fall against one and go up in flames before anyone can react. If the fire pit is away from the deck, the damage from a similar accident is minimized.

Dangerous Situation

• A deck is often full of other combustible objects, such as plastic chairs, fabric umbrellas and people with clothing. It only takes a moment for a fire to transfer from where it is supposed to be to where it is not. Decks can easily get crowded during a party or other event, and having multiple people trying to maneuver around a hot fire pit on a small deck is an accident waiting to happen.