If you’ve recently installed an outdoor fireplace in your backyard, you’re probably wondering what tools and accessories you need to make the absolute most of your new outdoor feature.
In this guide, we explain which tools will help you operate, protect, and store your outdoor fireplace to ensure you, your family, and friends can enjoy the warmth of the fireplace for years to come. We end by introducing six of our best suggestions for outdoor fireplace tools, which are sure to help you operate and maintain your new outside firepit.
Tools Needed For Your Outdoor Fireplace
Purchasing or installing an outdoor fireplace is the perfect way to open your garden up to friends and family, regardless of the season. Sitting around the fire wrapped up warm with a cup of steaming hot cocoa is the perfect way to share stories and catch up, no matter the season.
But to get the most out of your outdoor fireplace, you need to make sure you’ve got the right tools and equipment. Ultimately, you can split the necessary outdoor fireplace tools into three categories – operations, protection, and storage. This ensures you’ve covered all bases and have all the tools that you need to make the most out of your outdoor fireplace.
Let’s look at the specific tools you need in detail now.
1. Operations
As the title suggests, these are the tools you need to operate your outdoor fireplace successfully. Alongside your fireplace, you will need tools like a tong, poker, shovel, and brush, as these will help you build, maintain, and then clean up your fire.
Handily, these often come as a set and can be picked up at the same time as the fireplace itself. It would help if you also considered investing in some firestarters to act alongside the chosen fuel for your fire.
Including some firestarters alongside wood and coal will make lighting your fire a lot easier and ensure the entire base is lit. In addition to matches and some paper, these tools will help you operate and maintain your outdoor fireplace.
2. Protection
Next, you need to think about what tools and accessories will offer the necessary protection from your outdoor fireplace. After all, if you have young kids or pets, you don’t want to risk them getting too close to the fireplace, particularly as ambers can easily fly out of the pit.
As such, it’s a good idea to invest in a suitably sized fire pit spark screen that sits on top of your outdoor fire pit and protects those seated around it from flying sparks and embers. As well as protecting people and animals from the fire, you should also think about protecting the ground upon which the fireplace sits.
Sitting the fireplace on top of a fire-retardant base ensures your grass or patio won’t suffer as a result and also means you can move the fire pit around if you wish. Adding these two accessories offer additional protection, which is an important consideration when you’re installing an outdoor fireplace in your garden.
3. Storage
The final aspect of your outdoor fireplace to consider is storage. If you leave your fireplace sitting out in the garden all year round when it’s not in use, it’s likely to rust and be damaged by the elements. A simple solution is to invest in a durable, thick-skinned waterproof cover, which offers an added layer of protection.
Buying an additional storage cover is a good idea even if your fire pit already comes with a cover, as they’re often insufficient and enable water to seep through.
The other thing you need to consider from a storage perspective is where you will keep your firewood, as most homes don’t come complete with an outdoor wood bunker! Helpfully, you can pick up a durable firewood rack that keeps your firewood dry and looks great at the same time. This means you can order firewood in bulk and don’t have to run to the store every time you want to start your outdoor fireplace.
Outdoor Fireplace Tools & Accessories: Our Six Best Picks for Your Garden
Now that we’ve mentioned some of the essential tools you need for your outside fireplace, we want to introduce you to six of our best picks that will undoubtedly help you get the most out of your fire pit. (Related article: Which Outdoor Fire Pit Should You Get?)
These tools will help you operate, protect, and store your fireplace and come highly recommended. Let’s begin with the fundamental tools you require to get your fireplace up and running.
1. Heavy-duty Fireplace Tool Set
To get the most out of your outdoor fireplace or pit, you need to have the right tools at your disposal to stoke the fire and keep it going. This five-piece set is made from sturdy, premium iron and is coated with high-temperature resistance iron powder. The set includes a tong, poker, shovel, brush, and stand.
Whether you need to add coal to your fire, move logs around within the pit, or clean up after the fire has gone out, this handy set is just what you need to keep your outdoor fireplace in top condition and to enjoy those roaring fires in the evening.
To check its latest price and to order, click here.
2. GreenSpark 100% Natural Firestarters
One of the most challenging aspects of managing an outside firepit is getting it started! While matches and paper will be sufficient in some instances, investing in some long-burning firestarters will make your life so much easier and get the flames roaring.
These natural firestarters from GreenSpark are eco-friendly and are made from a combination of recycled pinewood and natural stearin – no chemicals have been included. When you’re building your outdoor fire with wood and coal, you can include a few of these firestarters in the base to ensure the flames are up and running in no time at all.
To check its latest price and to order, click here.
3. Sunydaze Easy-Opening Fire Pit Spark Screen
Although it’s wonderful to sit around an open outdoor fire, it can also be dangerous. Sparks flying everywhere can cause embers to land on your clothes without realizing it, which can lead to painful burns and damage to your clothing and furniture.
Installing a spark screen also protects young children and pets who might be joining you around the fire and prevents them from getting too close to the naked flames. This tall and easy-to-open spark screen is tall enough to accommodate stacked logs and is topped by a handle that ensures you can easily open it up and keep your fire going.
To check its latest price and to order, click here.
4. Fire Pit Deck Protector
Whether your outdoor fireplace is positioned on your grass or patio, you probably don’t want the fire to cause damage to the surface. Investing in a fire pit deck protector will ensure the flames, ash, and ambers from the fire don’t damage the surface underneath the pit.
The protector is made from flame-retardant food-grade silicone coating, and it reflects the heat away from the patio or grass. What’s more, it’s strong, reusable, and waterproof, so it should last a decent amount of time without needing to be replaced.
To check its latest price and to order, click here.
5. Woodhaven Firewood Log Rack
When you utilize an outdoor fireplace, it’s handy to keep a store of firewood close by. This 8ft firewood log rack from Woodhaven comes with a cover and is perfect for keeping your wood dry and protected from the elements.
The rack is exceptionally strong and durable so that you won’t have any issues with your firewood denting or damaging the rack over time. It’s also easy to build, meaning you don’t have to worry about putting together a complex frame that comes flat-packed.
To check its latest price and to order, click here.
6. Porch Shield Fire Pit Cover
While the above tools and accessories help you get the most out of your outdoor fireplace when it’s in use, you also need to think about keeping it covered and protected from the elements at other times.
This waterproof fire bowl cover is made of 600D polyester fabric and is exceptionally durable, offering your fireplace protection from wind, rain, and outdoor pests. It comes with an elastic strapping, which enables you to tie it into place easily. The buckles at the bottom of the cover will keep your fireplace covered when the wind and rain pick up, too.
To check its latest price and to order, click here.
Final Thoughts
Installing an outside fireplace in your garden is an excellent way to maximize your outdoor space and enable you to spend time in your garden during cold evenings. But to make the most out of your outdoor fireplace, you need to invest in the right tools and accessories, as we’ve introduced above.
Hopefully, you’re now ready to put your outside fireplace to good use and are ready to welcome your friends over for hot chocolate and marshmallows.