Fire Bowls 101 Frequently Asked Questions

Adding a fire bowl is a wonderful opportunity to bring art to landscape, as well as to create a warm outdoor conversation area. To make sure that the right fire bowl for your needs is chosen, it is important to consider a few key issues.

When planning for a fire bowl consider the following:

• The location and the access to the location.
  
• The area size/bowl size.
  
• The intended use.
  
• The energy source.
  
• The type of burner: an automatic shut off system or manual light. What style of burner?
  
• Why BTU really matter?
  
• What to prepare for, and what to expect? 

In a process similar to ancient clay pottery techniques, our concrete pots and bowls are hand turned on a large wheel while layers of cement are applied onto iron reinforcement. When this process is utilized with cement as well as fibers and other additives, it increases the strength and durability of the pot or bowl tremendously. All Concrete Creations' products are enhanced with a clear interior and exterior sealer protection for water feature usage, as well as for the freeze and thaw process.

Our Products are not made by machine, nor are they poured into molds. They are handmade - a hand thrown process that is unique to Concrete Creations. The finish and coloring is not always uniform because it is hand sponged. You can expect slight variations in the finish or color; this is normal for our handmade products and enhances the beauty of each piece.

Concrete Creations appreciates your business and works hard to ensure that the process of specifying and or purchasing our beautiful products is pleasant and seamless. Please do not hesitate to contact us if we can be of any assistance. We are here to answer your questions and help.

Over time the concrete will patina and age with natural character. Sometimes the concrete might develop small hair line cracks, or surface cracks. This is normal for concrete, however, in our products these changes over time will not break the bowl. We use different additives to reduce cracking and shrinkage, and are constantly working with new materials that are being developed.

Concrete is easily scratched or chipped; if rubbed or hit against metal or other concrete it will damage.

Pots and bowls will need to be sealed every 1-2 years depending on exposure. Sealer is available from Concrete Creations.

Concrete Creations warranties its products, when purchased new, to be free from defects in Materials and workmanship under normal use and service for one year from the original provable date of purchase. Replacement or repair at the option of Concrete Creations of the defective part shall be the sole remedy of this warranty.

Concrete Creations' products are packed and crated in specially built wooden crates. We make every effort to pack and protect all shipped products, including the purchase of shipping insurance; nonetheless, damage does rarely occur during shipment. In the effort to avoid unnecessary problems please adhere to the following simple guidelines:

• A designated person should always be present at the project site to receive the pots, even if the shipping company suggests that it is not necessary.
• Have a person with power tools to make the opening of the crate easier.
• The shipment should always be inspected carefully for exterior damage to the box at the time of delivery.
• Please call Concrete Creations if there is any damage.
• Please write all damage onto the bill of landing and have the driver sign the bill; and take photographs.
• Whether there is damage to the exterior box or not, please open the boxes carefully while the driver is still present. The walls of the crate are nailed together and the top is screwed down onto the walls.

If Concrete Creations delivers the fire bowl, and you provide 1-2 people for man power, as well as easy access, we will HELP place the bowl on top of the gas line.

Please make sure that the access and clearance is wider than the width of the bowl, and let us know of any obstacles such as steps, etc. There is always a solution to every obstacle, but we need to know about it ahead of time so we can prepare.

We sometimes need to use a Sideway Jig to help place the bowl on its side in order to fit through smaller openings. Please watch this Youtube video example: How to put bowl on its side jig The customer will need to supply 4 strong people to help for 20-30 minutes in this case.

Always talk with us prior to delivery.

Many customers send us photos or videos of the path to place the bowl so we can advise them on the best approach.

Installation, Safety, and Maintenance

The short answer: because customers want real warmth. If your fire bowl doesn’t produce enough heat, you won’t use it. Our sit-around fire bowls use burners in the 120K–180K BTU/hr range; larger ones can be 240K+. A big burner can be turned down with a valve, but a small burner can’t be turned up. Also, make sure your gas line can provide enough pressure.

Electronic ignition allows lighting the fire from a remote switch or timer. If the flame goes out (because of wind or rain), the system will try to relight several times. If unsuccessful, the shut-off cuts gas for safety. Some ignition systems need 110V; smaller ones can be battery operated.

• Natural gas is clean and convenient, though requires professional installation.
• LP (propane) only if no natural gas — tanks can’t sit under or directly next to the bowl; needs ventilation and proper tank size.
• Gel keeps food warm, not ideal for full fire bowls.
• Ethanol burns briefly, needs recurring refills; they don’t supply ethanol burners.
• Firewood gives classic ambiance but creates smoke/soot and may be restricted by local rules.

You need:

• drainage hole
• Gravel at the bottom
  
• Rough (silica) sand filled to ~2-2.5″ below the rim
  
• Stack your firewood on top
  
• Use a spark arrestor (place it on top of the sand, not the concrete lip, to avoid rust)
  
• Safety: small logs, avoid high wind, completely extinguish when done.

• Pour a level concrete pad, mark center
• Run gas line so it emerges ~1.5-2″ off-center for smooth flex lines
• Smaller bowls (<36″) have ~2″ center hole; 44″+ bowls have large (~6″) bottom openings for drainage/gas pipe flexibility
• Extend pipe ~3.5″ above grade
• Size gas line for total BTU; follow local codes & use licensed plumber

• Build level pad, don’t bury base — keep ventilation holes open
  
• Run LP line 1.5-2″ off center
  
• Bowls under 36″ use ~2″ hole; larger have large bottom openings
  
• Extend the LP pipe ~3.5″ above grade
  
• Use hard line per code, size it correctly so you get needed heat.

If you’ll sit around it, go as large as your space allows. Bigger bowl = bigger burner = more heat. If it's for ambiance or poolside, aesthetics may matter more. Concrete Creations suggests at least ~28″ diameter for a bowl that doesn’t look tiny. Use mockups (cardboard & chairs) to visualize.

Yes — a shut-off valve is essential both for safety and flame control. Often placed on the side of the bowl; some prefer ground or wall placement. Ensure it’s accessible — lighting should not require awkward bending. Always have emergency shut-off accessible.

Concrete Creations recommends a level concrete pad. If using DG or stone, ensure stability and that the bowl sits level. In windy/seismic zones, anchoring or pad is better; ensure a path wide enough to bring in and set the bowl safely.

Most fire bowls include a pan below the burner to hold media (lava, glass, fire stones). The pan keeps things clean and protects the burner ring. Don’t place media above the pan edges; keep the pan clear. The burner or ring should sit properly; media should not clog burner jets

Concrete Creations' fire bowls are custom made and are not mass produced; therefore do not require an UL number. We have been using our fire bowl in our backyard for wood burning, which is much hotter flame than most burners without any issues. As long as the safety guidelines on the burner size and location are followed, there should not be any issues. Media inside the bowl should be fire rated.

When using lava or fire glass: pour them around the edges over the pan, don’t mound up above the burner jets. For LP bowls, place media loosely — not more than ~¼-½″ above jets. Ensure good ventilation.

Concrete Creations' fire bowls are made out of concrete and are therefore heavy. If you are considering a large fire bowl, measure the access to the area where you plan to place the fire bowl. Make sure that you can have a pallet jack on-site to wheel the bowl to its placement location.Talk to us... Concrete Creations is happy to help you with the assessment of the situation.

Our fire bowls are designed to do what a fire bowl should do... keep you warm when sitting around the bowl with friends and family. We want you to enjoy the same options that we wanted in our own family fire bowl - a great design, a natural look, and real heat. If you're not warm when sitting around your fire bowl, you won't use it as often as you should; and you'll miss out on the hours of chatting with friends and family, or just sitting quietly absorbing the ambiance.

Most of our smaller, 36 - 40 inch fire bowls are intended for sitting around - like you would sit around a fire pit, and have a least 120K - 180K BTU/hr, unlike most other companies who offer 55K -75K BTU/hr, and this results in a very small, inactive and blue flame. Our larger bowls have up to 240K BTU/hr. The burners we provide with our fire bowls are made specifically for the size of our bowls. Make sure that you take a minute or two to read more about why BTU matters in Fire Bowls 101.

It is an honor and validation of our hard work to have customers call on us for advice, on how to shlep their 54 inch, 1000 pound fire bowl from California to the east coast. You see, this particular customer accepted a job offer, but loved his Concrete Creation fire bowl so much that he just couldn’t leave it behind. Can you imagine? We can, because it wasn’t the first time that we took a call like that... or the last.

We are very proud to offer such a quality product that customers need to take their fire bowls with them, or purchase another fire bowl for the new house, even after many years.

Some local codes require it, especially for commercial install. For residential use, it’s optional but offers safety if flame goes out. Peace of mind versus cost/value should guide decision

Never lean over the bowl. Use a long lighter or match above the fire media, light it first, then open the gas key. If flame won’t stay lit, shut off and wait before trying again. Avoid lighting during windy conditions.

No — even with electronic ignition, candles, timers, shutdowns — the bowl should not be left unsupervised. Electronic ignition doesn’t remove the need for safe use.

Not generally on the exterior. Only the lip very close to the flame may get hot. Concrete heats up in sun — be cautious. Always use common sense

Use a soft damp sponge and mild detergent for dust. For water stains or marks: a gentle vinegar solution works. Scrub softly. Rinse thoroughly and allow to dry.

After use, allow burner/media to fully cool. If used for long time, wait ~20-30 minutes minimum. Make sure surface and media are dry before covering.