Outdoor Fireplace Ideas: 8 Setups and the Fireplaces That Fit Them

Most outdoor fireplace ideas start with a photo. This guide starts with the spot you have: a covered patio, an open yard, a wall between the pool and the lounge, a deck where gas is not an option. For each of eight setups, it lists the outdoor fireplaces we carry that fit, what they cost and what else you need to order before the first fire. Prices run from $1,369 for a gas firebox you build into your own stone to $11,176 for a 72-inch American Fyre Designs Milan Tall.

The short answer

Gas fits most patios. Most of the outdoor gas fireplaces we carry need a gas line or a propane tank and no chimney or vent pipe. Wood gives you a real fire and needs a chimney, though outdoors it can be short: the Superior WRE3036 needs only 7-1/2 feet from the base of the fireplace to the outlet of the cap. Electric is for a covered porch or deck where gas and wood are not options. You get the look of a fire with little or no heat: the SimpliFire Forum makes none, and the Amantii, Remii and Dimplex indoor/outdoor models put out about 5,000 BTU on a standard 120-volt circuit.

Gas, wood or electric at a glance

Prices at Dreamwood Living as of August 2026. Browse every model in outdoor fireplaces.

1. A fireplace for a covered patio or screened porch

A roof over the seating area lets you use the fire in more weather, and it is also where the most rules apply. Each manufacturer sets its own limits on overhead clearance and on how many sides of the space can be closed in, and a room closed in on most sides may be treated as indoors by your inspector. Choose a model whose page or manual names your kind of space.

• Superior VRE3236 36" (from $3,899): approved outdoors only, including screened porches and lanais that meet Superior's minimum sizes. It ships with its ceramic fiber logs, refractory liner, stainless screens, battery-powered electronic ignition and a wireless remote, so nothing else is required to run it. Natural gas input is 30,000 to 45,000 BTU/hr. A 42" version, the VRE3242, is from $4,249.
• Barbara Jean OFP42 42" (from $2,578.40): screened porch installs are allowed when the manual's porch size, ceiling height and screen area rules are met. It is rated 55,000 BTU on natural gas and needs a log set, rock set or decorative stones.
• Superior VRE6000 fireboxes (from $4,469): approved under a roof with no more than two side walls, or with three side walls if at least 30% of the perimeter stays permanently open.
• American Fyre Designs Contractor's Model, vent-free ($4,918): the vent-free version is certified for covered outdoor areas.

2. A see-through fireplace between two spaces

Set a see-through fireplace in a wall between a covered patio and the pool or the yard, and both sides get the same fire. We carry nine see-through outdoor gas models, and the Superior VRE4648 and Napoleon Galaxy 50 convert with a kit.

• Empire Carol Rose 48" See-Through ($4,659): 55,000 BTU/hr on natural gas or propane, with wind deflector glass for each face. It needs 8 bags of clear frost crushed glass, and its LED lights need a 120V GFI outlet. The rough opening is 22 5/16" deep, 3 1/4" deeper than the single-sided 48". Also in 60" ($5,679) and 72" ($10,999).
• Majestic Lanai 48" See-Through ($5,249): 55,000 BTU/hr, with glass wind guards and a weatherproof wall control for the flame and LED colors. It ships for natural gas; propane needs a conversion kit. The Lanai 60" See-Through is $5,859.
• Barbara Jean 36" See-Through (from $5,423): 60,000 BTU on natural gas, with a millivolt valve or the IPI Proflame 2 system with remote and LED lighting. Media is required: glass, stones, rock or a driftwood log set. Also in 48" (from $5,857.50) and 72" (from $7,022.40).
• Outdoor GreatRoom See-Through Ready-to-Finish (from $4,549): a framed fireplace in 40", 60" and 72" sizes that you finish in stone, stucco or tile.
• The Superior VRE4648 ships single-sided and becomes a see-through with the LVOST48 kit. The Napoleon Galaxy 50 has a see-through kit (GSS50STC) that must be ordered with the fireplace.

For more on two-sided and three-sided designs, see our see-through fireplace guide.

3. A long, modern linear flame

A linear fireplace stretches the flame wide and low over glass, rock or embers, which suits a contemporary patio wall or a long sofa. These are the single-sided linears, from the lowest price up.

• Empire Carol Rose 48" ($4,359): 35,000 to 55,000 BTU/hr, lit with a manual valve and a push-button igniter on an AA battery. Crushed glass is required, 8 bags for the 48". Also in 60" ($5,545) and 72" ($8,999).
• Napoleon Galaxy 50 ($4,619): a 50" x 20" view of the flame, up to 50,000 BTU/hr, electronic ignition and multi-color LED lighting. Clear glass embers are included, so it is complete as shipped, and its zero clearance liner allows combustible framing. Also in 62 ($5,139) and 74 ($6,189).
• Majestic Lanai 48" ($4,639): 55,000 BTU/hr with a 48" x 17" viewing area. Crystal glass media, LED lights, a glass wind guard and a wall control come with it. Also in 60" ($5,009) and 72" ($5,609).
• Sierra Flame Tahoe 45 ($5,309 natural gas, $5,598 propane): stainless steel, with a 39" x 14-1/2" glass viewing area, battery-powered electronic ignition and a remote. Rock and black fire glass are included, wood framing is allowed, and Sierra Flame says to install it in a sheltered spot out of direct wind.
• Superior VRE4648 48" ($6,379): 24,500 to 43,500 BTU/hr on natural gas, with two 7" glass windshields, LED lighting and crushed glass included. It needs a 120V GFCI outlet in a weatherproof box under the fireplace and frames with metal studs only. Also in 36" ($5,659), 60" ($7,099) and 72" ($8,669).

See every size in outdoor linear fireplaces.

4. A traditional log fire with no chimney

If you want logs and a brick-look firebox but no chimney, a vent-free traditional gas fireplace frames into an outdoor wall like a wood fireplace and runs on a gas line or propane.

• Kingsman OFP42 Millivolt (from $2,578.40): 38,000 to 55,000 BTU on natural gas, with stainless safety barrier screens. Kingsman requires its fiber split oak log set on every unit.
• Majestic Courtyard 36" ($2,699): 55,000 BTU/hr, IntelliFire ignition, stainless pull screens and a wall switch with an outdoor control box. Majestic requires a grate with lava rock, a log set and a refractory panel set, sold separately. The Courtyard 42" Traditional is $3,039.
• Empire Carol Rose Premium 36" Millivolt ($2,919): 50,000 BTU/hr, with a standing pilot that runs without house power. The refractory liner and hood are included; the Wildwood log set is required. The IP version with intermittent pilot ignition is $3,259, and the 42" models are $3,199 and $3,559.
• Napoleon Riverside 36 ($3,389): not vented, up to 50,000 BTU/hr on natural gas, with electronic ignition on 115V power and a 36 1/8" x 30 1/16" view of the fire. It needs one of three log sets. Planning a TV above it? Napoleon provides TV recess framing information and makes an optional Prestige heat and exhaust management kit (RSOHEM) for it. The Riverside 42 is $3,779.
• The Superior VRE3236 (from $3,899) from idea 1 is the one in this group that ships with its logs.

Not sure whether you want a standing pilot or electronic ignition? Our guide to millivolt vs electronic ignition explains the difference. For a TV over any fireplace, see fireplace heat management systems.

5. A real wood fire with a chimney

A wood-burning outdoor fireplace needs a chimney system as well as the fireplace. Check your local rules on outdoor wood burning before you choose one.

• Majestic Villawood 36" ($1,609 traditional brick, $1,659 herringbone): a grate, stainless mesh curtain screens and outside air come standard, and it uses SL300 series pipe. The Villawood 42" is from $1,839.
• Superior WRE3036 36" (from $2,519): a 35" x 21" opening with white refractory panels, stainless mesh screens and a stainless grate. It uses Superior's 8" double-wall chimney, with the 8HT hi-temp pipe recommended for cold climates, outdoor and coastal sites. Outdoors, the chimney only has to reach 7-1/2 feet from the base of the fireplace to the outlet of the cap. It is also approved for vented gas logs, or a vent-free gas log heater with the HS36 hood. The WRE4500 and WRE6000 versions run up to $6,009 for the WRE4550 50".
• Majestic Cottagewood 36" ($2,769): 59-1/4" tall, with a steel grate, outside air kit and stainless safety screen included. A refractory set and flex duct for the outside air kit are required. Also in 42" ($2,979) and 50" ($4,179).
• Majestic Castlewood 42" ($3,709): 74-1/8" tall with a 41-7/8" x 38" firebox opening. A refractory set is required, and Majestic lists outdoor vented gas burners for it if you want to burn gas later. The Castlewood 50" is $4,899.

Browse all of them in outdoor wood fireplaces, or read about types of wood burning fireplaces.

6. A stone, brick or stucco fireplace you design

These are the fireplace itself, built to sit inside a surround you finish in your own stone, brick, stucco or tile. Budget for the surround on top of the prices below, and for the burner and logs where they are sold separately.

• Majestic Vesper 36" ($1,369 traditional stacked, $1,399 herringbone): a vent-free gas firebox with a brick-to-brick opening for a masonry look. It needs a Lumonessen outdoor burner (manual ignition, up to 38,000 BTU) and a log set. The 42" Vesper is from $1,959.
• Outdoor GreatRoom Single-Sided Ready-to-Finish (from $4,299 for the 40" manual-ignition propane model): G90 galvanized steel framing with Fiberock backerboard, ready for stone, stucco or tile, and a Crystal Fire Plus burner. The 40" is rated 80,000 BTU/hr and the 60" and 72" are 100,000. Standoffs are required when framing over it with combustible materials.
• Superior VRE6036 36" ($4,469): an insulated stainless firebox for an outdoor vent-free log set up to 40,000 BTU/hr, with its stainless hood included. A Mosaic Masonry brick liner and the log set are ordered separately.
• American Fyre Designs Contractor's Model ($4,918 vent-free, $4,558 vented): a 67" W x 37" D x 96" H fireplace in glass fiber reinforced concrete (GFRC) with a recessed hearth and body for stone, tile or veneer. The burner and logs are sold separately.

7. A finished fireplace with no masonry work

If you want a finished fireplace without a masonry build, American Fyre Designs makes modular fireplaces in GFRC that arrive in pieces and go together on site.

• Phoenix (from $6,544): 65" W x 36" D x 87" H with its 16" hearth, 1,100 lbs in seven pieces, in White Aspen, Cafe Blanco, Black Lava or Smoke. Herringbone firebox liners are included. It comes in vented and vent-free versions, and the burner and logs are sold separately. The Grand Phoenix is from $10,049.
• Milan Low (from $7,208): a modern 72" W x 16" D x 44" H linear with a 48" stainless burner rated 65,000 BTU/hr, in seven finishes. Fire media is not included, and it cannot hold a propane tank inside, so propane runs from a separate tank table. The Milan Tall is from $8,793.

8. Electric flames for a covered deck or porch

An electric outdoor fireplace needs only power, which makes it the option for a deck or porch with no gas line. Heat ranges from none to about 5,000 BTU on 120 volts, so treat it as the look of a fire. Check whether the model needs cover: the SimpliFire Forum is built for all seasons, while the Amantii Panorama Deep and Dimplex Ignite XL need a roof or overhang.

• SimpliFire Forum 43" ($2,259) and 55" ($2,579): built to withstand all seasons, with four flame colors and 13 ember-bed colors. It produces no heat and draws 36 watts on a 15 amp, GFCI-protected 120V circuit, hardwired or plugged in.
• Amantii 30" Panorama Extra Slim ($1,449): 4" deep, rated for indoor or outdoor use, with a 5,118 BTU heater you can turn off. The Panorama Deep (from $3,699 for the 50") is 12" deep, comes with an oak log set, and requires an overhang outdoors.
• Remii Wall Mount Slim 45" ($1,499): rated for indoor and outdoor use, 4" deep, with WiFi control and a 5,000 BTU heater on 750 or 1,465 watts.
• Dimplex Ignite XL 50" ($3,049.99): certified for covered outdoor installation under a shelter, where the height above the fireplace can be no more than three times the depth the shelter projects. It puts out 5,118 BTU/h on 120V or 8,530 on 240V, and the warranty is 1 year outdoors against 5 years indoors.

See more in outdoor electric fireplaces.

What the price includes

Many outdoor fireplaces ship without the logs, glass or liner they need to run. Here is what comes in the box on the models above and what you still need to order.

Before you order

• Decide covered or open first. Some models are listed for screened porches or partly enclosed spaces and some are not, and that one answer can rule out half the list.
• Pick the fuel early. Several models ship for natural gas and need a conversion kit for propane, including the Majestic Courtyard and Lanai. A gas line to a patio is easier to run while the patio is being built.
• Check what power it needs. Millivolt models such as the Empire Carol Rose Premium Millivolt run with no house power, the Superior VRE3236 lights on four AA batteries, and the Superior VRE4648 and Napoleon Riverside need a 120V or 115V supply.
• Plan for wind. Glass wind guards come with the Lanai, the Carol Rose linears and the Superior VRE4648, and Empire sells deflector glass for windy areas.
• Keep the water out. Drain pans, weather covers and weather doors are optional on many of these models, and Superior recommends its drain pan for outdoor installs of the WRE3036.
• Give your builder the manual. Every model sets clearances to the sides, back and anything overhead. Get the installation manual for your exact model before the wall goes up.

Our outdoor fireplaces page covers planning in more detail. If the fireplace is part of a bigger project, see outdoor kitchen design, and if you are still choosing between a fireplace and a fire pit, see the best type of fire pit for your backyard.

Frequently asked questions

Does an outdoor gas fireplace need a chimney?

Most do not. The Majestic Courtyard and Lanai, the Superior VRE models, the Empire Carol Rose Premium and the Sierra Flame Tahoe are all vent-free and need no chimney or vent pipe. A few, such as the American Fyre Designs Phoenix, come in vented and vent-free versions. Outdoor wood-burning fireplaces always need a chimney.

Can an outdoor fireplace go on a covered patio or screened porch?

Some can. The Superior VRE3236 is approved for screened porches and lanais that meet Superior's minimum sizes, the Barbara Jean OFP42 allows screened porches that meet its manual's rules, and the Superior VRE6000 fireboxes can go under a roof with up to two side walls, or three if 30% of the perimeter stays open. Check the manual for the model you are considering.

Do outdoor electric fireplaces give off heat?

Some do. The SimpliFire Forum produces no heat. The Amantii Panorama and Remii models are rated at about 5,000 BTU, and the Dimplex Ignite XL puts out 5,118 BTU/h on 120V or 8,530 on 240V. The Amantii, Remii and Dimplex models can run the flames with the heater off.

What is the least expensive outdoor fireplace you carry?

In our outdoor fireplace collections, it is the Majestic Vesper 36" gas firebox at $1,369, before its required burner and log set and the surround you build around it. The Amantii 30" Panorama Extra Slim electric is $1,449, and the Majestic Villawood 36" wood-burning fireplace is $1,609 plus its chimney pipe.

Can an outdoor wood-burning fireplace burn gas instead?

Some can. The Superior WRE3036 is approved for vented gas logs, or a vent-free gas log heater with the HS36 hood, and has gas line knockouts on both sides. Majestic lists outdoor vented gas burners as options for the Cottagewood and Castlewood.

Can I put a TV above an outdoor fireplace?

It depends on the fireplace, so plan it before the wall is framed. Napoleon provides TV recess framing information for the Riverside and makes a Prestige heat and exhaust management kit for it, and Dimplex publishes the temperature zones above the Ignite XL in its installation guide. Check your TV maker's temperature limit against those figures.

Talk to us before you build the wall

Call us at 888-486-2909 with the size of the space, whether it is covered and the fuel you have, and we will help you choose the fireplace and everything it needs to run. We are here 9am to 9pm CST.