A fire pit is one of the cheapest ways to make a backyard feel finished, and one of the easiest to get wrong. The wrong fuel for your city means a fire pit you cannot legally use. The wrong spot means smoke in the kitchen window, or a seating area nobody sits in. Here is what each type costs, the design ideas that work in real Ontario yards, and the local rules that should decide your choice before anything else.
Fire pit prices at a glance
| Fire feature | What you get | Typical 2026 price |
|---|---|---|
| Steel fire ring or bowl | Set on gravel or pavers, wood-burning | $300 - $1,500 |
| Freestanding propane fire table | Tank hidden in the base, no install needed | $600 - $3,000 |
| Paver or block fire pit kit, installed | Wood-burning, on a compacted base with a steel liner | $1,500 - $3,000 |
| Custom stone fire pit | Natural stone or armour stone, wood-burning | $3,000 - $6,000 |
| Built-in natural gas fire pit | Masonry or block surround, burner, ignition, glass or stone media | $4,000 - $9,000 |
| Natural gas line | Short run from the house | $650 - $1,800 |
| Natural gas line | 30 to 50 ft trenched run with a tee | $1,800 - $4,500 |
| Paver fire pit patio | Interlock area for the pit and seating | $22 - $40 per sqft |
| Seat wall | Segmental block or stone, seat height, with caps | $350 - $650 per linear metre |
| Outdoor fireplace | Modular or custom masonry, gas or wood | $8,000 - $35,000 |
Check your city before you pick a fuel
This is the step most people skip, and it decides everything else. Rules for wood fires differ sharply across our service area.
| City | Wood-burning fire pit | Gas or propane fire pit |
|---|---|---|
| Hamilton | Open-air burning is not allowed in the urban area without approval from the Chief Fire Official. Permits are for designated rural areas. | Allowed in urban and rural areas without an open-air burning permit |
| Burlington | Open-air burning is not allowed in urban areas. Permits are only for designated rural areas. | Allowed, including gas fire tables and bowls |
| Oakville | Allowed without the Fire Chief's permission in a pit or device no larger than 61 by 61 cm (2 by 2 ft), at ground level, with a screen or grill, between 10 a.m. and 11 p.m., burning clean dry seasoned wood or charcoal | Allowed |
| Niagara and other towns | Varies by municipality and changes with fire bans | Generally allowed |
Sources: City of Hamilton open air burning, City of Burlington open-air burning and the Town of Oakville open burning by-law, checked September 2026. Rules change and fire bans can be declared in dry weather, so confirm with your fire department before you build. Nuisance rules also apply everywhere: smoke that bothers neighbours can lead to a complaint even where the fire itself is allowed.
In practice, that makes gas or propane the default for most Hamilton and Burlington backyards, and a real choice in Oakville.
Wood or gas: the trade-offs
| Wood-burning | Natural gas | Propane | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Install cost | Lowest | Highest, needs a gas line | Low to mid |
| Heat | High, uneven | Steady, adjustable | Steady, adjustable |
| Smoke and sparks | Yes | None | None |
| Running cost | Firewood | Low, on your gas bill | Tank refills, higher per hour |
| Urban Hamilton and Burlington | Not allowed | Allowed | Allowed |
| Near a deck or pergola | Poor choice | Only if the unit is rated for it | Only if the unit is rated for it |
| Cooking | Yes | Usually not | Usually not |
A natural gas connection must be installed by a gas technician registered with the TSSA. Buy a burner or fire table certified for use in Canada, and follow the clearances on its rating plate and manual, including overhead clearance if you want it under a pergola or covered area.
Backyard fire pit ideas that work
1. Sunken circle
A round paver patio set slightly below the lawn, with a seat wall around the edge and the fire pit in the centre. It feels enclosed, blocks wind and needs no loose furniture. A 4.3 m (14 ft) circle is about 155 sqft of pavers, roughly $3,400 to $6,200, plus the pit and wall. It needs drainage at the low point or it becomes a pond.
2. Fire table on the main patio
The easiest option for a small yard. A rectangular gas or propane table sits in the conversation area with lounge chairs, doubles as a coffee table, and needs no dedicated space. With propane, there is no install at all.
3. Gravel pit on a budget
Pea gravel or clear stone over a compacted base, a steel ring and a steel or timber edge. It is the lowest-cost built look, around $1,500 to $3,000 for a modest area, and it drains well. Where wood fires are not allowed, the same layout works with a propane bowl. Keep gravel out of reach of the lawn mower.
4. Fire pit off the edge of the patio
A small paver extension off an existing patio, stepped down or offset, keeps smoke and heat away from the house and the dining table. It is usually cheaper than a separate circle because the base work joins what is there.
5. Linear gas fire feature
A long, narrow burner in a low block or stone surround, often paired with a seat wall or built-in bench. It suits modern designs and long, narrow Ontario lots.
6. Outdoor fireplace
A chimney fireplace gives a strong focal point and screens a neighbour's window. It is the most expensive option and, if wood-burning, falls under the same open-air rules as a fire pit.
Placement and sizing
- Distance. Keep any fire well away from the house, fences, sheds, trees and overhangs, and follow your city's rules and the manufacturer's clearances. Wood fires need the most space.
- Wind. Summer winds here commonly come from the west and southwest. Put the pit where smoke will not drift into your windows or the neighbour's yard.
- Seating radius. Seats should sit about 1.8 to 2.1 m (6 to 7 ft) from the centre of a wood fire. A 1 m pit with chairs and legroom needs a circle about 4 to 5 m (13 to 16 ft) across.
- Views. Face the seating toward the garden, not the back fence.
- Not on a wood deck. Wood fires do not belong on a deck. A gas table can go on a deck only if the manufacturer allows it.
- Utilities. Call Ontario One Call for free locates before any digging.
What drives the price
- Gas line length. The distance from the meter or house line, and what is in the way, is often the biggest single cost on a gas pit.
- Materials. Natural stone and custom caps cost more than segmental block.
- Patio size. The seating area usually costs more than the fire pit itself.
- Grade. A sloped yard needs a retaining or seat wall to create a flat area.
- Ignition. Match-lit burners are cheapest. Electronic ignition and remote or app control add cost and need power.
- Access. Machine access for the base work saves labour.
Where the cheap quote is cutting
- No steel liner in a wood pit. Concrete block exposed to direct fire can crack and spall.
- A pit built straight on soil. It heaves and tilts. It needs a compacted gravel base like any patio.
- No drainage in a gas pit. Rain collects in the burner pan and causes rust and ignition problems.
- Gas work by an unregistered installer. Ask for the TSSA registration number.
- A burner not certified for Canada. Check the label before it is built in.
- Wood-burning design in a city where it is not allowed.
Upkeep
Wood pits: remove cold ash regularly, keep a cover on to keep rain out, and replace a burned-through liner every several years. Gas pits: keep the burner covered when not in use, clear leaves and debris, check the burner ports each spring, and have the gas connection checked if the flame looks wrong. Store propane tanks upright and outdoors, never in a garage or shed attached to the house.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a backyard fire pit cost in Ontario?
About $300 to $1,500 for a steel ring, $1,500 to $4,000 for a built stone or paver wood pit, and $4,000 to $9,000 for a built-in natural gas pit, plus $650 to $4,500 for the gas line. A paver seating area adds $22 to $40 per square foot.
Can I have a wood fire pit in Hamilton?
Not in the urban area. The City of Hamilton only allows open-air burning in designated rural areas with a permit, unless the Chief Fire Official approves otherwise. Gas and propane fire pits are allowed in urban and rural areas.
Are fire pits allowed in Burlington?
Wood fires are not allowed in Burlington's urban areas. Propane and natural gas fire tables, bowls and similar devices are allowed. Designated rural areas can burn with a permit.
Are backyard fire pits allowed in Oakville?
Yes, within the open burning by-law: a pit or device no larger than 61 by 61 cm at ground level, covered with a screen or grill, between 10 a.m. and 11 p.m., burning clean dry seasoned wood or charcoal, and without creating a nuisance.
How much does it cost to run a gas line to a fire pit?
Roughly $650 to $1,800 for a short run and $1,800 to $4,500 for a 30 to 50 ft trenched run with a tee. The work must be done by a TSSA-registered gas technician.
Is a propane or natural gas fire pit better?
Natural gas costs more to install but is cheaper to run and never runs out. Propane needs no installation and can move, but tanks need refilling and cost more per hour of use.
Can I put a fire pit on my deck?
Not a wood-burning one. A gas or propane fire table can go on a deck only if the manufacturer's instructions allow it and the clearances are met.
How far should a fire pit be from the house?
Far enough to meet your city's rules and the manufacturer's clearances, and far enough that smoke and heat do not reach windows, siding or overhangs. Wood fires need much more space than gas units.
- Our outdoor kitchen and fire feature service
- Outdoor kitchen cost in Ontario
- Paver patio cost in Ontario
- Outdoor entertaining setup guide
- Small backyard ideas for Ontario
Fire feature under a roof? See pergola costs and clearance notes before you combine the two.
Planning the patio around it? See patio ideas and fire pit layouts with sizes.