How to take care of your fire table so you can enjoy it year-round

By Dan Darvell February 9, 2021 Featured Blog

Nothing beats a backyard bonfire. It’s the perfect place to gather with loved ones and make both memories and s’mores. A By the Yard Fire Table makes gathering around the fire easy.

Our By the Yard Fire Tables are unique, multi-purpose tables that can double as dining or coffee tables, as well as fire pits. With options to use either a standard propane tank or a natural gas line, you can start a safe, responsible fire instantaneously.

By the Yard Fire Tables are made from the same maintenance-free recycled plastic as our other products. Post-consumer water and milk containers are diverted from landfills and transformed into beautiful, long-lasting, sustainable furniture. The engineered lumber simply outperforms wood. Sub-zero temperatures, rain, snow, salt air, desert heat—our furniture is built to resist the extremes that can fade, crack or peel ordinary outdoor furniture. The structurally sound, colorfast, stain-resistant plastic lumber will last for decades. We obsessively build our products to perform year after year.

Our fire tables are a cozy addition to any backyard, regardless of your climate. As the months get colder, you can extend your outdoor living season with up to 60,000 BTUs of heat. With a variety of sizes and height options, you can find the perfect multi-use piece for your outdoor space.

There are special considerations to be sure it works at peak performance year after year. These overall best practices should be observed regardless of the type of Fire Table you own, or the climate in which it operates. Here are some tips for how to take care of your By the Yard Fire table.

Fire Table Best Practices

Never burn anything besides gas. Do not put paper, leaves or other foreign objects into the flames
Check for debris prior to lighting
Frequently inspect your ventilation and exhaust systems
Monitor your gas line. Look for any damage to the supply line, including dents, kinks, cuts or abrasions

Winter Maintenance Checklist

If you live in a cold climate, such as our home state of Minnesota, you might not plan to use your By the Yard Fire Table over the winter months. While the recycled plastic the table is maintenance-free and can withstand the winter elements, we do recommend you take steps to protect the fire element of the table so it will be ready for use again in the spring.

Below are our recommended steps to prepare your table for its time in “hibernation:”

Remove any debris, such as leaves and dirt, from the burner
Close the gas valve on fire pit base, or shut off gas for natural gas
Shut off and remove the LP (liquefied petroleum) tank from base
Remove glass wind guard and store
Cover burner with glass burner cover
Remove glass gems from burner to clean (this is optional, and can be done in winter or spring)
- Cleaning tip: Place glass gems in a mesh laundry bag and place on the top shelf of your dishwasher for an easy and thorough clean!
Remove AAA batteries and store them in a cool, dry place
Optional: Cover your fire pit table with protective cover. Our maintenance-free recycled plastic does not require storage for the winter months.
- Currently, By the Yard does not sell covers, but many big box retailers do

Spring Maintenance Checklist

Once the snow melts, it’s time to get your By the Yard Fire Table back in action. Even if you used your fire table during the winter months, we recommend all Fire Table users do a little spring cleaning each year to be sure their table is performing at its very best.

Remove glass burner cover
Remove glass gems from burner. The burner can be cleaned by removing all of the glass gems and wiping down the edges and surface of the burner. A wet cloth or paper towel can be used to clean off any dirt. Check burner for clogged port holes. These can be unclogged with a toothpick or something similar
Remove burner from fire pit top. Untighten the metal flex hose to orifice connection
Unscrew orifice from burner to check and see if there is any debris, frozen water or other obstruction in the neck of the burner. Use a pliers or finger to remove any debris. An air hose may be needed to clean out the burner neck
Screw in orifice and tighten metal flex hose using two wrenches
Check other gas connections to make sure they are tight. When tightening, remember to use two wrenches
Check the sparker connections from the burner to the sparker box. Make sure they are plugged in and the AAA battery works. Check electrode in burner for blue spark, should be spaced at 3/16” apart
Make sure gas valve on base is in the “off” position and hook up LP tank, open up valve on LP tank or turn on natural gas valve
Push in sparker button and slowly open gas valve
Check flame for any irregularities or any smell of gas. If gas is smelled, shut off immediately and check gas connections
Tighten screws on glass wind guard clips and set on fire pit top. Clean glass guard with glass cleaner and paper towel

With these best practices and recommended maintenance tips, you should be enjoying cozy and easy backyard fires for many years to come.

Browse our full selection of Fire Tables online here, or stop by one of our showrooms to see a table in action. We also offer the option to shop by phone. Please call 877.220.0448 for ordering information.