Basically, building a gas fire table is as simple as building a box. If you can handle that level of construction, you are most of the way there. Certainly, there are some designs that are more complicated and involved than others, but the base of a cabinet is essentially a box.
Whether you decide to style it as a coffee table, accent table or bar table, the main purpose is to house the tank (if using propane); hide the “guts” of the burner (the regulator, gas lines, etc.); and provide support for your tabletop.
Building a square or rectangular cabinet base is a fairly straightforward project for anyone with a few construction skills and some basic tools.
If this will be your first woodworking project, be prepared to invest in a few power tools such as a drill, table or circular saw and perhaps a nail gun. More refined treatments might require additional tools such as a miter saw.
Buying tools will definitely increase the cost of this project, but if you plan on being a DIYer, you will no doubt use them again and again in the future. Plus, the savings you’ll get from building the table yourself will help offset these costs.
From Box to Beautiful Fire Table
Andrew, one of our talented customers, shared the following pictures with us. They nicely illustrate how a simple box can transform into a fire table with a very sophisticated feel. The horizontal slats stained a dark color with a contrasting concrete top lend a high-end look to his finished project. Topped off with Meridian Blue fireglass, it’s a winner!
Key Things to Remember as You Plan
As you plan your own table, there are some important things to keep in mind.
Size is mostly an issue if you’re using a propane tank that will be housed inside the cabinet because you’ll have to design around it. You can gain more flexibility with your design if you run a gas line from the burner in the table to a separate cabinet where the tank will be stored. (However, if you plan on building that cabinet too, you will still need to keep the following considerations in mind.)
Size is mostly an issue if you’re using a propane tank that will be housed inside the cabinet because you’ll have to design around it. You can gain more flexibility with your design if you run a gas line from the burner in the table to a separate cabinet where the tank will be stored. (However, if you plan on building that cabinet too, you will still need to keep the following considerations in mind.)
PROPANE GAS is heavier than air and drops when released. To guard against a dangerous build-up of gas, propane fire tables are designed to be raised and bottomless.
The first step is to decide what type of propane tank you’ll be using—a 20 lb. tank, a horizontal tank or a 40 lb. tank. Their dimensions will determine your finished product.
For safety reasons, propane gas fire tables must have one side that is open. That’s why propane fire tables have no bottom in the base. However, it is essential to store the tank off the ground. Therefore, your design must include some sort of support for the tank within the cabinet.
This internal support must allow for at least 2 inches of clearance above the top of the tank and at least that much below the tank. Most designs allow for an open bottom and a raised height of at least 2 inches off the ground.
You now know the minimums you’ll need, but think about access. Would adding a few more inches above the tank make it easier for you to swap it in and out? Is that important to you? Perhaps you want to allow 4-6 inches above the tank instead of just 2.
Also, keep the finished product in mind. If you build the box with a 2-inch clearance on the bottom and then decide later to add casters (which raise it another few inches), now maybe your coffee table is a little higher than you’d like.
If you know you’ll be putting your table on wheels to allow for mobility, perhaps that added height can account for the clearance you’ll need below the table. But make sure the casters you use can support the final weight of your project.
Overall clearance is also important. If you are working with a tight space, make sure the finished size of your table will allow for the 3 feet of clearance you will need on all sides and the 8 feet above if the gas fire table will be in a covered area.
Strong Enough to Support a Tabletop
Your base will need to be strong enough to handle the weight of a non-combustible top such as granite or concrete. And keep in mind, a deeper ledge (more room for a wind guard, glasses and plates) adds more weight. You may need to add brackets to support the overhang. If so, you can choose ornamental elements and incorporate them into the design from the start.
Build in Easy Access for the Propane Tank
Look for plans that include ample access to the cabinet. The easier the better. Many people add a hinged door, but we also love this idea one of our customers used.
Randy Grissom shared the photos below of the fire pit table he made for his son’s birthday. Notice how he designed the door to be easily removed using ball catches. You simply pull on the handle and door comes off, allowing plenty of room to work with the propane tank. When finished, the door easily pops back into place with a little push.
We also love his use of wheels to make this fire pit easy to move around. Yet another innovative project from one of our customers!
Exterior Choices for Finishing Your Gas Fire Table
Wood is a popular choice for the exterior of our builds, but there are other good potions as well. Corrugated aluminum roofing has become a hot trend—run it vertically for a rural feel or horizontally with a concrete tabletop to capture the industrial trend.
In fact, one of our creative customers skipped the wood altogether—inside and out. In a big departure from the norm, Kevin Clark of Alaska, built his fire table from iron and rocks.
So, if you’re more comfortable with welding than nailing, maybe this can be your inspiration!
Create Your Own Fire Pit Tabletop
We recommend that your tabletop be made of a noncombustible material such as granite or concrete.
If you decide to make a DIY concrete top for your gas fire table, you’ll need a few additional tools and a place you can work with messy materials.
Detailed “how to” instructions are readily available online. We recommend you research a few sources before you begin to see whose approach seems most doable to you.
Be sure they are creating the same type of tabletop you want. For instance, if you are using one of our drop-in propane fire pit burner pans, you don’t need to create a tabletop with a “pan” built in.
Building a Custom Gas Fire Pit Table
Building your own table will require some effort on your part. It won’t be a weekend project like repainting a piece of furniture. But it may expand your skill set and save you some money to boot.
Building a custom table also allows you to get exactly what you want to suit your space and needs.
Questions About Your Gas Fire Pit Project?
We’re the experts on the gas portion of this project, but we don’t claim to be woodworkers. For step-by-step construction plans, you’ll find a variety of resources online or in hobby magazines. You may have to adjust some of the measurements, but the basic instructions should work for you.
If you have any questions about how the plans you’ve chosen line up with our safety guidelines, we’d be happy to look them over. We’re here Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET. Contact us!
One more thing . . . You can find many helpful resources for building a gas fire table, but one we particularly like is The Family Handyman. The table he builds for this project is strong with plenty of supports and the level of detail is excellent. Find it at https://www.familyhandyman.com/project/how-to-build-a-fire-table/.
