Using Fire Glass in Your Fire Pit
Contents
What is Fireglass?
There is something magical about Glass…whether it’s the transparency of it, the versatility of its functions or even merely for aesthetic reasons. It is such a significant piece of material back in the old world as it is today, and its many other uses are continuously evolving. With modern technology, ways have been devised to make glass more multifaceted. One of them is by turning it into use with a decorative fire pit or a fireplace medium. This is not your typical broken glass pieces though. This is a very special glass material called Fire Glass. Fire Glass is made of recycled glass (thus, we can say, it is sustainable).
The glass pieces are put through extreme heat and then flashed “quenching” them with high pressure air. This process is called tempering. The rapid cooling on the exterior reduces the temperature way faster than the interior of the glass which causes tension within the glass pieces. The opposite temperature of extreme heat and the flashed cooling process makes the fire glass incredibly strong compared to regular glass. Fire glass is completely non combustible. It can withstand high heat, therefore, it makes a great medium on any fire feature. Another characteristic that makes fire glass more exquisite are the colours available. We can all agree that a splash of colour makes a huge difference in a space! The charm that the glass adds on its own is only enhanced by the appealing colours especially when lit with frolicking flames.
Why Choose Fire Glass instead of Lava Rock?
Needless to say, it does look fabulous! This fire pit topping definitely adds more glamour and pizazz to your modern outdoor fire pit. That’s just the colour part of it. You can also learn more about lava rock on our other blog post here
What are the advantages of Fire Glass?
– Fire glass does not leave soot in your fire pit – No mess, no fuss in cleaning your burner
– Safe to use and no toxic pollutants emitted in the air
– Completely non combustible and will not explode
– It will not burn or discolour for years and years
– Very low maintenance
Is Regular Glass Safe to Use in a Fire Pit?
Is regular glass safe to use for a fire pit? Absolutely not! Non tempered glass does not have the capacity to stand against high heat, consequently shattering into tiny little pieces. The explosion of glass splinters is inevitable in a scenario such as this and could cause long term physical damage if they get hit by the flying debris or worse, lose an eye.
What's the difference between Reflective and Non-Reflective Glass?
There are many types and shapes of Fire glass but the two most popular types are the reflective and the non-reflective kind. Reflective fire glass is chemically treated and is varnished on one side to achieve a mirror like effect especially when lit. The mirror effect heightens the reflective characteristics of the fireglass causing a cozy glow and shimmer of the dancing flames.
Non reflective fire glass on the other hand stays true to its original colour. It may not reflect the flames but it gives out some kind of tantalizing fluid- like effect whilst on fire. In conclusion, reflective fire glass emits lights outwards while the non reflective fire glass permeates through the glass. Both styles are equally stunning and oozing with modern
What is the Maintenance on Fire Glass?
As much as fire glass has a very low maintenance, it is best to keep it cleaned once or twice a year. It can be done by turning over the glass or moving them around and flipping over the other side that does not get sun exposure. It is also advisable to put a lid or some kind of cover on the fire pit to increase the longevity and lifespan of the fire glass. Another way to clean the fire glass is to wash them with a 50/50 water and vinegar solution. Scoop the dirty fire glass, put them in the bucket of the solution and rinse them thoroughly. It is important that all the fire glass is dried completely after washing. In tempered glass trapped moisture causes the fire glass to expand when lit and makes crackling, scary, popping sounds. The sound could be a little bit disturbing.
The beauty of this fire pit filler is that it does not have to be the only medium to use for the fire pit. It can be combined with other types of medium like the lava rock, river stones and other coloured fire glass or glass beads for an even more impressive look!
Fire glass variety of styles and colours
Watch Fire Glass lit up!
Check out our Linea 60 with Black Fire glass on the linear fire pit accessories video, and see how the fire glass toppings make it look ultra modern.
See modern fire pit accessories lit up! Learn about the accessories available for your DreamCast Firepit in this video featuring the Linea 60 Fire Table. This beautiful fire table can be run on propane or natural gas at 190K BTU and is available in a wide variety of colors and accessory options. In this video, we’ll show you a selection of the accessories you can enhance your DreamCast Fire Pit with. Watch more video on our Youtube channel.
