Reprinted with permission from: Deck Design and Deck Upgrades
More and more people are choosing a chiminea style outdoor fireplace for their back garden or patio, and it’s not hard to see why. Chimineas have a very charming, rustic look and can work as an interesting feature of your outdoor decor. You can use your chiminea to provide natural warmth, light and a cozy ambience for relaxing evenings outdoors, and by adding a grill you also have a natural wood fire barbecue.
Unlike some other outdoor fireplace designs, chimineas have a chimney shape, so the smoke is directed upwards, and not outwards into your face. Chimineas come in a great range of shapes, sizes and designs, in all kinds of materials ranging from cast iron and aluminum to natural clay.
Tips for Using Your Chiminea
It’s important to note that if your chiminea is designed to be used as an outdoor fireplace, then it is not safe to use indoors, as you risk damaging interior surfaces with heat and smoke. Chimineas are designed as a permanent feature of your patio or back garden, and you can leave them outdoors all year round. If the chiminea begins to develop a little rust, you can easily clean it off with a wire brush.
Choosing the right type of wood to build the fire is very important. The pieces of wood will need to be small enough to fit through the mouth of the chiminea, so timbers which split easily are ideal. Dry pine and spruce, hickory, apple, red cedar and mesquite are all very popular, as they burn well and give off wonderful aromas. Be absolutely sure that the timber you are burning is not pressure treated, as it will emit toxic fumes. If the timber has a greenish tinge or a strange chemical smell, or you’re not sure whether it’s pressure treated or not, don’t burn it!