An outdoor living space will often tend to be completely open or partially covered. As such, you can expect the wind and breezes to come blowing in without warning and threatening to extinguish the flames of your fire pit. This can be rather troublesome for the fire pit flames preventing them from burning at their best height and color.
While you cannot control the weather and at what point winds choose to blow your way, you should be able to enjoy the flames on your fire pit undisturbed regardless of the wind situation.
The best way to do that is to get a windscreen guard for your fire pit. Most fire pits will not include the windshield for your fire pit with the purchase so you may need to get separately.
We highly recommend that when you buy your propane fire pit you get a windshield as well. It saves you so much trouble and allows you to enjoy your fire pit to the maximum even when the winds blow freely into your backyard, patio, terrace, or balcony.
Here’s how to do it.
1. Measurements
When taking measurements of your fire pan, you have to consider the shape. For rectangles and squares, taking the dimensions is pretty easy. All you have to do is measure the width and length of the fire pan. If the fire pan is circular, then you can simply measure the diameter.
Pick a windshield with an additional two inches on every side of the measurements you provide. This is to ensure ample space for the flames to dance around without being or appearing to be too constricted by the shield or prevent the wind guard from sitting too close to the fire.
2. Height of the windshield
For most small to medium-sized fire pits, a height of half a foot is usually adequate. Other than the height of the screen, you must choose the right glass for your windshield. One of the reasons most propane fire pit users shun the glass shield is because they think that the shield will obscure the grand flames from view and take away the visual aesthetic they provide.
That concern has merit especially if you opt for a darker glass. To circumvent this issue, be sure to choose clear glass for the best visual effect.
3. Glass screen thickness
Only tempered glass of high quality with the ability to withstand high temperatures should be used in the crafting of fire pit glass windshields. When it comes to glass thickness, the most commonly used glass thickness is 3/16 inches. However other thickness options are also available to suit varied preferences. Such include 1/4”, 3/8”, and 1/2” glass thicknesses.
Conclusion
Choosing clear glass glass with the above-recommended thicknesses, correct measurements of your fire pan, and meticulous glass craftsmanship, you can be sure that the resulting glass shield will add beauty to your fire pit design and not take away from it.
A well-fitting glass shield keeps the flames in your fire pan dancing gloriously without struggling against the wind.
