Never pea gravel, you want crushed stone as the angular pieces lock together and you need minus material instead of clean or washed or it won't compact well to a stable base. I would use 3/4" minus. Answer from bentrodw on reddit.com
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Stone Centers
stonecenters.com › blog › natural-stone-fire-pits-all-you-need-to-know
Natural Stone Fire Pits: All You Need to Know
Lava rock is formed by volcanoes, so it naturally handles high temperatures! It radiates warmth long after the fire fades and is budget-friendly. One thing to note: It's best for filling your fire pit, not building the structure.
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Walden Backyards
waldenbackyards.com › home › about fire pits › about fire pits
Best Materials for Building a Durable Fire Pit | Expert Tips From Walden Backyards
March 26, 2025 - ... Most stainless steel options on the market today are small, can-style burners which limit fire visibility · Natural stone, such as granite or sandstone, provides a timeless and rustic look for your fire pit.
Discussions

Best gravel for a fire pit seating area?
Never pea gravel, you want crushed stone as the angular pieces lock together and you need minus material instead of clean or washed or it won't compact well to a stable base. I would use 3/4" minus. More on reddit.com
🌐 r/landscaping
8
3
October 6, 2024
How to choose rocks for a firepit? Sounds dumb, but I know it’s possible for them to explode
I was always told no river rocks. More on reddit.com
🌐 r/Bushcraft
31
11
May 23, 2022
Pros/Cons of concrete vs paver stones vs gravel for back yard fire pit? Which would you choose?
Stamped concrete looks pretty good for the price. Not as good as pavers but also better then just gravel. More on reddit.com
🌐 r/landscaping
30
47
May 20, 2023
Best kinds of stones for fire pit?
I built this one for less than 200.00. Blocks at big box were 1.50 ea and insert from big online retailer for 75.00… https://youtu.be/DToPhKv2vYM More on reddit.com
🌐 r/HomeImprovement
13
9
October 21, 2021
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Petrosstone
petrosstone.com › home › 10 best stones for a fire pit | cost | durability | design
10 Best Stones for a Fire Pit | Cost | Durability | Design
August 12, 2025 - We cover the key things to consider first, and then provide details about the 10 best stones to be used for building the pit body. Options such as gravel, crushed stone, and decorative rock that complement the fire pit have also been discussed.
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Reddit
reddit.com › r/landscaping › best gravel for a fire pit seating area?
r/landscaping on Reddit: Best gravel for a fire pit seating area?
October 6, 2024 -

I am in the process of turning part of what was a massive flower bed into a fire pit area. Just a solo stove so don’t need to build a fire pit itself, i was just going to put some kind of round slab in the middle for it to sit on and then a gravel area for seating around it.

A quick google suggests things like crushed limestone or pea gravel.

Can someone recommend something that works well - sturdy for seating and walking on, not going to go all over the place, plus good drainage ideally?

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Bray Topsoil & Gravel
braytopsoilandgravel.com › home › tips › the ultimate guide to choosing the best gravel for your fire pit area
The Ultimate Guide to Choosing the Best Gravel for Your Fire Pit Area
August 27, 2025 - Some homeowners even choose to combine crushed limestone as the base layer and pea gravel as the top layer for a visually appealing and functional fire pit area. Sharps, also known as broken rock, is a gravel option that offers exceptional stability.
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Mountain View Stone
mountainviewstone.net › products › fire-pit-slate
Fire Pit - Slate - Mountain View Stone
Enjoy those cool evenings with ... fire pit can provide. Its natural chiseled stone appearance adds a sophisticated touch to any outdoor space. Durable cast stone construction produced using long lasting concrete. Perfect for any do-it-yourselfer, assembles in less than 10 minutes on a level surface with each layer just 4 interlocking sections. Premium manufacturing: to ensure you get the best fire pits, ...
Find elsewhere
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Fix This Build That
fixthisbuildthat.com › home › archive › how to build a diy stone fire pit
How to Build a DIY Stone Fire Pit | FixThisBuildThat
May 9, 2025 - Building a DIY stone fire pit is an easy project you can complete in less than a day. But there are key decisions you’ll need to make along the way. With step-by-step instructions, I’ll show you how to build a stone fire pit that you’ll love for years to come.
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Realstonegranitefirepits
realstonegranitefirepits.com › home
Outdoor Stone Fire Pits in Granite - Custom DIY Firepits at Realstone
October 30, 2022 - Enjoy your backyard patio this season. Create a spectacular outdoor fire with a real stone fire pit. Forget about concrete that cracks or man-made materials that fade. Granite is the best stone for fire pits.
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Better Homes & Gardens
bhg.com › home-improvement › porch › outdoor-rooms › firepit-ideas
31 Firepit Ideas for the Ultimate Outdoor Entertaining Space
May 2, 2025 - Your firepit should be set on a surface like brick, concrete, stone, or pea gravel to protect your property from fire risk. Additionally, you should never set a fire pit directly onto a combustible surface like decking, wood chips, or in a dry ...
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Bestwaystone
bestwaystone.com › product › gardenlockfirepitkit
Garden Lock Fire Pit Kit – Best Way Stone
Fire pit kits include metal inserts and are sold as a package. ... Our network of dealers can help you visualize your landscape solutions by pairing you with the right products for your customized projects.
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HGTV
hgtv.com › home › outdoors › outdoor spaces › fire pits and fireplaces
Stone and Concrete Block Backyard Fire Pits | HGTV
July 28, 2025 - Weathered stone gives this fire pit that “always been here” look, while comfy chairs can easily be moved closer to the flames on chilly desert evenings. As you consider seating for your stone fire pit, think about mobile vs. permanent options and which suits your lifestyle best.
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The Spruce
thespruce.com › diy-backyard-fire-pits-4142011
26 DIY Fire Pit Ideas and Plans for Any Style and Budget
March 11, 2025 - DIY fire pits are cheaper than purchasing one of the best conventional fire pits or smokeless fire pits, with most of the ideas below costing between $50 and $150. You can make a DIY fire pit using inexpensive or repurposed materials such as stone, bricks, pavers, concrete, and retaining wall blocks.
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Bunnings Workshop
workshop.bunnings.com.au › t5 › Outdoor › Fire-pit-area › td-p › 88867
Fire Pit Area - preparation for pebbles/stones
November 18, 2024 - I might split the difference and increase the road base layer to 40mm and have a 35mm layer of stones extra stones. Thanks for all your help, it is greatly appreciated. ... I can't wait to see your results, @bennybennybenny. Keep us updated. ... Thanks to everyone for all the help. I was able to get the firepit done over the weekend, and in my opinoon it's come up really well. I just need to level off some large tree stumps to form the seats aroudnd the fire pit, do some mulching and tidying up around the area and it will be all done.
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Old World Garden Farms
oldworldgardenfarms.com › home › how to build the perfect backyard stone fire pit – simple, inexpensive & elegant!
How To Build The Perfect Backyard Stone Fire Pit - Simple, Inexpensive & Elegant!
August 26, 2025 - In fact, as you will see below, we used inexpensive limestone “D” rock to build ours – for a total cost under $60. And that includes the installation and creation of a removable in ground cooking bar!
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Western Interlock
westerninterlock.com › home › pro tip › what do you put at the bottom of a stone fire pit?
What Do You Put at the Bottom of A Stone Fire Pit? | DIY
June 6, 2025 - To safely contain the burner and protect the walls of your fire pit, use a steel fire pit insert or burner tray. These help support the burner components and shield the surrounding blocks from direct heat. Once your burner is in place, fill the interior with materials rated for high-heat gas applications, such as lava rock, which allows airflow and supports the burner, or fire glass and ceramic logs or stones, which add decorative appeal and enhance the flame presentation.
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Stoneworld
stoneworld.co.nz › blog › 34-how-to-create-a-simple-inexpensive-natural-stone-fire-pit
How to: Create a Simple, Inexpensive Natural Stone Fire Pit | Stone and Water World
Some, like sandstone, are porous and can absorb water, which can lead to cracking and spalling. Others, like limestone, are soft and can be easily damaged by heat. The best type of stone for a fire pit is a hard, dense rock that is resistant to heat and moisture.