Smoke is caused by little bits of the burning material which flake off and are carried into the air by the updraft of the flame. More smoke is produced by incomplete combustion, and combustion is helped by having access to more air. If you wanted to produce more smoke from a fire you would try to restrict its access to air such as by covering it with damp branches. To reduce the amount of smoke you would want to increase the fire's access to air, which is done by raising the fire and putting air holes underneath it. This allows it to steadily draw in fresh, cool air which allows the fuel to burn completely instead of becoming smoke particles. A similar technique can be used in the wild to make a stealthy fire. Two holes are dug and connected by an underground tunnel. A fire is built in one of the holes below the level of the ground, which prevents the flames from being seen from a distance. The other hole and tunnel allows fresh air to be drawn in near the base of the fire which again reduces the amount of smoke it produces. Answer from Phage0070 on reddit.com
Fix This Build That
fixthisbuildthat.com › home › archive › build your own diy smokeless fire pit
Build your own DIY Smokeless Fire Pit | FixThisBuildThat
March 14, 2025 - A smokeless fire pit works when oxygen reaches the fire from the top and the bottom of the fire pit. This increases the air flow and helps the fire burn efficiently. It’s also important that the firewood is dry and the fire burns very hot.
HY-C
hy-c.com › blog › how-does-a-smokeless-fire-pit-work
How Does a Smokeless Fire Pit Work? - HY-C
October 29, 2024 - Every fire needs fuel, and in a smokeless fire pit, wood pellets are the fuel of choice. But how does burning wood pellets instead of logs help eliminate smoke? The answer lies in the moisture content of both fuels. Logs may have more water in them than you might expect. A freshly cut, unseasoned log could contain up to 50% of its weight in water.
Videos
01:23
How Do Smokeless Fire Pits Eliminate Smoke? - YouTube
02:05
How does a smokeless fire pit work? - YouTube
05:31
Smokeless Fire Pits - Do They Work? Is Warmbond the Best? - YouTube
16:15
Solo Stove Hates Me For Showing You This! - YouTube
01:28
DIY Smokeless Fire-Pit Using Foam & Concrete - YouTube
Instructables
instructables.com › teachers › grades 6-8
Smokeless Fire Pit From Junk : 7 Steps (with Pictures) - Instructables
October 1, 2025 - The fire pit uses a secondary combustion system, and smokeless fire pits draw the air from the bottom of the pit. The air gets super hot, rises, works its way up the side walls, and is then sent back through vent holes around the lip of the fire pit.
Smokeless Fire Pit
smokelessfire.com
Smokeless Fire Pit
We guarantee it! At SmokelessFire.com we offer plans designed to make building a smokeless fire pit a breeze. We provide step-by-step instructions and detailed diagrams so you can build your own smokeless fire pit with ease.
Backyard Toasty
backyardtoasty.com › home › fire pit tips › what is a smokeless fire pit?
What is a Smokeless Fire Pit?
July 25, 2025 - After you light a fire and it burns for a moment, rising gases inside the fire pit create a vacuum that pulls air into the exterior holes at the base. The inlet holes direct the incoming air in two directions.
Popular Mechanics
popularmechanics.com › home › exterior projects › how to build your own diy smokeless fire pit
How to Build Your Own Smokeless Fire Pit | DIY Smokeless Fire Pit
May 2, 2022 - These fire pits create a hot fire, pulling in a lot of air to feed it at the base. They also provide a blast of air near the top of the fire that creates a secondary combustion and help exhaust gasses burn off more completely.
Reddit
reddit.com › r/explainlikeimfive › eli5: how do smokeless fire pits work?
r/explainlikeimfive on Reddit: ELI5: how do smokeless fire pits work?
May 19, 2023 -
How do smokeless fire pits work if they burn wood? (I.e solo stove)
Top answer 1 of 3
19
Smoke is caused by little bits of the burning material which flake off and are carried into the air by the updraft of the flame. More smoke is produced by incomplete combustion, and combustion is helped by having access to more air. If you wanted to produce more smoke from a fire you would try to restrict its access to air such as by covering it with damp branches. To reduce the amount of smoke you would want to increase the fire's access to air, which is done by raising the fire and putting air holes underneath it. This allows it to steadily draw in fresh, cool air which allows the fuel to burn completely instead of becoming smoke particles. A similar technique can be used in the wild to make a stealthy fire. Two holes are dug and connected by an underground tunnel. A fire is built in one of the holes below the level of the ground, which prevents the flames from being seen from a distance. The other hole and tunnel allows fresh air to be drawn in near the base of the fire which again reduces the amount of smoke it produces.
2 of 3
6
In a fire, smoke and soot are the result of poor (incomplete) combustion, usually caused by a lack of air to react with the fuel. You can make a fire relatively smokeless by providing sufficient airflow to it. A "smokeless" firepit like the solo stove has the fuel placed on a slightly raised area, contained by a metal shield. The shield has lots of holes punched in the bottom, which provides a lot of air directly to the fuel and helps it all burn completely. In contrast, most firepits or campfires are basically right on the ground or in a small pit. This reduces the amount of air that can reach the fuel, as it has to flow downward, against the current of hot air coming from the fire, to reach the fuel. This causes incomplete combustion and a smoky fire. However, it also has the benefit of burning fuel more slowly, which helps you stretch a small bundle of logs for a lot longer. A "smokeless" firepit will burn cleaner and faster, which means you'll need a lot more fuel to feed a fire of the same size as a campfire for the same duration.
The Charming Bench Company
thecharmingbenchcompany.com › home › news
How Does Smokeless Fire Pit Work? Here's What You Need to Know - The Charming Bench Company
A smokeless fire pit uses two walls to create heat and oxygen, which, as we mentioned, are two of the main components that a fire needs to burn hot. Both the inner and the outer walls of the fire pit will have vent holes within it.
Popular Mechanics
popularmechanics.com › home › gear reviews › how do smokeless fire pits work? we've tested plenty and explain.
We've Tested Plenty of Smokeless Fire Pits—Here's How They Actually Work.
April 14, 2025 - Native Americans of the Dakota tribe originated these ground fires to staved off windy conditions and prevent flames from spreading into the forests. It's made by digging a hole about a foot into the ground and building the fire at the bottom.
Wikihow
wikihow.com › home and garden › diy › how to make a smokeless fire pit: 2 easy methods
How to Make a Smokeless Fire Pit: 2 Easy Methods
October 3, 2025 - Place the hole under a tree canopy to disperse the smoke even better. The Dakota fire hole will minimize smoke, but it won’t be 100% smokeless. This will not work if there is no wind or it rained recently and the soil is wet.
Yard Focus
yardfocus.com › news › how to make a smokeless fire pit
How To Make A Smokeless Fire Pit: DIY Steps — Yard Focus
June 28, 2024 - Smokeless fire pits are engineered to pull in cold air from outside, which is then heated as it passes through a chamber. This hot air is finally expelled at the top, contributing to the combustion process and reducing smoke.
Reddit
reddit.com › r/diy › probably posted here a lot but diy smokeless fire pit
r/DIY on Reddit: Probably posted here a lot but DIY smokeless fire pit
June 2, 2024 -
Background:
A smokeless pit works by air coming in from the bottom and feeding the fire. Some air gets trapped in between a metal ring and the stone blocks. It gets heated and forced up, which shoots it out of holes in the top of the ring for “secondary combustion”, burning off the smoke.
Materials:
A. 34 curved wall tumbler blocks ($2.28 each)
B. 3 bags of gravel ($6.00 each)
C. Fire pit ring ($100)
D. Landscaping fabric ($30)
E. Landscaping edging ($28)
Optional:
A. Cement caulk or quick set ($10)
B. 36 misshapen blend pavers ($.78 each)
C. A bag of decorative stone for the border
D. Polymeric sand ($30)
Tools:
A. Shovel
B. Tape measurer
C. Wheelbarrow
D. Drill
E. Metal borer drill bit 1/2 - 1 in. diameter
Steps:
Buy supplies
lay out the stone in the spot you want it
Dig a circle 1-2 inches wider than the stone line
Remove the stone and dig out ground
Tamp it down and level it, slightly away from your foundation
Lay landscaping fabric
Lay landscaping retaining wall
Lay 1-2 bags of gravel. Level and tamp
Lay ring again and border around the ring. Polymeric sand the border if you would like.
Stack the stone blocks. Remove 1-2 (I changed my mind from 1 to 2) blocks from the bottom row for air intake
(Optional) cement caulk or quick set gaps in the top rows
Assemble the metal fire pit ring
Drill holes in the top of the ring, about 2” from the top lip. I did 1/2” diameter holes every 2 inches. I’m not sure if that is too few of holes. We’ll see.
Conclusions:
We’ll see if I have enough holes in the ring. I think that it will burn fairly cleanly from the big holes in the bottom and the less holes will help shoot the air further into the center of the fire.
I don’t believe I made enough of a gap between the ring and the stones but time will tell.
Overall I like how it turned out!
YouTube
youtube.com › playlist
How To Build The Ultimate DIY Smokeless Fire Pit - YouTube
Learn how to build the ultimate smokeless fire pit that actually works. I built the first DIY smokeless fire pit on YouTube and I'll show you how as well var...
Breeo
breeo.com › home › how we're smokeless
How We're Smokeless
Fires smoke because of three reasons: ... fire. So, what does smokeless mean exactly? ... The X Airflow raised air vent design on the bottom of the fire pit enables oxygen to feed the fire even after significant ash build up....
Smokeless Fire Pit
smokelessfire.com › diy
Build your own smokeless fire pit from a metal trash can – Smokeless Fire Pit
January 24, 2023 - That’s hot air mixing with (and burning) smoke. It rushes upward as it heats up, and is deflected into the center of the fire pit. That’s how a smokeless fire pit achieves secondary combustion.
Better Homes & Gardens
bhg.com › what-is-a-smokeless-firepit-6751322
How Do Smokeless Fire Pits Work?
September 20, 2024 - The appliance produces very little smoke because it uses double walls and secondary combustion to prevent heat from escaping. The secondary combustion system burns wood or charcoal down to ash, consuming any remaining smoke particles.
Backyard Oasis
backyardoas.com › blogs › fire-pit › how-do-smokeless-fire-pits-work
How Smokeless Fire Pits Work: Understand the Science Behind their Working — Backyard Oasis
September 17, 2025 - Vent placement is another critical factor in how smokeless fire pits work. Lower vents in the outer wall allow air to enter and circulate. Upper vents in the taller inner wall create a chimney effect. As the heated air rises, it exits through the upper vents and carries smoke and gases with it.
Hot Ash Stove
hotashstove.com › blogs › news › what-is-a-smokeless-fire-pit-and-why-should-you-care
What is a Smokeless Fire Pit? And Why Should You Care? – Hot Ash Stove
January 20, 2021 - Gasification works by superheating the air around the fire and releasing it to reignite any smoke particulates before they leave the pit itself. Most gasifying fire pits use a double-walled design to achieve this.
The Spruce
thespruce.com › diy-smokeless-fire-pit-7376218
How to Make a DIY Smokeless Fire Pit
June 15, 2024 - A smokeless fire pit gives off little or no smoke because the smoke is burned a second time before it is exhausted to the outside. Though it may not produce visible smoke, the fire pit still emits carbon monoxide.
Smokeless Fire Pit
smokelessfire.com › what-is-a-smokeless-fire-pit-and-how-does-it-work
What Is a Smokeless Fire Pit and How Does It Work? – Smokeless Fire Pit
January 24, 2023 - So the real advantage of a smokeless fire pit is that it channels fresh air around the outside of the fire, with cool air entering at the bottom, then hating up and rising to escape near the top of the fire.