What Size Gas Line For A Fire Pit? (Find Out Now!)

A magnificent fire pit flame requires two things: enough gas and the proper rigid piping to deliver it. The size of the hard pipe is sometimes overlooked, and the resulting flame might be underwhelming. So, what size of a gas line do you need for the fire pit?

If your gas supply has 100,000 BTU available for your fire pit and the fire pit is 20 feet away from the gas source, you’ll need a 3/4-inch diameter hard pipe. The size of the gas line is highly dependant on how far way your fire pit is from the gas source.

This article is about using hard piping to transport gas from its source, such as your residential metered supply or a huge gas storage bottle, to the position of your fire pit. This includes charts so you can figure out what size of pipes you need for your fire pit. Let’s get started!

The right size of the flame is required for a nice flame. To deliver enough gas, you’ll need a lot of hard piping. Here’s a little example to demonstrate how crucial this is:

If your fire pit is at least 20 feet away from where your gas is, and the supply has 100,000 BTU for the fire pit then you will need to make sure you install a 3/4 inch hard pipe.

If the same fire pit is 100 feet from the gas source, a 1′′ diameter pipe is required. Over 100 feet, the 3/4′′ pipe would only deliver 68,000 BTUs! (Natural Gas), two-thirds of the needed amount!

Assume you’re planning to put a 75,000 BTU gas burner in your fire pit project, as shown in the Natural Gas Chart. The length of hard pipe from your gas supply to the fire pit construction is represented by the vertical column on the left.

(For every 90-degree curve in the pipe length, add 5 feet to that length.) The top row displays the various gas pipe diameters, such as 1/2 “, 3/4”, and so on.

Select the overall length of the gas line required in the left column. (If your calculation falls between two possibilities, always choose the longer distance). If you require 110 feet of gas line, you would choose the 125 feet option.

Now we’ll look to the right, along the line of figures that will give enough gas for our 75,000 BTU unit. The first number we find is 28, which equals 28,000 BTU, which is insufficient for our 75,000 BTU unit.

The next value to the right is 60, which represents 60,000 BTU, which is still insufficient for our 75,000 BTU unit. Moving to the right, the next figure is 117, which represents 117,000 BTU, which is more than enough for your 75,000 BTU requirement.

Look up to the top row of the chart, above the 117 figure, to see that a 1′′ diameter gas line is required. Because the formulas for Natural Gas and Propane are different, make sure you use the right chart.

It will cost between $300 and $500 to run a professionally installed gas line to your firepit. This cost includes materials as well as labor, but you should always check with your contractor to see what is included in the price.

It’s best to always get at least three quotes so you know that you’re getting the best deal. Also, it’s a good idea that you check reviews with the companies that you’re thinking of hiring. This way, you don’t pay for a job that’s likely to cause a new slew of issues.