Fire Pit Builders DFW | Custom Gas & Wood Fire Pits
Texas Stone Craft builds custom fire pits and outdoor fireplaces across Dallas-Fort Worth in hand-carved GFRC. Standalone gas pits run $3,500-$8,000, pits with a seating wall $6,000-$15,000 and full outdoor fireplaces $12,000-$25,000. Build time is 3-5 days for a standalone pit and 10-14 days for a fireplace. We handle the permits.
| Service | Custom gas and wood-burning fire pits, outdoor fireplaces, seating walls |
|---|---|
| Service area | Dallas, Fort Worth, Plano, Arlington, Frisco and the wider DFW metroplex |
| Typical price range | $3,500-$8,000 standalone gas pit, $6,000-$15,000 with seating wall, $12,000-$25,000 outdoor fireplace, $18,000-$35,000+ fireplace and kitchen combo |
| Typical timeline | 3-5 days standalone gas pit, 5-8 days with seating wall, 10-14 days outdoor fireplace |
| Fuel options | Natural gas, propane or wood-burning, with electronic ignition, key valve or remote |
| Materials | Hand-carved Glass Fiber Reinforced Concrete, carved on site, built for fire-feature heat |
| Permits | Gas line permits in Dallas and Fort Worth, building permits for permanent fireplaces. We file and schedule inspections. |
| Warranty | 5-year workmanship warranty |
| Why GFRC instead of natural stone | Far lighter than a solid stone assembly, so it needs less foundation on expansive clay, and it costs 40-60% less than natural stone |
Fire Pit Builders for Fort Worth, Dallas and DFW
Texas Stone Craft builds custom fire pits and outdoor fireplaces in hand-carved GFRC, gas and wood-burning, for DFW homeowners who want the backyard to work past October. We handle fire pit installation in Fort Worth and across Tarrant County, in Dallas, Arlington, Plano, Frisco and the rest of the metroplex, from a standalone gas pit to a full outdoor fireplace with seating and cooking built in.
Our fire features use hand-carved GFRC that replicates the look of quarried rock, brick or a custom texture at a fraction of the weight and 40-60% less cost than natural stone. Every installation includes gas line coordination, DFW permit handling, and materials engineered for Texas heat, cold snaps and year-round outdoor use.
Why GFRC Outperforms Quarried Rock on DFW Fire Pits
DFW's climate puts specific demands on fire feature materials. Summer surface temperatures expand everything on the patio, January cold snaps contract it, and the clay underneath moves on its own schedule. Hand-carved GFRC is engineered for those conditions:
- Built for fire-feature heat — Designed to sit around a working gas burner
- Freeze-thaw resistant — Low porosity once sealed keeps out the water absorption that splits stone in DFW winters
- UV stable pigments — Holds color under 300+ days of intense Texas sun
- Far lighter than natural stone — Reduces foundation requirements on expansive clay soil
- Custom carving — Any texture, color or shape without quarry limitations
- Carved on site — Not stamped from a mold, so no repeating pattern shows up around the ring
Rated up to 4,000 PSI, with a 50+ year service life, the structure outlasts the burner hardware inside it by decades. Burners, ignition modules and valves are serviceable parts. The carved shell is the part you only buy once.
DFW Fire Pit and Fireplace Types We Build
Gas Fire Pits
Instant ignition, adjustable output and clean operation make gas the most common choice for DFW entertaining. We install natural gas and propane configurations with electronic ignition, key valve or remote control systems.
Gas fire pit shapes: Round bowls, square tables, rectangular troughs, linear channels, custom geometric designs
BTU range: 40,000-120,000 BTU depending on size and heating radius
Gas line requirements: We coordinate with licensed DFW plumbers for natural gas connections or install dedicated propane systems with concealed tank storage.
Media choice changes the look more than most buyers expect. Tempered fire glass throws light and reads contemporary. Lava rock absorbs heat and reads rustic. Ceramic logs mimic a wood fire for clients who want the traditional look with the gas convenience. All three work with the same burner, so this is a decision you can make late in the process.
Wood-Burning Fire Pits
For homeowners who prefer the authentic experience: crackling wood, campfire smell and radiant heat. Our wood-burning designs include proper ventilation, spark screens and DFW setback compliance.
Design options: Sunken fire pits, raised bowls, open-air rings with cooking grate integration
DFW regulations: Dallas and Fort Worth both require a permanent wood-burning pit to sit at least 10 feet from structures and combustible material. We design placement to meet local codes while keeping the pit usable.
Wood-burning pits need somewhere to put the wood. We build storage into the seating wall or the adjacent patio wall on most of these projects so the stack is not sitting against the house, where it invites insects into the siding.
Outdoor Fireplaces
A full outdoor fireplace creates a vertical focal point and a functional heating element that a ground-level pit cannot match. Our GFRC fireplaces include mantels, hearths and chimney structures carved to whatever texture the rest of the yard calls for.
Styles: Traditional masonry, stacked rock, modern linear, rustic ranch, contemporary minimalist
Features: Integrated wood storage, built-in seating walls, mantel shelving, TV mounting capability, optional pizza oven integration
A fireplace is also the right answer when the yard has a wind problem. The firebox and chimney shelter the flame and push smoke up and away, which a low open ring cannot do on a gusty February evening.
Seating Walls and Patio Integration
Built-In Seating Walls
GFRC seating walls surrounding your fire pit create a permanent outdoor gathering space. We build walls at 18-inch seating height with 12-inch depth, capped with smooth GFRC for comfort. Seating walls integrate with the patio design and match countertop materials on the same property.
Seating capacity by configuration:
- Half-circle seating wall: 6-8 people
- Three-quarter circle: 8-12 people
- Full circle with entry gap: 10-14 people
- L-shaped with fire pit: 8-10 people
The cap is the part people touch, so it gets the most attention during finishing. We pull the cap edge slightly proud of the wall face and round it, which keeps the back of a knee off a square corner and sheds water away from the joint.
Placement on the Lot
Fire pits work best as the centerpiece of a patio seating area. We set placement around prevailing wind direction, which runs south-southeast through most of the DFW warm season, distance from the house, sightlines from the indoor living space, and traffic flow between the cooking area and the seating.
Setback rules constrain this more than homeowners expect on a small lot. Ten feet from the house, the fence and any wood pergola can push a wood-burning ring into the middle of the only usable lawn. In that situation a gas pit set to its burner's listed clearances, or a fireplace designed for the back of the patio, usually solves the layout.
DFW Fire Feature Permit Requirements
Dallas Fire Pit Permits
- Gas connections: Permit required for all natural gas fire features
- Setback: 10 feet from structures and combustible material for a permanent wood-burning pit; gas pits follow the burner's listed clearances
- Permanent structures: Outdoor fireplaces require Dallas building permits
- HOA approval: Required in most Dallas neighborhoods
Fort Worth Fire Pit Permits
- Gas connections: Permit required through Fort Worth Development Department
- Setback: 10 feet from structures for wood-burning fire pits
- Permanent structures: Building permit required for fireplaces and fire walls
- Tarrant County: Additional requirements for unincorporated areas
Fire Pit Installation in Fort Worth: What Changes
The Fort Worth rules shape the layout more than the price. A permanent wood-burning pit needs 10 feet from structures and combustible material, and that counts the fence, a wood pergola and the storage shed as well as the house. On a smaller backyard those clearances decide whether a wood ring fits at all. The gas permit runs through the Fort Worth Development Department. On a property outside city limits, Tarrant County requirements apply instead. Burn bans come from the Tarrant County judge, and a wood pit sits idle for the length of one. That is why some of our clients run both: a gas pit near the house for any night, and a wood ring further out for the nights the order allows it.
Suburban DFW Permits
Plano, Frisco, Arlington, McKinney and other DFW cities have individual fire feature regulations. We research and handle permitting for your specific municipality.
We handle all DFW permits: From gas line applications to final inspections, we coordinate the complete permit process so you do not have to. Most permits are approved within two to three weeks.
HOA architectural review runs on its own clock alongside the city. Where a board meets monthly, that calendar, not the city, sets your start date. We prepare the submission package early for clients in master-planned neighborhoods so the review window overlaps the permit window instead of following it.
DFW Fire Feature Cost Guide
Standalone Gas Fire Pit: $3,500-$8,000
Includes: GFRC fire bowl or pit, gas burner system, ignition controls, fire glass or lava rock media, basic gas line connection
Fire Pit with Seating Wall: $6,000-$15,000
Includes: GFRC fire pit, matching GFRC seating wall from half to full circle, cap stones, gas or wood-burning system, integrated lighting options
Outdoor Fireplace: $12,000-$25,000
Includes: Full GFRC fireplace structure, chimney, hearth, mantel, gas or wood-burning firebox, foundation work, custom finish texture
Fireplace + Kitchen Combination: $18,000-$35,000+
Includes: Outdoor fireplace, adjacent kitchen counter, shared GFRC material palette, gas connections for both, integrated design
What Moves the Number
- Gas line distance from the meter to the fire feature location
- Foundation requirements based on the soil we find on your lot
- Seating wall length and height
- Custom GFRC finish complexity
- Permit fees by municipality
- HOA architectural review requirements
Two quotes on the same size pit can differ by several thousand dollars on the gas run alone. Ask any contractor to break that line out separately. If it is buried in a lump sum, you cannot see what the placement is costing you.
Our DFW Fire Pit Installation Process
Step 1: Free On-Site Consultation We visit your DFW property to assess the space, discuss gas against wood-burning, review setback requirements, evaluate soil and foundation conditions, and give design recommendations that fit your outdoor living goals.
Step 2: Custom GFRC Design 3D renderings showing the fire feature in context with your existing patio, landscaping and home. Select GFRC texture, color and finish. Choose burner type, media and control system.
Step 3: DFW Permits and Coordination We submit permit applications, schedule inspections, coordinate gas line work with licensed plumbers, and manage HOA submissions for your municipality.
Step 4: Installation GFRC fabrication, foundation preparation, masonry construction, gas line connection, burner installation, finish work and fire media placement. Every step inspected for safety and quality.
Step 5: Final Walkthrough and Ignition Complete system test, safety briefing, GFRC maintenance instructions, warranty documentation, and your first fire.
Pairing a Fire Pit With Water and a Patio
A fire pit often goes in with other work: a new patio poured on the same job, or a water feature in the same view. Planning them together is what makes the yard look designed instead of assembled.
The patio comes first in the sequence. We set the pad for the pit and the gas chase before the patio is poured, so the line never has to be bored under finished concrete later, and we carve the patio and the pit in the same texture and color. See our hand-carved concrete patios for the surface side of that.
Fire next to water works when the two are placed for the seating, not for each other. The pit gets the conversation distance, the waterfall gets the view line from the chairs, and the sound of the water covers road noise without competing with the people talking. In Tarrant County we can draw both on one plan with a Fort Worth water feature. Our fire features and outdoor living page covers how to zone a whole yard around them.
Fire Pit Maintenance and Long-Term Care
GFRC fire features ask for far less upkeep than quarried rock. Clean fire glass or lava rock media once per season, since a garden hose and mild detergent handle soot and residue. Check gas connections and burner ports annually before heavy-use season, which runs October through March in DFW. Reseal the GFRC surface every 3-5 years with a UV-stable penetrating sealer to hold color and water resistance. No mortar joints to repoint, no cracked stones to replace, no settling to correct.
Burner ports are the one part worth a close look each fall. Spiders nest in them over a quiet summer, and a partially blocked port shows up as an uneven flame before it shows up as anything worse. A minute with a shop vacuum in October prevents the call in December.
Media has a service life of its own. Fire glass clouds over several seasons as soot works into the surface, and lava rock breaks down into fines that settle around the burner and restrict airflow. Both are inexpensive to replace and neither is an emergency. Plan on refreshing the media roughly every third season on a pit that gets heavy winter use, and rinse and dry it thoroughly if you pull it for cleaning rather than putting it back damp.
We provide a detailed maintenance guide at project completion.
Start Your DFW Fire Pit Project
Contact us today for a free on-site consultation. We will assess your space, walk through design options, and give you a detailed estimate for your custom fire pit or outdoor fireplace.
Related Services
- Fire Features & Outdoor Living — How fire fits into a whole backyard plan
- Outdoor Kitchens — Complete outdoor cooking and entertaining spaces
- Hand-Carved Concrete Patios — Patio surfaces that carry the same carved texture
- Water Features — Waterfalls, ponds and grottos
- Outdoor Living — Full outdoor living design and build
Featured Project
See our Carved Concrete Patio and Fire Pit in Southlake case study, a full GFRC fire pit with wraparound seating wall, gas ignition system and matching patio surface carved on site in a single week.
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