Fire pits can totally change your backyard, deck or patio from looking cold and uninspiring to warm, cozy and inviting.
They change how we use our backyards from seeing them as a “once in a blue moon” area to something we want to use on an everyday basis. The days of just preparing the deck or backyard on special occasions are long gone.
With the added comfort factor of a fire pit the little fires will make you and your family want to spend almost every night outside – you might even eat dinners out there every day!
Keep family and friends around the warm fire during the cooler Fall nights talking, while cooking hotdogs and marshmellows what a neat moment to have real memories from!
It all sounds really great however you will need to set up anything you use when you setup a fire pit to be safe and functional.
Things to consider for safety are a fire pit mat. The heat of the coal or firewood can burn into the wood deck or destroy your lawn and may even do damage to tiled floors.
A fire pit mat is heat resistant and lets you move your fire pit around the home.
You can setup your fire pit in any location while protecting what is under it!
How Do Fire Pits Mats Work?
Fire pit mats are fire resistant not fire proof. They will be directly used to the heat of the fire source and they do their job by making sure it does not get to the surface below.
It is common for grass to get scorched and burning holes in if you dare to use a fire pit on the lawn, this is the same if you have a wood deck as the heat can burn through the wood.
Fire pit mats are made to be durable and have multiple layers of fire resistant one such as aluminum fabric and fiberglass to name a few. It’s outer fabric is eco-friendly, absorbent, and easy to clean.
Other than Heat – it takes care of moisture and burning remnants from your fire pit fairly well for long term usage.
When looking for a fire pit mat for your home, here are a few setting selections.r a fire pit mat for your home, here are a few considerations to pick from.
The 5 Best Fire Pit Mats
Here are the best fire pit mats available. Hopefully you’ll find one to meet your needs.
1. The Meitola Fire Pit Mat
Number one on our list is the Meitola fire pit mat, which is 100% silicone, fire suppression, and safe to use.
It’s built with quality performing durable materials. It’s safe to have on wood decks, grass, and concrete.
It is 70″ by 58″, so there’s ample room for any fire pit.
For liquid spillages, no fluids are absorbed, and as this is a completely waterproof silicone material.
This allows you to protect your valuable patio, deck, and outdoor surface spillage.
It’s a flexible, weightless, and portable fire mat. You can fold it up, and store it away for next time, you can move it.
Pros
- Its durable
- Has flexible
- Easy to clean
Cons
- The size may be a little small for some customers
- The edges can be susceptible to mold from the fold if not cleaned and dried properly
- A little pricey compared to other brands
Finally, one of the benefits to this mat is less maintenance, as it only requires wiped clean after every use.
Silicone has a good durability and will last, as it’s hard wearing nature.
2. The Homenote Fire Pit Mat
The physical fabric of the home note rectangular-shaped fire pit mat is fiberglass.
It is fire safe to put under direct wood fires, and can even absorb hot liquids splash as it will not catch fire or melt.
All the above qualities of fiberglass means this is a hardy material. It is safe for protection against heat, greasers, and hot liquid spills.
The top silicone cover is easy to care for and fold away. The mat could be used on either side since they are both made of the same material and there are no unique downside, or up side.
Pros
- The home note brand of fire pit mats come in a variety of sizes
- Easy to clean
- Good material that will resist heating and greasers spillages
Cons
- Relatively thin material that may wear out in time
- The mats can sometimes catch fire if too close to it
The home note mats also come in a variety of sizes and shapes. As a rule of thumb, when buying an new mat, measure your fire pit at the largest part, before you purchase a mat to ensure the correct fit.
Now that you’ve determined the size you’re going to need, you can order either a round or square or rectangular, depending on your style.
3. The Newtex Fire Pit Mat
Newtex has a fire pit mat that tolerates high temperatures because it uses an aluminized technology that cools the mat during heated situations.
The Z-flex technology will help to protect the wood decks or patios from burning.
The same fabric and design that you see in firefighters or rocket crew uniforms is applied here. The same advanced technology that protects against heat damage.
The Newtex fire pit mats are available in large sizes.
Pros
- It’s affordable
- It stays cool with high temperatures
- Very good on wooden decks
Cons
- It can burn through if the fire temperature gets over 1800 degrees
The best part of this specific mat is the name brand it is from a reputable company.
4. The Roaster Q Fire Pit Mat
The Roaster Q fire pit mat comes in a large size of 47″ x 47″ with a stainless-steel material and finish.
It also has a fiberglass layer that adequately protects the wood from heat damage.
If you’re a BBQ lover, this item will match your BBQ equipment.
There also is the reflective edge around it when using it at night. Again, you can see what you’re doing even in the dark.
Pros
- It’s lightweight and comes with a drawstring bag for carrying or storage
- The professional color makes it a cinch to operate and clean
Cons
- The fabric surrounding the reflective component may burn if the fire direct contact with the fire
Last, and certainly not least, this fire pit mat, is also water-proof, easy-to-clean, and its compact storage means you can store it away easily.
5. The DocSafe Fire Pit Mat
The DocSafe fire pit mat contains silicon, aluminum, and fiberglass to create, and provide, the best heat resistance and waterproof capabilities for many styles of fire pits.
If you’ve invested in a quality deck and/or lawn, you don’t want to take a chance of ruining it with burning charcoal embers. The DocSafe fire pit mat can help you with this issue!
This fire pit mat has been certified to withstand fire temperatures up to 2000 degrees.
You can now enjoy cold evenings with friends and family around your fire pit in confidence.
Since it is constructed using aluminum foil, ridding grease stains is easy, just wipe with a damp piece of fabric after it has cooled off.
Pros
- 100% refund or instant replacement if the unit is faulty
- Easy to clean, easy-to-use
Cons
- The size may be small for larger fire pits
- May also burn the grass underneath your fire pit – Use caution and follow the 2 inch rule
The compact design makes this portable, which makes it much more likely to travel with you camping, to picnics, or outdoor parties.
Factors To Consider Before Choosing A Fire Pit Mat
When looking for the best fire pit mat, there are a few things you’ll want to keep in mind.
These include the following.
Type of fire pit area/surface
When it comes to fire pits, they are usually installed and set up in very different spaces around the house.
You could have a wood deck, a grass backyard, or even brick or concrete surfaces.
So, based on what your fire pit sits on, it’s essential that you pick the best mat that will protect it well..
Type of outdoor fire pit
There are typically wood-burning, propane/natural gas, and gel/bio-fuel fire pits to choose from.
Fire pit builders make them out of concrete, brick, stone, cast iron, or stainless steel.
You will want to select a mat that can withstand all the heat sources mentioned.
Size of the fire pit
There are a variety of different proportions for fire pits, but the most common large-sized brick ones average about 30 inches wide and 19 inches deep.
The steel ones average about 18 inches wide and 12 inches deep. You will want to select a mat that works for your size fire pit, but also leaves room around it.
Cost
Depending on what your budget is, most medium-sized fire pit mats are around twenty to thirty dollars.
If you can stretch your budget a little, you can get a better fitting mat for your outdoor.
Installers recommendations
Most fire pit designers and installers have been in the game long enough to know which products are the best.
If you’re having a fire pit professionally installed, feel free to ask for some recommendations on the best fire pit mats.
How To Use A Fire Pit Mat
Using a fire pit mat is very simple.
Before you buy the fire pit mat you’ll want to know the exact measurements of your fire pit to know which size will be best for you.
- Put your mat under your portable fire pit. Or, you can put it on the ground before preparing a permanent stone or steel fire pit.
- Make sure that the reflective/protective side is facing upwards. The top side of the mat is what prevent heat from your fire, ash, liquids, and hot grease from making their way through.
- Always ensure that there is a gap between the fire pit and the mat on ground floor of over 4 inches.
Do Fire Pit Mats Require Maintenance?
Most fire pit mat material is rugged and resilient but you need to take precautions to have it last longer.
Clean it or wash it down every time you use the fire pit.
Food debris, grease/oil, and wood ash are the most common debris on fire pit mats.
If you won’t be using it during rough weather, make sure to roll it up or put it away to prevent twisting and damage.
Frequently Asked Questions About Fire Pit Mats
Can you use an outdoor rug under a fire pit?
No. Outdoor rugs only have chemical treatments, and no heat resistant materials and they can catch fire very easily.
Buy a fire pit mat that is safe and specially made to withstand direct flames.
Do I need a mat under my fire pit?
When using a portable fire pit up on grass or wood deck surface, you absolutely need one!
These can light on fire quickly and need to be protected.
If you have a stone or bricks for your fire pit the bottom will be thick enough to not let heat penetrate through.
What is best to put under a fire pit?
You should put protective materials under a fire pit to stop heat damage. You can buy flexible silicone and fiberglass fabric mats.
Besides, they do have solid protectors made from steel and aluminum as well.
If you want to make a permanent fire pit spot in your backyard you should use bricks and concrete. The bricks would provide fire protection.
Wrapping Up
Cozy nights around fire pits are some of the greatest times making memories with family and friends.
We hope by reading this extensive review you’ll be able to decide the best fire pit mat for your local home.
If you’re using a large fire pit, we would recommend going with the larger sizes. For small fire pits, the more compact does the job perfectly.