How Long Do Lava Rocks Last In A Fire Pit?

I love spending the night by a warm fire. Gas fire pits are a great way to get around places that don’t let you burn wood. If this is your first time setting up a fire pit, you may have a lot of questions about how to do so.

Getting your fire pit set up right can make it a lot more fun. Think about what you want to put in your fire pit. Lava rocks are a popular choice for fire pits that use gas or propane. Lava rock, which is also called basalt, looks nice and serves a useful purpose when used in a fire pit.

You should put lava rocks in a fire pit because they have practical uses like protecting the fire pit’s parts from the elements and being easy to maintain. It can also make you look better.

How long do lava rocks in a fire pit stay hot?

How long do lava rocks last?

Let’s look at these and other lava rock questions to help you get the most out of the lava rock in your fire pit.

What exactly are lava rocks?

Lava rocks are types of igneous rocks that are made when a volcano erupts. When the lava cools and gets hard, they form.

Lava rocks are made up of chemicals and minerals.

What are the chemical parts of lava rocks?

Lava rock is made up of a few main chemical parts and a few smaller ones. Among these parts are the following:

Iron

In fact, they have a lot of iron in them. Iron was found around 3500 BC, and its melting point is 2800 degrees Fahrenheit. This makes it easier for lava rocks to stand up to the heat.

Magnesium

In 1755, magnesium was found. Its melting point is 1202 degrees Fahrenheit. This is what makes it possible to light lava rocks and also makes them burn brighter.

Calcium

In 1808, calcium was found. It can’t melt at a temperature lower than 1548 degrees Fahrenheit.

The ferromagnesian group is made up of iron and magnesium. This just means that they are important chemical components. The rate at which these ferromagnetic elements cool down is fast.

A small amount of silicon and aluminum can also be found in lava rocks. In 1824, silicon was found, and its melting point was found to be 2577 degrees Fahrenheit. Aluminum was found in 1825, and the temperature at which it melts is 1220.581 degrees Fahrenheit.

What kinds of minerals are in lava rock?

Minerals make up the different parts of lava rocks. Pyroxene and olivine are two of the most common minerals. Plagioclase feldspar and amphibole are next on the list.

Lava rocks contain trace amounts of minerals such as hornblende, biotite, mica, magnetite, and quartz.

What are the practical benefits of lava rocks?

Porous surface

When a rock has a porous surface, there are empty spaces on its surface that let liquids or gases move through it. Gas bubbles in the lava flow create these empty spots, which are also called vesicles.

The porous surface lets water drain away and keeps your lava rocks dry. It also keeps the surface heat from reaching the bottom of your fire pit.

The flame spreads out evenly

One of the main reasons lava rock is used in barbecue grills is because it can spread and hold heat evenly. If you’ve ever grilled before, hopefully, your grill didn’t have “cold” spots where the heat wasn’t evenly spread. Lava rocks for propane fire pits do the same thing: they spread the heat more evenly across the burner pan.

Keeping the burner

When a gas fire pit is lit, the gas moves through the cracks in the rocks to fuel the flame on the surface. At this point, the flame and heat are mostly on the surface. Lava rock is naturally insulating, so it can protect the burner from the intense heat on top. This makes the burner last longer and works better over time.

Handling the heat

Lava rocks protect your gas fire pit because they don’t melt when they get hot.

Handling the water

In this way, lava rock seems to go against itself. Because the rock has a lot of surface area, water sticks to it and makes it able to hold a lot of water.

In various weather situations, a solid 3-4″ coating of lava rock in a fire pit can shield the burner and aid water flow to the fire pit’s own drainage system.

What are some more advantages of lava rocks?

Simple to clean

As long as you clean them regularly, it’s easy to clean lava rocks, and doing so makes them safer.

Lava rocks are easy to clean. All you need is some water. Putting them in a bucket with water and letting them soak for a while is the easiest way. You could even put some mild soap in it. This will help get rid of any dust or dirt that might be building up in the holes of the lava rock.

Make sure they are dry all the way through before you light your fire pit.

What you put into lava rock is what you get out of it. In other words, lava rocks will last a long time if you take care of your fire pit. If you always put a cover on your fire pit, you will only have to clean the lava rocks once every six months to a year.

Long-lasting

Lava rocks are made from volcanoes. These rocks don’t break down or need to be replaced every year.

Looking natural

What is more natural than something that comes from the earth and wasn’t made by people? These rocks are beautiful and give your fire pit a great, natural look.

They don’t cost much

Gas fire pit rocks are cheap, costing between $2 and $3 per pound, for what you get out of them.

Long-lasting natural color and appearance

Given everything I’ve said about lava rock so far, it’s not a big surprise that it’s so strong. Not only will it do its job for a long time, but if you use it normally, it should also keep its natural color.

What are the downfalls of lava rocks?

Hard to clean deeply 

Lava rocks are easy to rinse off, but it’s hard to clean them if something sticky gets on them. People often roast marshmallows over their fire pits, so marshmallows are a common thing that sticks to lava rocks. You might as well just throw away the rocks that are damaged because it is so hard to clean them thoroughly.

Fewer choices

Lava rock doesn’t have as many choices as fire glass, which comes in almost every color. If you want a colorful fire pit that reflects light, lava rock isn’t a good choice. Fire glass is probably a better choice.

Can explode when wet

This doesn’t happen often, but it can. Ceramic logs and fire glass don’t soak up water as lava rock does, so you don’t have to worry about them popping or exploding.

What kinds of lava rocks are there?

There are some variations in these colors, but in general, lava rock comes in these colors:

• Red/brown
• Black
• Grey

Lava rocks also come in different sizes. Some of these different sizes are:

• Size of crushed gravel
• Small, with a diameter of up to 1 inch;
• Big, with a diameter of 4 inches or more

Most fire pits use small lava rocks that are 1 to 3 inches across.

How to put lava rocks on a gas fire pit?

There are a few things you need to do before you start putting lava rocks in your fire pit.

When you get your bag of fire pit rocks from the supplier, you may find some dust in it. This is because the rocks come from a lava field and have been tumbled.

Many people put about an inch of pea gravel or sand at the bottom of the fire pit before putting the lava rock on top. Between two and four inches of lava rock are needed for most fire pits. Every fire pit is different, and yours will tell you how much wood to put in it.

It’s a good idea to use small lava rocks for the first layer of rocks on the gas fire pit. Fill the pit until it’s just above the burner. The small fire rocks, which fit together tightly, will make a good base for your next layer, which could be lava rock or fire glass if you can afford it.

You will need to figure out how many rocks you need to buy for your fire pit. This will depend on how your fire pit is shaped and how deep the lava rock needs to be.

There are different sizes of lava rocks for fire pits, usually between 14 inches and 6 inches, and a few colors, usually red or black and gray. Most fire pits use lava rocks that are between 1 and 3 inches in diameter.

Use only real lava rock in gas fire pits; don’t use fake lava rock made for planters or gardens.

When you light the gas burner, you can carefully move the rocks around with poker to make the flames look the way you want. When you use your fire pit for the first time, wait about 30 minutes before getting close to the fire. Small amounts of water can be in new lava rock, which will need to be burned off. The “popping” sound will come from the lava rock. Stay far away from the fire pit until you no longer hear that sound.

As a general rule, you should never put wet lava rock in your fire pit because it could explode or fly out of the pit and hurt people or animals nearby.

If you want, you can put some ceramic logs on top of the red lava rock. This makes it look like a natural fire with logs because the lava rocks let the flames dance around the logs.

Related: How to Put Out a Fire Pit Safely

How long do lava rocks keep their heat?

Lava rocks can keep the heat for a long time after heating them up. When the flames are turned off, it will take 20 minutes to an hour for the lava rock to cool down. If your fire pit or grill was on high, you should let the lava rocks cool for at least an hour before covering them or putting them away.

If you are cooking over lava rocks, you should have 15 to 20 minutes to cook before they cool down too much. Make sure they are very hot before you start cooking with them.

How long do lava rocks last?

Depending on how often you use your fire pit, lava rocks will last between one and two years, or even longer. You should clean them often to make sure they work well and are safe.

Lava rocks will wear down and start to break up over time. When the lava rocks start falling apart and crumbling, it’s time to get new ones.

How many times can lava rocks be used?

Lava rocks can be used over and over again in a fire pit until the rocks start to break up and crumble. If you use lava rocks every day, they should last at least one to two years. The lava rocks will wear out faster the more you move them around.

If you get lava rocks wet and don’t let them dry, they might crack or break. This also makes them live less long.

Is cooking on lava rocks safe?

You can cook with lava rocks. Your gas fire pit can work better if you add lava rocks to it. Lava rocks heat up and give off heat more evenly than a straight flame from the burner. Lava rocks will keep oil, grease, and other food-related dirt from getting on the gas burner.

Lava rocks are the best way to spread heat evenly, and the holes in them make them perfect for cooking a steak evenly all the way through. The heat can be so intense that you might want a pair of 500C heat-resistant gloves to keep your hands cool.

The video below shows how to put lava rocks on a gas grill and how to cook with it.

Lava rocks or ceramic briquettes – what’s better?

Gas grills are often used with lava rocks or ceramic briquettes.

Lava rocks are cheaper, but they can cause fires if grease and oil get into the pores of the rock.

Ceramic briquettes are made of a man-made material that was made to be better than lava rocks. Ceramic briquettes don’t have as many holes, so they don’t soak up grease and oil. Because they don’t break apart over time, they last longer than lava rocks.

They cost a lot more than lava rock does, though.

They are also the best way to get the same flavor as cooking with charcoal without using the chemicals that are in charcoal and lighter fluid.

Can you clean lava rocks?

Lava rocks are easy to clean, and if you cook on them, you should clean them often. To clean lava rocks, you have to turn them over so the dirty side faces the flame. Put a layer of foil over the lava rocks to make them hotter. Set your gas grill or fire pit to high and turn it on. Let it burn on high for 20 minutes.

This should clean the lava rocks by burning off all the grease, oil, and dirt. Do this for no longer than 20 minutes. If you let it burn for too long, it could hurt your grill and lava rocks.

How do you keep a fire pit with lava rocks in good shape?

At least once a year, you should take your lava rocks out of your fire pit and rinse them off so that dust and other dirt don’t build up on them.

Do lava rocks prevent flare-ups?

Using lava rocks also makes flare-ups less likely to happen. Flare-ups in your gas grill can be stopped with clean lava rocks. The lava rocks soak up grease and oil that drips from the food. This keeps the bottom of the grill from getting dirty. Grease and oil drips will build up on lava rocks if they are not cleaned.

Because the lava rocks are porous, grease and oil can soak into them. When this happens, the wet lava rocks can catch fire, which makes the grill flare up. Flare-ups on the grill can be stopped by keeping the grill and the things you use on it cleanly.

Can lava rocks be used to burn wood?

You might be wondering if you can use lava rocks to burn wood. You can burn wood on lava rocks, but you have to be careful about how you do it.

Up to 4 to 5 inches from the top of your fire pit, put a layer of lava rocks to protect it. After that, you can put the wood on top. Do not start a fire without this layer of lava rock to protect the area. If you want to know more, check the article about the best things to burn in a fire pit.

Note: It is against the law in some states and counties to burn wood. Before you burn wood, you should check the laws in your area.

How does using lava rock compare in terms of cost?

Using lava rock in your fire pit is cheaper than using other materials. The average price for a pound of lava rocks is between $2 and $3.

How much are you going to need?

For your fire pit to work right, you need to put the right number of lava rocks in the burner tray.

But how do you know how much is right?

If you buy a gas fire pit, you can look in the user’s manual to see how many lava rocks to put in it. Most of the time, this is between 2 and 4 inches of lava rock.

Most of the time, lava rock is sold by cubic feet or by the pound. About 25 pounds are in each cubic foot of lava rocks. Make sure you buy the right amount of lava rock by measuring your fire pit.

You can use online calculators to figure out how much lava rock you need for your fire pit. Most of the time, you’ll need 1 cubic foot of lava rock for a 24-inch burner plate and another cubic foot of rock for every 6 inches you add to the plate’s diameter.

Which lava rocks are the best for gas fire pits?

Now that we’ve talked about why lava rock is a great choice for gas fire pits and what other options you have, let’s take a look at our favorite lava rock options for your fire pit:

1. Venetian Princess Lava Rocks

With so many good reviews, it’s clear that the Venetian Princess Lava Rock is a great choice for gas fire pits. This listing comes with 10 pounds of lava rock in a pack for less than $20, making it a cheap choice. You can also get this option in a 40-pound bag if you have more than one gas fire pit on your property or a very large gas fire pit.

You can buy this lava rock in either a rustic red or black color to match your outdoor decor.

What we like:

• It comes in 10 and 40-pound bags so you can choose the right size for you
• Comes in black or rusty red color.
• Lots of good reviews
• Reasonably priced

2. Midwest Hearth Lava Rock for Fire Pits and Gas Log Sets

These pretty gray oval lava pebbles come from Asia and are used as decorations. Surprisingly inexpensive, they come in bags with 20 pounds of rock.

You can buy these lave pebbles in one bag, two bags, three bags, or even four bags, which adds up to 80 pounds of rock.

What we like:

• Looks nice
• It’s strong enough to be used in gas fire pits
• It comes from natural sources, and it’s cheap
• Comes in 20-pound packages of 1, 2, 3, or 4 (up to 80 pounds of rock)

How do you put lava rocks together to make a fire pit?

For your first layer of rocks, it is best to use smaller lava rocks. This will give the next layers of rock more support by giving them a solid base. This method also protects against heat.

When you first open the container of lava rocks, dump some of the rocks into a bucket and rinse them off to get rid of any dust that may have gathered during shipping. After you’re done washing the rocks, put them on a towel and let them dry for a few hours.

You can add the lava rocks once:

• the burner is in place
• the gas is hooked up
• the plate is in place

Place just enough lava rocks around the fire pit and burner to cover the burner, but don’t put too many on top of it. Your fire pit is now ready to use.

What are the dangers that could happen?

If the lava rock that has been in a fire pit is not completely dry, it can pop and explode when heated. If you want to keep this from happening, you should cover your fire pit often. When you’re not using your fire pit, these metal covers are a great way to keep your lava rock and other materials dry.

Even though they are expensive, they will help your fire pit materials last longer and save you money in the long run. If you can’t cover your fire pit, it’s best to wait until any wet lava rocks have cooled completely before lighting it.

Tip: In addition to covering your fire pit often, you should also check its drain holes often to make sure they are not clogged and the water is draining properly. If water builds up along the bottom of the burner pan, the lava rocks won’t be able to dry out, which could be dangerous.

What smell is that?

Some people might worry about how a propane gas fire pit smells. In the end, if your fire pit was set up correctly and is maintained and serviced regularly, it shouldn’t smell bad.

But what if it really does stink?

If you smell anything, turn it off, and don’t use it again until you have it serviced. If you smell something like rotten eggs, it could be a sign of a gas leak, which could be dangerous.

Having said that, you may smell some smells during the first step of setting up, which is called “curing.” There is no need to worry about these smells, as they are a normal part of the installation process. Some owners have noticed smells coming from lava rock, in particular.

What about a smell that is burnt or smoky?

If your fire pit smells like this, it’s just time to clean. Make sure your fire pit has had plenty of time to cool down before you try to clean it. Then you can use a dust rag to wipe down all the places where dust can collect. If you don’t clean the dust, it can heat up and cause damage to your fire pit.

What’s going on with your lava rocks – they exploded?

If your lava rocks are exploding in your fire pit, it’s because they have water inside them. If the rocks are wet, water can get stuck inside them. When the lava rock is heated, the water inside turns to steam. When the water turns into steam, it grows.

What do lava rocks represent?

Lava rock is a stone that helps you feel more connected to Mother Earth. It gives us strength and courage and helps us stay stable when things change. It gives us advice and helps us understand what to do when we need to “bounce back.” It is a calming stone that helps get rid of anger.

At the same time, lava rock has raw energy because it is formed by the fiery heat beneath the earth’s surface. People say that this energy stands for rebirth or renewal.

What other things can you use instead of lava rock?

Even though lava rock has many benefits, some people don’t like the way it looks, maybe because they think it looks too old. There aren’t many colors or sizes to choose from, so you might want to look for something else.

Fire glass

This isn’t glass as you know it, since regular glass would explode if it got too hot in a fire pit.

These fire glass crystals have been tempered to make them safe around fire and resistant to heat so they can withstand high temperatures. Beads made of fire glass don’t melt, burn, or change color. Fire glass doesn’t make any smoke, soot, or ash.

Firepit glass beads look different from lava rocks because they are smooth and sparkly on the outside.

This makes the fire in your fire pit burn stronger. It makes the flames flicker, shimmer, and shine brightly, especially on nights when it is very dark. This can add a lot to the mood. Most fire glass beads are smaller than lava rocks, and their shapes are more uniform, which lets them spread heat more evenly.

When fire glass gets hot, the way it reflects light makes it a powerful and effective heat source. Fire glass is a good heat conductor, just like lava rock.

Glass for fire pits comes in many different colors and sizes, so you can mix and match. Most fire glass in an outdoor fire pit is in the shape of a mound that is higher in the middle.

Many people chose to put fire glass on top of the lava rock they had already put in the fire pit. This is fine and saves money since fire glass is more expensive than lava rock. If you have the money, lava rock, and fire glass work well together. This way, heat is spread well, important parts of the fire pit are protected, and you have more design options for your fire pit. If you choose this method, aim to have between 20 and 25% fire glass in your fire pit.

If you put lava rock on the bottom and fire glass on top, you should put enough fire glass on top so that the lava rock is mostly hidden. If you use darker-colored fire glass, the lava rock will be harder to see.

Fire glass lasts a long time, but over time it may lose some of its shine. There are also times when the fire glass beads chip.

Fire glass will show dirt and soot more than lava rock, so you will need to clean the beads every so often. You’ll need to take out the fire glass beads, wash (you can use dish soap), rinse, and dry them well. This is a chance to clean the burner pan and remove any trash from the fire pit at the same time.

Tumbled lava rock

This is lava rock that has had its sharp edges smoothed off, making it rounder and more uniform in shape than regular lava rock. You can use this as a base, or you can put it all in your fire pit.

Sand

You can also fill your gas fire pit with sand. It can be used alone or with lava rocks or fire glass. It won’t look as nice, but if you’re on a tight budget, it will save you a lot of money and be easy to set up. It also works well to spread heat. But ash can get into the sand and make a mess, especially if the sand gets wet and needs to be replaced.

Dirt

This is an easy, cheap, and heat-resistant option for your fire pit. But there are a lot of bad things about it. When the ash from your fire mixes with the dirt, it can make a big mess that is hard to clean up if it rains. You’d have to shovel it out and put it back. So this is a choice that requires a lot of care.

Note: Before you put something in your fire pit or fireplace, make sure it is safe to do so. You can’t use just any rock or gravel because it could blow up if it gets too hot or on fire.

Conclusion

A lot of people like how lava rock makes their fire pit look like it came from the earth. Lava rock is easy to find and inexpensive, which is also a big plus. It reflects heat well, helps protect your fire pit from the weather, and comes in many different shapes, colors, and sizes.

When it comes to how to use lava rocks for a fire pit, they are better than some other ways to decorate gas fire pits in a few ways. Lava rocks are made of lava, so they can handle high temperatures well. This makes them perfect for use in a fire, especially one that is lit with gas. Adding a layer of lava rocks to your gas fire pit helps protect the lighter parts from getting too hot.

Your lava rocks won’t need much if any, cleaning unless you spill or drop something on them. You can use them with fire glass or in a wood fire pit.

When you’re done with them, you can even use them as landscaping materials.

In general, lava rocks are a safe and natural way to decorate gas fire pits. We hope that our guide has been helpful.

Image credits: Amazon, Pixabay, Unsplash and Pexels