Sizing a Fire Table to Your Seating and Space

The right fire table size is set by three things: the clearances in the manufacturer's manual, the seating you want around it, and the path people need to walk past. Most sizing mistakes happen because people start with the table and fit the chairs in afterward. Start with the clearance your unit requires, place the seating outside it, then choose the largest table that still leaves the room comfortable. This guide shows how, with the published clearances from the brands we carry and a worked example.

Start with the manual, not the furniture

Every gas fire table ships with a manual that sets minimum clearances to combustible materials, and those distances are the fixed points of your plan. They are not the same across brands, which is why we never quote a single number for all fire tables. Here is what the makers we carry publish.

Waterstone does not publish a clearance table online, so ask our team for the maker's guidance before you finalize a layout with a stone table. For any brand, follow the clearances in your unit's manual, since they can differ between models and revisions.

How the clearance shapes the room: a worked example

Take a long rectangular table, 72 inches by 36 inches. That is the footprint of the AFD Legend Long, and close to many long tables in our collection. Now add the side clearance on every side.

With a 4 foot clearance, the figure in Prism's manuals, the clear zone becomes 72 plus 48 plus 48 inches long, or 168 inches, and 36 plus 48 plus 48 inches wide, or 132 inches. That is 14 feet by 11 feet before a single chair goes in. With AFD's 3 foot figure, the same size table needs a zone of 144 by 108 inches, or 12 feet by 9 feet. One foot of clearance on each side adds two feet to each dimension of the room.

Seating and circulation come on top. As an example, a lounge chair or sofa might be 30 to 36 inches deep, and a comfortable walkway behind it another 36 inches. Put those around a 14 by 11 foot zone and the whole outdoor room grows quickly. This is why a long table often suits a long, deep terrace better than a compact patio, and why a small space usually calls for a compact square or round table rather than a smaller version of a long one.

Matching table shape to seating layout

The table should echo the shape of the seating. A long rectangular table suits a sofa facing two chairs, or two sofas facing each other, because everyone sits along the length of the flame. A square table suits four chairs, one on each side, and makes a tight, even conversation group. A round table suits a curved sectional or chairs arranged in a ring, and it is the friendliest shape when the group size changes from night to night.

Scale the table to the seating group, not to the patio. A table that runs most of the length of the sofa in front of it looks deliberate. A small table in front of a long sectional looks lost, and a very long table in front of two chairs makes the chairs feel stranded. If you are torn between two sizes, mark both footprints on the ground with tape, add the manual clearance around each, and sit in the chairs for a few minutes. The right one is usually obvious.

Think about the view from each seat as well. On a long table, the people at the far ends see the flame end on, which can feel remote on a very long model. On a round or square table, every seat faces the center equally. If one side of the group faces a view, such as a pool or a garden, leave that side open or use low seating there so the fire sits in the foreground of the view rather than blocking it.

Table sizes across our collection

To give you a sense of the range, here are published sizes from the makers.

• Compact: the AFD Voro Cube is 26 inches square, Modeno's Roca is about 34 inches square, and Slick Rock's Horizon is 36 inches square. Elementi's Manhattan is just under 36 inches square.
• Middle: AFD's Contempo Round is 47 inches across, the Meadow Round and Cosmopolitan Round are 48, and the Contempo Rectangle is 52 by 36.
• Long: AFD's Legend and Iron Saddle Long tables are 72 by 36, and the Contempo Long L.P. Select is 76 by 36.

Prism's Tavola series covers square, rectangular and long linear sizes, from the Tavola 2 to the long Tavola 6. Each Prism product page lists the dimensions of that model. For small spaces in particular, see our guide to fire features for small patios.

Height, overhead space and wind

Height changes the furniture, not the clearance. Low tables pair with lounge seating, taller ones with dining chairs or stools, and our guide to pairing a fire table with outdoor furniture covers the heights in detail.

Overhead space is the clearance people forget. Prism and AFD both give 6 feet above the unit, and Elementi says not to place its tables under any overhead enclosure. That rules out many pergolas, covered porches and low shade sails, and it means patio umbrellas belong outside the zone. If your space is covered, choose the location with the manual in hand before you choose the table.

Wind matters on open terraces and rooftops. AFD says not to operate its units in high wind conditions, AFD makes wind guards sized to its tables, and we carry custom glass windguards for several Prism Tavola models. A wind guard also changes the look of the table, adding a clear frame around the flame.

Before you order: a short checklist

1. Download the manual for the model you are considering, or ask us for it, and note its side and overhead clearances.
2. Mark the table footprint and the clearance zone on the ground with tape or string.
3. Place your seating outside that zone and check the walkway behind it.
4. Decide on fuel. If you plan to use propane, see fire tables with hidden propane tank storage. For natural gas, plan the gas line with a qualified, licensed gas professional.
5. Check local rules with your building or fire department, and your HOA where relevant.

These tables cover the range from compact to long.

Common questions

How much space do I need around a fire table?

Use the clearance in your unit's manual. The brands we carry publish different figures: Prism gives 4 feet on the sides and 6 feet above, American Fyre Designs gives 3 feet from the unit edge to any construction and 6 feet above, and Elementi gives 48 inches from the sides and back. Furniture and cushions are combustible, so we plan seating outside that zone and add room for a walkway behind it.

What size fire table suits a sectional sofa?

Match the shape and length of the table to the sectional. A long rectangular table suits a long straight run of seating, and a round or square table suits a curved or L shaped sectional. The table should run most of the length of the seating in front of it. Then check that the sofa sits outside the clearance zone given in your unit's manual, and adjust the table size if it does not.

Can I put a fire table under a pergola or covered patio?

Only if the structure meets the overhead clearance in your unit's manual. Prism and American Fyre Designs give 6 feet above the unit, and AFD says not to install under overhead construction less than 6 feet above the top of the unit. Elementi says not to place its tables under any overhead enclosure. Check local rules with your building or fire department before planning a fire table under any roof.

Should I choose a round or rectangular fire table?

Choose the shape that echoes your seating. Rectangular and long tables suit sofas and facing seating along a terrace. Round tables suit curved sectionals and loose rings of chairs, and they adapt well when the group size changes. Square tables suit four chairs in a tight conversation group. In a narrow space, a long rectangle often fits better than a round table of the same capacity.

Sources

1. Prism Hardscapes, Tavola Series Installation Guide, clearances
2. Prism Hardscapes, Lombard Series Installation Guide v4, clearances
3. Prism Hardscapes, Moderno Series Installation, Operation and Maintenance Manual, page 10
4. Prism Hardscapes, Embarcadero 60 Manual, page 9
5. American Fyre Designs, Fire Tables Installation and Owner's Manual L-H2-058, Table 1, page 7 and page 19
6. American Fyre Designs, Fire Bowl Installation and Owner's Manual L-H2-064, clearances
7. American Fyre Designs, Ventilation and Clearances L-H2-001
8. American Fyre Designs, Square and Rectangular Wind Guard Instructions L-H2-014
9. Elementi, Manhattan OFG103NG Owner's Manual, page 4
10. Elementi, Andes OFG309LP Owner's Manual, clearances
11. Elementi, Manhattan OFG103 product page, dimensions
12. Elementi, Modeno Roca OFG107 product page, dimensions
13. Slick Rock Concrete, Horizon Fire Table, dimensions
14. Waterstone Fire Tables, FAQ