Standalone Fireplaces

This collection sits alongside our main outdoor fireplaces and chimineas page, narrowed to flue-equipped wood-burning models with a back wall and open front — not the compact, bulbous-bodied chimineas that sit in the same parent range.

Why choose a flued standalone fireplace

Three reasons stand out. First, the chimney pulls smoke upward, away from seated guests, which is the single biggest comfort difference compared with an open fire pit. Second, the back wall reflects heat outward, so anyone sitting in front of the fireplace feels noticeably warmer. Third, the flue shelters the flame from cross-winds, which means a steadier fire on a breezy evening.

Materials and build

The range is built from corten weathering steel and coated mild steel, with a refractory-lined burn chamber. Corten patinates to a warm russet that suits a planted garden, and will stain the paving beneath it while that patina forms. Coated steel keeps its finish and colour but needs the coating kept intact — a chip left untreated will corrode.

Placement and clearance

Allow at least a metre of clearance on every side and keep the flue's outlet clear of pergola roofs, sail shades or anything overhead — a standalone fireplace still needs open sky above the stack to draw properly. A stable, level, non-combustible base such as paving or a concrete pad is essential, and the heavier pieces should not be placed on a soft surface.

Standalone fireplace, chiminea or fire pit?

A standalone fireplace has an open front, a flue and usually a solid back that shelters the fire from wind and pushes heat forward — most models here are single-sided, so they suit seating arranged in a row rather than a circle. A chiminea does the same job in a smaller, self-contained body, better suited to a tight courtyard. A fire pit is open on all sides and radiates in every direction, which suits seating arranged in a circle.

Honest trade-offs

A single-sided standalone fireplace warms the people in front of it well and everyone else barely at all, so it works when seating is arranged on one side and works poorly when it is not. It is also heavier and harder to move than a fire pit or a chiminea — if you rearrange your garden often, that weight is a real drawback.