A fire table is a fire feature built into a furniture-height surface with a wide surrounding ledge, so it doubles as a dining or entertaining surface in addition to providing flame and heat. Heat output is comparable to a fire pit despite the larger footprint. Larger fire tables can weigh 300–450+ lbs, so check your deck or patio's load-bearing capacity before choosing a larger model.

Fire tables come in three shape families — round, square, and rectangular/linear — generally sized by seating capacity: round tables commonly run about 20–60 in. in diameter (seating roughly 2 to 8+), while rectangular/linear tables commonly run 36–72 in. in length (seating roughly 4 to 8). Weight increases substantially with size — one manufacturer's 48–72 in. rectangular line ranges from roughly 308 to 462 lbs — so check your deck or patio's load-bearing capacity before choosing a larger table.

Most gas fire features run on either natural gas or liquid propane — the two dominant fuels. Wood-burning and bioethanol/gel options exist but are niche, with bioethanol/gel used mainly on small tabletop-scale features. The right choice comes down to a practical trade-off between installation cost, portability, permanence, and ongoing fuel cost.

BTU (British Thermal Unit) is the standard measure of a fire feature's rated heat output — the amount of heat needed to raise one pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit. It's a manufacturer-published specification, not an independently tested figure, so it's best used as a general guide to relative heat output rather than a guaranteed number.

Beyond the general fire feature installation basics, a fire table adds three considerations that matter most: whether your deck can actually support its weight, overhead clearance if it's going under a covered patio or pergola, and a heat-shield barrier if it's going on wood or composite decking. Larger fire tables can weigh 250-750+ lbs, so the weight question deserves real attention before you buy.

Start with the group you usually host, arrange seats to face each other around a focal point such as a table, fire feature or view, and keep paths around the group rather than through it. Allow about 24 in of table edge per diner and 3–4 ft behind chairs. Place the space near the house door, where sun and wind suit the times you gather; seating around a fire feature must follow the product manual’s safety distances.