An outdoor gas fireplace is the purchase that turns a patio into an outdoor room. It's also a purchase where the wrong unit — an indoor firebox someone installed outside, a bare burner that needed $3,000 of parts nobody mentioned, a linear unit under a pergola with 8-ft beams — costs more to undo than to do right. This guide covers the questions that decide it: where it can go, what "kit" and "complete" actually mean, heat, linear vs. traditional, and what the whole project costs.
The Short Answer
| Your space | Buy this | Price, delivered |
|---|---|---|
| Contemporary patio, outdoor room or pool lounge with a wall 5 ft or wider to anchor | Outdoor Lifestyles Lanai 48 Complete — 48" linear, LED lighting and crystal media included | $5,200 |
| Traditional patio, stone or brick surround, the fireplace people pull chairs up to | Outdoor Lifestyles Courtyard 36 Complete — natural refractory interior, hearth kit and log set included | $4,250 |
| Fully enclosed porch or three-season room | Neither — these are outdoor-rated appliances. Look at an electric fireplace or a Bromic electric heater | — |
| You want 360° seating or may move it later | A fire pit — here's when that's the right call | — |
Tell us what you're building and we'll confirm which one fits before you order.
Step 1: Can It Go Where You Want It?
Both Outdoor Lifestyles units are certified for outdoor use only, and the manufacturer defines "outdoor" precisely. The installation manual allows the fireplace:
- with walls on all sides but no overhead cover;
- under an overhead cover with no more than two side walls; or
- under an overhead cover with three side walls, as long as 30% or more of the horizontal periphery of the enclosure is permanently open.
So a covered patio open on one or two sides is fine. A screened porch with a solid roof and four walls is not — even with screens — and no dealer can make it so. If your space is on the edge of that rule, send us photos before you order.
Ceiling height. Both units need 39" minimum from the top of the opening to the ceiling or overhead structure, and 36" from the opening to any combustible object. Under a pergola or roof, measure this first.
On a deck. Possible when the structure is built to carry the finished surround and the clearances are met; the deck framing is your contractor's call, the clearances are the manual's.
Step 2: "Kit," "Insert" or "Complete" — Read the Listing Carefully
The word "kit" covers three very different things online.
Masonry kits are precast block systems you assemble into a wood-burning fireplace — a hardscape project, not an appliance. Bare fireboxes or inserts are the gas appliance alone; you source the log set, media, hearth components and finish, and the price you saw is not the price you'll pay. Complete systems are what we sell: the outdoor-rated firebox plus the components it needs to work on day one. On the Lanai 48 that means the LED lighting and crystal media are standard; on the Courtyard 36 it means the natural refractory interior, hearth kit and full log set are in the box. Your contractor frames and finishes the surround; the fireplace side of the budget is fixed.
Step 3: Heat — Does an Outdoor Gas Fireplace Actually Warm You?
Yes, within reason. Both units are rated at 55,000 BTU/hr on natural gas (Courtyard 53,000 on propane) — more input than most indoor fireplaces — and the firebox throws that heat forward at the seating in front of it. That's what makes October and November patio nights work in a northern climate. It does not heat an open patio evenly the way a room gets heated; the fireplace is the warm zone, and seating is arranged around it. For even heat across a dining table or a long terrace, pair it with Bromic infrared heaters on the same gas line.
Step 4: Linear or Traditional?
| Lanai 48 Complete | Courtyard 36 Complete | |
|---|---|---|
| Look | Wide, low ribbon of flame — contemporary | Classic upright hearth — traditional |
| Viewing area | 39½" × 17" | Open firebox, 30¼" wide × 41⅞" tall appliance |
| Framing | 52¾" W × 39¾" H × 13⅜" D | 47¾" W × 68⅝" H × 43⅜" D |
| Max input | 55,000 BTU/hr (NG or LP) | 55,000 NG / 53,000 LP |
| Interior | Crystal media + LED lighting (included) | Natural refractory + log set + hearth kit (included) |
| Ignition | IntelliFire electronic | IntelliFire electronic |
| Electrical | 110–120 V GFCI circuit | 110–120 V GFCI circuit, under 3 A |
| Fuel | NG or LP — tell us which and we configure it | NG standard; LP conversion kit |
| Best with | Modern outdoor kitchens, pool decks, rooftop and covered lounges | Stone patios, farmhouse and traditional homes, gathering spots |
| Price, freight included | $5,200 | $4,250 |
Notice the depth. The Lanai is a 13⅜"-deep linear unit that lives in a wall; the Courtyard is a 43⅜"-deep traditional firebox that needs a real chase. That difference drives the surround cost more than the unit price does.
Step 5: What the Whole Project Costs
| Line | Lanai 48 | Courtyard 36 | Who supplies it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Complete fireplace system | $5,200 | $4,250 | Us — insured freight included |
| Surround: framing or block, non-combustible board, veneer or stucco, cap | Your contractor's quote — the biggest variable, and the deep Courtyard chase costs more to build than the slim Lanai wall | Contractor / mason | |
| Gas line to the location | Plumber or gas fitter; propane needs a tank and regulator | Licensed gas installer | |
| GFCI electrical circuit | Required on both for ignition | Electrician | |
| Permit | Gas work and permanent structures are usually permitted | Your contractor | |
A custom site-built masonry outdoor fireplace, designed from scratch, is a five-figure project on its own. A complete system doesn't eliminate the surround — it eliminates designing a firebox, sourcing components and hoping they work together. We send the installation manual with the quote so your contractor is building to the right clearances from the start.
Outdoor Fireplace Ideas That Actually Get Built
- The outdoor room wall: Lanai 48 centered on a covered patio wall with seating on three sides — the most common layout we quote.
- Kitchen + fireplace: a Bull grill island on one side of the patio, the fireplace on the other, sharing one gas line. The grill feeds people; the fireplace keeps them there.
- Pool deck: Lanai in a low stucco wall at the end of the pool; the crystal media and LEDs read well at night.
- Stone patio gathering spot: Courtyard 36 in a stone-veneer chase with a raised hearth for seating.
Frequently Asked
Can I use an indoor gas fireplace outside?
No. Indoor units aren't built for moisture and temperature swings, will fail early, and void their warranty outdoors. Both units here are outdoor-rated by the manufacturer.
Does an outdoor gas fireplace need a chimney or vent?
No — it vents to the open air, which is exactly why it must be installed in a space that meets the openness rules above.
Natural gas or propane?
Whatever is at the house. The Lanai is configured for either at no charge; the Courtyard ships natural gas with a propane conversion kit available. Tell us before it ships.
How does it ship?
Insured freight with liftgate and a scheduled delivery appointment, free to the lower 48. How freight works →
Do you install?
No. We supply the complete system, the manual and the quote; a local contractor and licensed gas installer do the surround and connection.
Planning the Outdoor Room? Get It Checked First.
Send photos of the space, rough dimensions, what's overhead, and whether you have gas. You'll get a recommendation — Lanai, Courtyard, or an honest "your porch is enclosed, here's what works instead" — and a written quote within one business day.
Tell us what you're building → | Call or text (814) 440-4817, Mon–Fri 9 AM–8 PM ET | Shop outdoor fireplaces →
Designers and contractors: trade pricing and complete-build quoting for your projects.
American Hearth Supply — Authorized Outdoor Lifestyles Dealer. Specifications quoted from the Outdoor Lifestyles installation manuals (ODLANAIG-48, ODCOUG-36); build to the manual.
