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 installed outside, a bare burner that needed parts nobody mentioned, a unit under a pergola with 8-ft beams — costs more to undo than to do right. This guide covers 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 | Look at | Price, freight included |
|---|---|---|
| Contemporary patio, outdoor room or pool lounge with a wall 5 ft or wider to anchor | Outdoor Lifestyles Lanai 48 — 48" linear, listed with LED lighting and crystal media | $5,200 |
| Traditional patio, stone or brick surround | Outdoor Lifestyles Courtyard 36 — natural refractory interior, listed with hearth kit and log set | $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 | — |
Call or text (814) 440-4817 and we'll check 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. 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, so check what else the listing needs. Our two listings each state exactly what they include: the Lanai 48 with LED lighting and crystal media; the Courtyard 36 with its natural refractory interior, hearth kit and log set. Your contractor frames and finishes the surround.
Step 3: Heat — Does an Outdoor Gas Fireplace Actually Warm You?
Within reason. Both units are rated at up to 55,000 BTU/hr input on natural gas (Courtyard 53,000 on propane), and the firebox throws heat forward at the seating in front of it. 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 heaters under the covered part of the patio.
Step 4: Linear or Traditional?
| Lanai 48 | Courtyard 36 | |
|---|---|---|
| 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 (on this listing) | Natural refractory + log set + hearth kit (on this listing) |
| 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 before you order | NG standard; LP conversion kit |
| 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.
Step 5: What the Whole Project Costs
| Line | Lanai 48 | Courtyard 36 | Who supplies it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fireplace (as listed) | $5,200 | $4,250 | Us — freight to the lower 48 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 manufactured outdoor firebox doesn't eliminate the surround, but it means you're building to one manufacturer's manual. We send the installation manual with the quote so your contractor is building to the right clearances from the start.
Outdoor Fireplace Ideas
- The outdoor room wall: Lanai 48 centered on a covered patio wall with seating on three sides.
- Kitchen + fireplace: a Bull grill island on one side of the patio, the fireplace on the other, sharing one gas line.
- Pool deck: Lanai in a low stucco wall at the end of the pool.
- Stone patio gathering spot: Courtyard 36 in a stone-veneer chase with a raised hearth.
Frequently Asked
Can I use an indoor gas fireplace outside?
No. Use only an appliance its manufacturer certifies for outdoor use. 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. Tell us which before you order and we'll confirm the correct configuration and any conversion kit with Outdoor Lifestyles.
How does it ship?
Freight to the lower 48 is included, with liftgate delivery. Inspect the shipment before you sign; if anything is damaged, note it on the delivery receipt and call us. We'll handle the claim with the distributor and manufacturer. How freight works →
Do you install?
No. We supply the fireplace, 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.
Call or text us → | Call or text (814) 440-4817, Mon–Fri 9 AM–8 PM ET | Shop outdoor fireplaces →
Designers and contractors: see the contractor and trade program 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.
