Ohio Flame · Installation
Ohio Flame Fire Pit Setup: What Arrives, What You Do
Every Ohio Flame fire bowl ships as a single welded assembly — the pedestal base is already attached to the bowl. There's no real assembly beyond unboxing and positioning. This guide covers placement, clearances, and the balance question people ask most often.
By Ash · Updated November 10, 2026
What you need
- Second person for lifting (mid-size and larger bowls)
- Furniture dolly for 100+ lb bowls
Ohio Flame weight by size
- Lightest bowl
- 38 lbs
- Heaviest bowl
- 260 lbs
- Steel thickness range
- 3/16" to 1/4"
- Assembly required
- None — pedestal welded to bowl
Step by step
Confirm the weight before you lift
Check the product page for your specific model's weight. Bowls range from 38 lbs (smallest Patriot) to 260 lbs (large Liberty with angular base). Over 100 lbs, use a dolly or a second person — the welded pedestal is NOT a lifting point.
Choose a stable, non-combustible surface
Flat concrete, pavers, or gravel on dirt all work. Avoid wood decks — the steel bowl runs hot enough on the bottom to scorch pressure-treated lumber. If a wood deck is your only option, elevate the bowl on a non-combustible fire-pit pad rated for 1500°F.
Confirm clearances to combustibles
Ohio Flame doesn't publish a specific clearance number because the pit is radiant open-flame, not a code-rated appliance. Reasonable rule: 10 feet from any structure overhang, 3 feet from any combustible material on the ground (furniture, fencing, dry grass). Observe your local burn-permit regulations.
Trust the welded pedestal
Customers frequently ask how the bowl balances on the pedestal. Answer: it doesn't balance — the pedestal is welded to the bowl, making it structurally impossible to tip from the pedestal side. The bowl can still rock if set on uneven ground. Level the surface first.
Common mistakes
- Setting the bowl directly on a composite deck. Composite decking (Trex et al.) melts at lower temperatures than pressure-treated wood. Even with a perfectly welded pedestal, the radiant heat alone can damage the deck.
- Expecting a "kit" to arrive". There isn't one. Unbox the bowl, place it, burn wood. That's the full install.
Hands-on tips
- Call ahead if your bowl is 150+ lbs — Ohio Flame can route to a liftgate delivery.
- A level is worth 2 minutes to make sure the bowl sits flat; a rocking pit annoys forever.
Questions people ask
Can I install on a second-story deck?
Check local code — most jurisdictions require specific clearances or outright ban open-flame fire pits above grade. Ohio Flame makes no structural claim about elevated decks.
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