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Wind Guards for Fire Pits, What Size Do I Need?

Fire Pit Safety
February 14, 2020
Table of contents

Fire Pit Glass Wind Guards

Fire Pit Wind Guards are by far the top-selling fire pit accessory, and there is an excellent reason for that. They are a simple and very effective solution to the problem of a windblown flame.

La Jolla Fire Pit Black with Fire Guard by The Outdoor Plus
La Jolla Fire Pit Black with Rectangular Fire Guard by The Outdoor Plus

If you already have a fire pit, you will know how even a small amount of breeze can blow the flame off-center, and a much stronger breeze can blow the flame out rendering the fire pit useless!

Ultimately this can result in it being slightly ‘uncomfortable’ on one side of the fire pit, to not being able to use it at all because the wind is too strong.

Wind Guards for Fire Pits, What Size do I Need?

First, select the shape. Fire Pit Screens come in a variety of shapes but usually, a round wind guard is used with a round fire pit, a square wind guard with a square fire pit, etc.

To select the correct size glass guard for your fire pit, you need to follow two rules:

  1. Wind guards are designed to fit outside of the fire pit burn area. They straddle the opening and sit on the top surface of the fire pit structure. They should never be placed within the burn area or installed upon the fire pit pan.
  2. Allow a minimum of 2″ inches on all sides from the burn area of the fire pit to the inside of the wind guard. Follow the manufacturers’ recommendation. For American Fireglass a distance of 2.5″ is recommended for its flame guards. The Outdoor Plus recommends only 2″ for its 1/4″ thick glass wind guards.

Generally, most are 6″ tall and produced from 3/16″ thick glass like the round fire pit flame guards from American Fire Glass. The Outdoor Plus guards are made from 8″ high,  1/4 ” polished tempered glass panels like these rectangular glass wind guards

The minimum size of a fire pit wind guard (dotted line) must be 2 – 2.5 inches (orange arrows) greater than the inside dimensions of the fire pit tray (burn area) on all sides.

Calculating Fire Pit Wind Guard Size

  • With square, rectangular, or linear fire pits measure the length and width of the fire pit burn area and add 5″ to the overall dimensions, for the required size.
  • For round fire pits, measure the diameter of the fire pit burn area and add 5 inches.
  • When using a fire pit lid alongside the guard, ensure enough space for easy removal and replacement. It should fit outside the pan or opening but within the wind guard perimeter.

Brand Loyalty

There is no need for brand loyalty when selecting wind guards for fire pits, but if you choose one from the same manufacturer as your fire pit tray, you can be certain that it will fit correctly. If not, take extra care when calculating the appropriate size.

Assembled Dimensions of a Fire Pit Wind Guard

When purchasing a glass wind guard for an existing gas fire pit, check that the fully assembled dimensions comply with the above recommendations. 

Be aware that brands may use the fire pit pan size for which the glass fire pit guard is designed, in the part number, which can be confusing. For example, American Fireglass part number FG-LCB-30 refers to a wind guard to fit a 30″ x 6″ Linear tray (hence the ’30’). However, when assembled the wind guard will measure 35.5 x 11.5 inches. This is because the compatible wind guard has 2.5 inches of clearance on all sides plus a little extra from the spacing between the glass panels.

Wind Guard Installation

Installation of these kits is easy. Just connect the tempered glass pieces with the included brackets and support feet then place the assembled glass fire pit flame screen over your fire pit opening.

Some of the larger-sized flame guards in the off-the-shelf ranges like American Fire Glass have two panels of glass on the long sides, so the kit consists of 6 glass panels, the smaller sizes consist of 4 panels.

Wind Guard with Two Panel Long Side

Some of the largest size wind guards have two panels on the long side

Custom Made Fire Pit Wind Guards

While off-the-shelf wind guards come in a wide range of sizes, certain situations demand custom-made guards. In cases where projects may be grand and unique, a tailor-made fire pit wind guard becomes essential.

At Magic of Fire, we collaborate closely with suppliers and manufacturers to guarantee that, regardless of the size or shape required, we can deliver the perfect solution to meet your needs.

For more information don’t hesitate to call the number at the top of the page, use the contact-us form, or chat line.

What Our Customers Think

Windguards are not just practical, they look pretty good too according to our customers. When submitting product reviews many comment that the glass wind guard improves the look of their fire feature.

Here are just a few examples of customers’ comments on their Wind Guards for Fire Pits:

  • Bought this thinking it would just be ‘functional’ (wind and safety) but it actually dresses the fire feature out nicely. It is a better-looking product with it. Major thumbs up.
  • The wind fence is a must in my opinion. It adds so much to the look of the table as the fire reflects off of the glass. It really does keep the wind from blowing the flame sideways too.
  • Without the guard, the flames would go all over the place to the point of being a safety concern to anyone standing close to the fire pit. Now that we have the guard, the flames go mostly straight up and are more pleasant to look at.