Sometimes you don’t want to embark on a whole fire pit-building adventure in your backyard, but you still want that fire factor. No problem, we found some easy DIY tabletop fire pits (sometimes called tabletop fire bowls) for you that fit perfectly in any garden space!
Whether you don’t want to smoke out the neighbors, or you just don’t have the space, fire bowls can be used on the patio any time of year. Fire is an great natural element to add to your garden space, and allows you to enjoy the outdoors long after the sun goes down. Think “campfire” without the firewood hunting! (If you do want to go all out, learn how to build a fire pit and a firewood rack to go with it!)
HOW TO MAKE A TABLETOP FIRE PIT OR DIY FIRE BOWL
First of all, how do you make a DIY tabletop fire pit? Each of the tutorials and guides we’ll show you soon has its own directions, but as a basic overview, all you really need is some sort of fireproof container and a fuel source. It’s that easy!
In terms of a container, a ceramic bowl, a metal dish, a repurposed planter, or even a terracotta pot can all make the perfect DIY tabletop fire bowl. For fuel, you can try a clean-burning gel fuel or eco-friendly bioethanol. Then, it’s just a matter of adding the decorative touches! Now that you know how to make a tabletop fire pit, here’s some inspo for you.
Cheap DIY Tabletop Fire Pit Ideas
The best part about a DIY tabletop fire bowl is that you don’t need a huge budget. You’ll find that these projects are much, much cheaper than installing a full-on firepit, plus they take up less space and let you totally customize your DIY fire bowl design. Here are some of our favorite, budget-friendly DIY table fire bowls.
Glass DIY Tabletop Fire Pit with Pebbles
Karen at “The Art of Doing Stuff” made this awesome mini DIY table top fire pit for cheap. She made this for under $25, and we’ve seen similar ones for over $150. It may be cheap, but it looks so classy! The glass design is super elegant, and the pebbles are a gorgeous finishing touch.
Faux Stone DIY Table Fire Pit
Over at “Come and Stay a While,” this simple outdoor fire bowl is a simple DIY project that really delivers! All you need is a cheap bowl, a fire canister, some sand, and non-flammable filler. Too easy!
Cheap DIY Table Fire Bowl from a Planter
Yep, you can even use an old planter to craft a DIY tabletop fire bowl! This guide from “The DIY Playbook” will teach you everything you need to know. The best part? It all comes together in less than 5 minutes!
Concrete DIY Tabletop Fire Pit Ideas
Concrete is a great material to use for your fire bowl, and it’s pretty easy to make a DIY concrete bowl that you can use as the base for your project. If you haven’t worked with concrete before, don’t worry! These experts will show you how it’s done – we’ve even found a couple of amazing videos that break down the process for you!
Concrete Gel DIY Fire Bowl
Mike from “Modern Builds” shows us how to make his modern concrete tabletop fire bowl in video! This is a great tutorial for those of us who really need to be walked through a project visually, and honestly I think most of us fall into that category. ;)
Tiki Torch DIY Tabletop Fire Pit
Also from Mike at “Modern Builds” is this DIY concrete Tiki torch. Also in video, this tutorial was a little different, and we love different! This design moves away from the typical “bowl” shape that we see a lot – it’s perfect if you only have a small table or just if you’re looking for a design that’s a bit more unique.
Colorful DIY Table Fire Pit
This colorful tabletop fire bowl project from “Dunn Lumber” uses easy-to-find gel fuel, and they even have a budget tip for the fuel at the end! All of the supplies needed you can get at most home improvement stores, making it even more convenient!
Unique DIY Tabletop Fire Bowl Ideas
Looking for something a bit outside the box? Don’t want to go with a traditional bowl shape? Hoping to incorporate some fun colors or decorations into your DIY tabletop fire pit? We hear you! Here are some ideas for when a simple fire bowl just won’t cut it.
Bright Flower Bowl DIY Tabletop Fire Pit
Kim at “Today’s Creative Life” made this DIY tabletop fire bowl from a flower bowl, gorgeous blue fire glass, and gel fuel. Love how this one came out! The guide is also really helpful – they’ve included a lot of things they learned along the way for your benefit!
Viking-Style Tabletop Fire Pit DIY
I don’t know what about this one gives me such strong Viking vibes, but I love it! The grey tones, the solid concrete bowl – it’s a great firepit that will work with lots of different outdoor aesthetics. The tutorial from “In My Own Style” has all the info you need.
DIY Tabletop Fire Pit for S’mores
Let’s be honest here – raise your hand if you’re only really interested in making a DIY tabletop fire bowl so that you can use it to roast S’mores? I knew it! Luckily, the amazing “Might Mrs” has you covered
Clay DIY Tabletop Fire Bowls
We’ve talked about concrete a lot, but aren’t these clay DIY tabletop fire pits adorable? You can make them from any old clay pot – most of us have a few discarded ones lying around the garden! Find all the details in this (amazingly detailed) guide from “Something Turquoise.”
Terra Cotta Pot Fire Bowl
Now that you have Kim’s flower pot tutorial down, we will wrap up this post on DIY tabletop fire pits with this inspirational photo from ‘Pinterest’. With all you’ve learned about how to make a fire bowl, this terra cotta diy project should be pretty easy! Love the deep black river rock.
WHERE TO BUY TABLETOP FIRE BOWLS
We often try to include an affordable place to buy items similar to the ones in our DIY posts, for all of us who really want to make it, but know we may never get the time! Here is a really good assortment of fire bowls we found on Wayfair’s website. Check it out. There is a large variety of styles and pricing to choose from. One of our favorites is this “Wave Gel Tabletop Fireplace“. It has great reviews and is very affordable!
We absolutely love this outdoor tabletop fire bowl. It comes with river stones and 3 cans of gel fuel. Check it out at ‘Wayfair‘
If your take on life is a touch more modern, then we like the “Kouba Gel Fuel Tabletop Fireplace“. All three of these use bio-ethanol or gel fuel so you don’t have to worry about propane tanks.
Our budget choice, is the “Edan Ventless Tabletop Fireplace“. You could use any of these indoors or out, but this one in silver is especially pretty for both! (Don’t leave any of these out in the weather though!)
How to Make a Tabletop Fire Pit: Common Questions
Still got some questions about what goes into making a DIY tabletop fire bowl? Here’s what you need to know before you start planning your project!
Are Tabletop Fire Pits Worth It?
Tabletop fire pits are a great choice if you’re looking for a portable, space-saving option for adding warmth and ambiance when you’re outdoors. They are often more affordable (especially if you go the DIY tabletop fire pit route) than larger fire pits, making them a great choice for smaller outdoor spaces.
Do Tabletop Fire Pits Give Off Heat?
They sure do! While they may not produce as much heat as larger fire pits or outdoor fireplaces, they still provide a noticeable amount of warmth, especially when you’re up close. The heat output largely depends on the type of fuel used and the size of the flame.
How Safe Are Tabletop Fire Pits?
Tabletop fire pits are safe, but like any open flame, you do need to be careful. Keep flammable materials away from the flames, never leave the fire unattended, and make sure there’s enough ventilation around the fire pit. Also, always extinguish the fire completely when you’re done!
What Do You Burn in a Tabletop Fire Pit?
Tabletop fire pits typically burn clean-burning fuels such as gel fuel or bioethanol. These fuels are specifically designed for indoor and outdoor use, producing minimal smoke and odor.
Add Ambiance Outdoors With a DIY Tabletop Fire Pit!
We hope you loved our post on DIY Tabletop Fire Bowls & Table Top Fire Pits! Jump right on over to our posts on How to Build a Fire Pit and One Day Backyard Ideas and Projects!
Wow, as a landscaping service, i didn’t even think about something like that. What a great product to produce to sell to my customers. Thank you very much!!
What concrete is used? I have tried Quikcrete, but it is too rocky.
If you follow the links provide with each project, the original poster should have info for you on what product they used!
How I turn it off?
Wow! I love all the ideas here man. I’ll going to share this one and I want to show this to my friend who love to build fire bowls.
My husband is a welder, he says that heat and galvanized metals do not mix. Breathing the fumes can cause nervous system damage.
Yes but if you remember in 92 Drs said the pulp in OJ was causing cancer.