Will pea gravel explode in fire pit

12112015 It took me six months to figure it out but I finally decided to create a fire pit with pea gravel and pavers. Click to see full answer. When they are heated up this can cause an explosion. I was wondering which rocks would be safe to use in and around a fire pit. Stand at least 15 feet back from the fire pit while it is burning. No matter what type of fill you use make sure the fill is dry when you light the fire.

Unlike other stones you dont have to worry about them cracking breaking or exploding either.

21042020 Sandstone river rocks natural rocks and gravel are not ideal fill for fire pits because they are more likely to crack or explode under high heat. Soft rocks-These will explode if they contain moisture. 13042010 I had just moved in to our place and had a fire pit built over concrete slab at our dock. The heat from the fire would heat up the concrete and when it hit water in the concrete it would explode. Remember to always practice fire safety when using your new backyard fire pit. Several years ago we built the fire pit and added pea gravel to a muddy corner of the yard. Also to know is will pea gravel explode in fire pit. This is because air or water is absorbed by the rock when it is cool and then the air or water molecules trapped inside the rock expand faster than the solid rock when it heats up next to the fire. The pavers in the center of the fire pit were removed and the wood would lay on the slab. The bricks are high heat engineered. No part of the fire pit should be made with flammable materials eg plywood shipping pallets or non-porous materials that hold water such as pea gravel river rocks or compressed concrete blocks.