10 Breathtaking Modern Pools with Fireplaces

The designs in this gallery use gas, ethanol and wood burning fireplaces built for outdoor use. Many series sell an indoor version and an outdoor version that look almost identical, so check the individual model's listing rather than going by the series name.

Only the natural gas models do. Propane runs off a tank you can hide inside the base, ethanol burns fuel poured into the burner, and wood burning units need nothing plumbed at all.

That distance comes from the model's installation manual and from your local code, not from a rule of thumb. Settle it with your installer before any concrete is poured, because the required clearances differ by fuel and by manufacturer.

A fireplace has a back wall, so the flame is framed and viewed from one or two sides, and it anchors a seating area facing it. A fire pit is open on every side and people sit around it.

Freestanding and ethanol models drop onto a finished deck with no building work. A built-in masonry or natural gas fireplace needs a footing and a trench for the line, so those are far easier to plan before the deck goes down.

The freestanding and wall mounted units take the least room, since they need no footing and no surround. A two-sided fireplace set into a low dividing wall is the other space saver, because one unit serves the pool deck and the seating area behind it.