Fire bowls, fire pits and a BBQ
Corten steel fire pits
Corten steel fire pits and fire tables.
Corten steel fire pits
Hélios · Vulcain
Picking a Corten fire pit for your patio: fuel, size and placement
Start with the fuel
Each of our two models is built for one fuel, so that is the first choice to make. Vesta is our Corten steel fire pit bowl: wide, low and made for a wood fire, with crackling logs and embers that hold their warmth long after the flames die down. Nyx burns bioethanol in a single line of flame along a straight slot in the middle of a square basin. Wood calls for dry, seasoned logs and a place to keep them, such as a Corten steel firewood rack nearby, while bioethanol should only ever be poured into a cold fire pit. Neither is designed for cooking: to cook over a wood fire, look to the Vulcain BBQ, whose wide steel cooking ring around the fire works like a flat-top griddle.
Sizes and weights
Vesta, the Corten fire bowl, is offered in diameters from 600 to 1,500 mm (about 24 to 59 inches), including 800, 1,000 and 1,200 mm (about 31, 39 and 47 inches). Nyx comes in three sizes, each one square, 900 to 1,500 mm across (about 35 to 59 inches) and just 250 to 350 mm tall (about 10 to 14 inches). Its indicative weight runs from 60 to 140 kg (about 130 to 310 lb), and its recessed base tucks beneath the basin so the steel appears to float above your pavers. When choosing a size, plan the seating around it: leave an easy path all the way around, and pick a fire pit large enough to warm everyone without anyone pulling up too close.
Placement and finish
Give Vesta or Nyx a stable base that cannot catch fire: stone, concrete, pavers or compacted gravel. On a wood deck, skip the wood fire: if the deck is the only option, choose Nyx's bioethanol flame and set it on a large fire-resistant plate that extends well past its footprint. Keep either one clear of hedges, low branches, patio umbrellas and house walls, never place it under a low awning or indoors, and check local rules on outdoor fires. Both come with the Cortenys signature patina already applied and checked in our workshop, and they are left unvarnished, as suits the heat of a fire; our fire pit vs. fire table guide weighs them against fire tables.
FAQ
Is Nyx a smokeless fire pit?
Yes. Nyx runs on bioethanol, which burns as a crisp, steady flame without smoke or ash. Vesta burns wood: dry, well-seasoned logs smoke little, but any wood fire gives off some smoke, so note the prevailing wind and place the fire pit where the breeze will not blow smoke toward your home or your neighbors.
How do you look after Vesta and Nyx between fires?
Once Vesta has cooled completely, clear out the ashes: left damp in the bowl, they hold moisture against the steel. Do not let rainwater stand in it either, and skip wire brushes, abrasives and close-range pressure washing. Nyx leaves no ash to clear; let it cool fully before refueling, and never relight it right after the flame has gone out.
What precautions apply around kids and pets?
A lit Corten fire pit gets hot, rim included, so children and pets should stay back until it has fully cooled down. Use gloves when handling logs, have water or a fire extinguisher close by, and stay with the fire while it burns.
Corten steel fire pits / The models
Our selection of Corten steel fire pits
Discover pieces designed to live outdoors beautifully for years.
Fire bowls, fire pits and a BBQ
The spirit of the collection
Discover Hélios, Vesta and Héphaïstos, then compare their shape, fuel and installation requirements for your garden.
Corten steel fire pit or fire table: which to choose?Cortenys
Advice and design: Corten steel fire pits
01 / Advice
Corten steel fire pits
Corten steel fire pits and fire tables. Discover Hélios, Vesta and Héphaïstos, then compare their shape, fuel and installation requirements for your garden.
02 / Advice
Sizes and placement
Compare the footprint, height and weight listed on each product page. Leave room for use and maintenance. Bespoke dimensions need to be assessed before ordering.
03 / Advice
A natural patina
Weathering steel develops a warm patina that changes with exposure. Runoff may mark pale surfaces. A protective clear varnish is optional on selected models; even varnished, Corten steel can still leave rust run-off and stain pale floors and terraces.
04 / Advice
Care and delivery
Follow the care instructions for the piece and avoid trapped moisture at its base. Check the stated lead time, delivery terms for your country and access to the intended position.
05 / Cortenys
A plancha around the fire
The cooking ring takes the cuts to be seared while prawns grill in the center, above the flames.
06 / Cortenys
Entertaining around the flame
From sunset into the night, Vulcain gathers guests around its bowl: you cook, you serve, and the fire stays at the center of the evening.
07 / Cortenys
A bowl on its log-store base
A flared bowl set on a square base, Vulcain stores its logs underneath and finds its place in the middle of a stone terrace.
08 / Cortenys
A fire pit at ground level
Nyx sets a wide square bowl of Corten steel level with the paving, crossed by a line of bioethanol flame. Three square formats.
09 / Cortenys
The fire bowl, an evening ritual
Wide and low, Vesta gathers a wood fire the way a basin gathers water. Five diameters, from 600 to 1500 mm.
10 / Cortenys
A wood fire for cooking outdoors
At dusk, Vulcain lights its wood fire at the heart of a Corten steel bowl; its open base keeps the logs within reach.
11 / Cortenys
The fire pit that cooks
Vulcain rings its wood fire with a plancha-style cooking ring and keeps its logs in reserve in the open base.
Corten steel fire pits / Perspectives
In their setting.
Made to order
The time each piece deserves.
From your order to your space, every stage is carried through without shortcuts, with the rigor of true workshop craft.
6 to 12 weeks
Preparation
Included in the total lead time
Your order is checked down to the smallest detail, then prepared for the workshop.
Making
Included in the total lead time
Your piece is made for you by a partner manufacturer in Europe, with no finished goods held in stock.
Cortenys signature patina
5 days
One day of application on the Corten steel in the workshop, then four days for the patina to set and be inspected, piece by piece.
Delivery
Included in the total lead time
After a final inspection, transport is arranged to the agreed destination.
We deliver standard pieces, including Cortenys Editions, in 6 to 12 weeks after order confirmation. For bespoke pieces, we allow 8 to 13 weeks, with the schedule stated in the quotation.
Cortenys
Corten steel fire pits: frequently asked questions
Wood-burning or bioethanol fire pit: which should you choose?
A wood fire belongs to long evenings: embers, crackle, radiant heat. It is the fuel of the Vesta fire bowl and the Vulcain BBQ.
Which sizes are available?
Each product page lists the available dimensions and options. Bespoke sizes require an assessment.
Can Corten steel stain paving?
Runoff can carry patina residue. Protect pale paving and check whether the model offers an optional protective varnish, which greatly reduces runoff without ruling it out.
How should I prepare for delivery?
Check the terms for your address, access routes and the handling equipment needed for your chosen piece.
Is Corten steel painted?
Cortenys keeps the natural patina of Corten steel. An optional protective clear varnish is available on selected pieces; even varnished, Corten steel can still leave run-off and stain floors and terraces, so we recommend protecting pale surfaces.
A particular project in mind?
A dimension, a finish, a word of advice. The House is by your side, with the care it brings to every one of its pieces.
Cortenys collections