How to Use and Cure a Clay Chiminea

Setting It Up

Placement is most of the job, and the supplier's safety instructions are specific.

• Put it on a flat surface, never a slope where it could tip.
• Use a non-flammable base such as stone, gravel or brick, never grass or bare wood decking.
• Keep it away from bushes and out from under trees.
• Never set it under an awning or inside a sunroom, shed or summer house.
• Leave at least one metre between it and garden furniture.
• Choose a calm spot; strong wind can tip it or scatter burning material.

Sand or Lava Stones in the Bowl

A clay chiminea needs no assembly, the same supplier says: set it on its stand, lift it carefully into place and put sand or lava stones in the bottom. That layer gives the fire a bed of its own instead of the bare clay floor of the bowl.

Leave the layer in place between fires and scoop the cold ash off the top of it. Replace the sand if it turns into a wet, packed crust after rain.

Curing and the First Fires

Curing a clay chiminea means bringing the clay up to heat slowly before you ask it for a big fire. The supplier does not publish a schedule, but it does give the two rules curing exists to respect: clay chimineas crack if they are over-fired, and if flames are coming out of the top, the fire is too large.

So the first few fires should be small: a little kindling and a few split pieces, burned down to ash, with the clay allowed to cool completely before the next one. Build up to normal fires gradually, and keep every fire well inside the mouth.

What to Burn

Wood suits a clay chiminea best. The supplier explains that wood burns with air from above, which is how a chiminea's mouth and neck draw, while charcoal needs air from underneath; charcoal works occasionally, but coal burns too hot and can damage the clay. Burn dry, seasoned firewood for the least smoke.

Start the fire with balled newspaper and kindling. The supplier rules out petrol and paraffin, and EPA says never to start any fire with gasoline, kerosene or charcoal lighter fluid.

Rain, Covers and Waterlogged Clay

Rain is the clay chiminea's real enemy. Clay has no drainage holes, so a chiminea left out in the rain soaks it up and becomes waterlogged; the supplier recommends a cover and says never to use a waterlogged chiminea until it is completely dry. Lighting wet clay is how a sound chiminea cracks.

Damage shows on the outside too. Clay can be repainted with ordinary emulsion paint, and cracks from knocks, frost or over-firing are the reasons the supplier gives for a clay body failing.

Moving and Storing a Chiminea

Weight decides how often a chiminea moves. The supplier puts medium clay and cast iron models above 35 kilograms and large ones above 50, with steel at about 15, and warns that the shape is awkward to lift. Move a clay chiminea empty and cold, with two people, lifting the body and the stand separately.

The same supplier says a chiminea lasts longer when it is brought in for the winter. In a Spring Hill yard the bigger threat is rain, so a covered spot or a garage keeps the clay dry and the metal from rusting between the evenings you actually use it.

Using It Safely

A chiminea is a real fire on a small base. Never leave it burning unattended, keep children and pets away or use a guard, wear gloves, and do not throw water on it except in a real emergency; smother escaped fuel with sand or earth instead. Put the cold ash in a covered metal can outdoors, as EPA advises.

If you would rather have a permanent fire on the patio, that is outdoor fireplace installation. A free inspection and a written estimate come from experienced installers at a locally owned family company. We are Proudly American, and we are happy to tell you a chiminea is enough; Proudly American honesty is worth more to us than a sale.