How to Keep a Steel Fire Pit From Rusting

Steel lives outdoors just fine, but ash, standing water and high heat all speed rust along. The good news: a few simple habits keep a steel fire pit looking good and working well for many seasons.

Why do steel fire pits rust?

Three things work against bare steel outdoors:

• Heat. High heat burns off paint and finishes over time, especially inside the bowl, leaving bare steel exposed.
• Moisture. Rain, snow and dew sit in the bowl if nothing covers it.
• Ash. Wood ash holds moisture against the steel. It's also highly alkaline, according to University of Missouri Extension, and when wood ash mixes with water it forms lye. Wet ash sitting in a bowl is a recipe for rust.

Is it okay to use a rusty fire pit?

Usually, yes. Some surface rust is normal for steel used outdoors and doesn't affect how a fire pit performs. It's cosmetic. What's not okay is rust that has eaten through the steel, thinned the bowl until it flexes, or weakened the legs or welds. If you can see holes or the bowl wobbles, it's time to replace it, because a failing bowl can drop hot coals.

Under the Fire Horse warranty, surface rust, discoloration and finish wear are considered normal for steel exposed to fire and weather and aren't covered. Damage from leaving ash or water in the bowl isn't covered either. The 1-year limited warranty does cover defects in materials and workmanship, like weld failures under normal use. See our warranty page for details.

How do you stop a fire pit from rusting?

You can't stop steel from aging outdoors, but you can slow rust down a lot. Here's the routine.

After every fire

1. Put the fire out completely. Here's how to put out a fire pit safely.
2. Once the ash is cold, scoop it out. Don't leave ash in the bowl overnight if rain is coming.
3. Put ash in a metal container with a tight lid, and keep it at least 10 feet from your house, as the U.S. Fire Administration advises.

Between fires

• Cover it. Use a lid or a weatherproof cover. Our 26" Hearthcrest and Westbrook fire pits come with a fitted steel lid that keeps rain out of the bowl and doubles as a tabletop once the fire is out and cooled.
• Keep it dry. If water collects in the bowl, tip it out or wipe it dry.
• Brush it a few times a season. A wire brush removes loose rust and ash buildup. Wipe it down afterward.

Touch up the finish

When the outside finish wears, sand off loose rust and touch it up with a high-temperature paint. Regular paint won't hold up: Rust-Oleum notes most of its paints withstand surface temperatures up to about 200°F, while its High Heat Ultra line is rated up to 1,200°F and is marketed for fire pits. Rust-Oleum also advises against using it where there's direct flame contact, so focus on the outside of the bowl and the legs, not the inside. Always follow the paint can's directions and let it cure before the next fire.

In the off-season

Store your fire pit or fire ring indoors, or covered, somewhere dry. In the Midwest, a garage or shed keeps it out of months of snow and freeze-thaw cycles.

Will WD-40 prevent a fire pit from rusting?

Not a good idea near fire. WD-40's own safety data sheet calls the classic spray an extremely flammable aerosol and says not to spray it on an open flame or other ignition source. WD-40 Company does sell a long-term corrosion inhibitor, but its own technical sheet says to keep it away from hot surfaces and open flames. A cover, a dry bowl and high-temperature paint on the outside are better choices for a fire pit.

Is there a fire pit that won't rust?

Not really. Every material has a trade-off:

• Stainless steel resists corrosion because chromium in the alloy forms a protective layer, according to ASM International. It costs more.
• Corten (weathering) steel is designed to form a tight, protective rust patina. The American Institute of Steel Construction notes it needs regular wet and dry cycles, and doesn't perform as intended if it stays wet most of the time, like a bowl full of rainwater and ash.
• Heavy-gauge steel with a high-temperature finish, like Fire Horse fire pits and fire rings, gives you a solid, affordable fire pit. Expect the finish to change with use, and use the habits above to keep rust on the surface.

Fire ring or fire pit: which rusts less?

Both are steel, so the same rules apply. A raised fire pit with a lid is easier to keep dry, because the lid keeps rain out of the bowl. A fire ring sits on the ground, so give it a well-drained gravel or sand base and keep leaves and snow from piling up against it. More on bases in Can You Put a Fire Ring on Grass? and on choosing in Fire Ring vs. Fire Pit.

For the full care routine, see our Fire Pit Care & Safety Guide.

Sources: University of Missouri Extension; U.S. Fire Administration; Rust-Oleum High Heat Ultra; WD-40 safety data sheet; AISC Modern Steel Construction.