Tips for Choosing a Chiminea for Your Backyard or Patio
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Article by: David Caban Imagine that you want to stay warm in your backyard , Create a Hummingbird Garden Habitat on a cool, starry night. One of the ways you can do so is to invest in a clay or cast iron chiminea. A chiminea is nothing more than the modern version of a traditional Mexican outdoor , Catch a Leprechaun in Your Garden fireplace. This type of outdoor , How to Kill Poinsettia fireplace was used for hundreds of years as a source of warmth and a place , Landscaping - Maintaining A Landscaped Garden to cook. Nowadays you see them in many backyards , Can Robotic Lawnmowers Save the World or at Least You Money? as sources of warmth and as accent pieces adding charm to a patio , Hibiscus Plants or garden. , ing with Bamboo You can find chimineas made of clay, aluminum and cast iron. Which one you choose depends on what style fits your patio , Garden Sheds or backyard , Natural Pest Control On The Rise, But Does It Work? and how much money you are willing to invest. (Note: There are several accepted spellings for a Mexican fireplace. The common spellings are: chiminea, chimenea, chiminia, chimenia.) Choosing a Clay Chiminea When choosing a clay chiminea, you should look to see if the fireplace was air-dried or kiln-dried. In general, an air-dried fireplace is usually "untreated." This means you would need to paint , Container Gardening: Urban Alternative for Plant Lovers it and seal it before use. Kiln-dried versions are typically prepainted and sealed. Clay chimineas are constructed in two pieces. The bottom piece, called the "bowl" is the largest piece, and looks like a potbelly stove. The smokestack, or "neck" is attached separately on top of the bowl. The joint where the two pieces come together is usually rather weak, so you should never lift a clay chiminea from the neck. In general, clay chimineas are not designed to handle large fires , Preliminary Considerations Before Building Your Own Backyard Garden Pond for extended periods of time. They are also more likely to crack and break than a cast iron or aluminum model. Finally, remember that a clay chiminea is nothing but a combination of water , Budget For Your Garden and dirt. If you let it sit in water , Catch a Leprechaun in Your Garden long enough, it will turn back into mud. Therefore, cover it during rainstorms and never let your clay fireplace sit in a pool of water! , Fragrant Fine Art: Give your Garden a Design That's All Your Own Cast Iron and Aluminum Chimineas In general, a cast iron or aluminum chiminea is more durable and sturdy than a clay version. Although they tend to be heavier than clay models, they won't crack or break as easily. However, they will need occasional maintenance. For example, if you leave a cast iron chiminea outside , Compost Tea Tea Time For Your Garden long enough, it will rust. Rust is a normal occurrence, so if you sand , Creating Cutting Gardens out the rust spots and paint , Birdhouses them as they appear, your fireplace should give you many years of enjoyment. Cast aluminum models are relatively low maintenance, lighter in weight than cast iron, and also rust-resistant. Therefore, painting , Tomatoes: Apples Of Love and sanding is not necessary. What to Look for in All Chimineas As you shop for a Mexican fireplace, pay close attention to the size of the fire , Hibiscus Plants bowl area. This is where you will be placing the wood , Teak Outdoor Furniture -- From the Forests to Ships to Your Patio to burn, so be sure it is large enough to accommodate adequately large pieces of wood. , Why are Adirondack Chairs & Adirondack Furniture a Cottage Favorite? The size of the fire , The Value of Mulch bowl is more important than the height of the neck. You might also consider purchasing a spark arrestor for your chiminea. A spark arrestor is a mesh screen that you place , Orchid Care - What The Root Tells Us over the chimney , Preliminary Considerations Before Building Your Own Backyard Garden Pond hole to prevent sparks from escaping. You might also consider a spark arrestor for the front of the fire , Fall is the Time to Get Your Garden Trees and Shrubs Ready for Winter: Here's What to Do bowl, too. A modern Mexican chiminea is a great addition to any backyard, , Gardening During Hard Times or Emergencies - You Can Feed Yourself! both as a source of heat , Want to Learn How to Compost? and as a decorating , Tips On Caring For Your Cut Flowers accent piece. Make your choice between clay, cast iron, and cast aluminum models. With a little yearly care, you will have a wonderful conversation piece for your patio , Selecting the Right Roses for Your Garden or backyard. , How to Kill Poinsettia Plus, you will have a romantic and charming way to stay warm as you gaze into the sky on a cool and starry night.David Caban is a successful author and publisher of outdoor , Why are Adirondack Chairs & Adirondack Furniture a Cottage Favorite? fireplace and patio , Catch a Leprechaun in Your Garden furniture advice. , Dealing With Pests In a Hydroponic Garden His website, http://www.best-in-patio-furniture.com is a one-stop source of free information , A Storage Bench Provides Much Needed Outdoor Space on patio , How to Read a Seed Catalog furniture and outdoor , Budget For Your Garden décor for patios, , Tips On Caring For Your Cut Flowers decks , Brilliant Beetroot! and porches. , How To Ensure Early Bulbs Bloom, Year After Year |
  
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