The concrete fire bowl: six gas bowls compared, and the care rule that splits them
How the lightweight Dekko bowls and the Supercast Cove bowls differ in weight, heat and gas hookup, what each needs around it, and why one maker tells you to seal the concrete while the other voids its warranty if you do.
A concrete fire bowl is a round or basin-shaped fire pit cast in concrete, with a gas burner in the middle and glass, beachstone or lava rock over it. We sell six, from two makers who build them differently. Dekko, which is part of HPC, casts its Element and Serenade bowls hollow from lightweight concrete, by hand in North America. The Outdoor GreatRoom Company casts its Cove bowls from Supercast, its glass-fiber-reinforced concrete (GFRC). Prices run from $2,699 to $7,725.65.
All six burn propane or natural gas, and none is built for wood. What separates them is weight, heat output, how each one connects to gas, and how you look after the concrete. On that last point the two makers give opposite instructions.
In short
- Sizes run from the 20½″ Dekko Element to the 42″ Cove 42. Five of the six stand 15¼ to 19″ tall.
- The Dekko bowls weigh 50 to 115 lb. The Cove bowls weigh 156 to 305 lb, and Outdoor GreatRoom's manual says some bases need up to four people to lift.
- Heat runs from 55,000 BTU (Cove 29 and Trapezoid) to 140,000 BTU (an electronic-ignition Serenade).
- Only the Cove Trapezoid hides a 20 lb propane tank. A match-lit Dekko can run from a tank beside it. The electronic Dekkos and the round Coves need a fixed gas line.
- Outdoor GreatRoom recommends resealing a Cove every year or two. Dekko's warranty is void if any sealer goes on the shell.
Six concrete fire bowls, side by side
| Bowl | Size (W × H) | Weight | Heat | Gas supply | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dekko Element cupped bowl | 20½″ × 16″ | 50 lb | 65,000 BTU match lit 90,000 BTU electronic | Match lit: tank or fixed line Electronic: fixed line | $3,163.75 Electronic from $5,358.25 |
| Dekko Serenade 32 shallow basin | 32″ × 16″ | 90 lb | 65,000 BTU match lit 140,000 BTU electronic | Match lit: tank or fixed line Electronic: fixed line | $4,022.55 Electronic from $6,217.05 |
| Dekko Serenade 40 shallow basin | 40″ × 19″ | 115 lb | 65,000 BTU match lit 140,000 BTU electronic | Match lit: tank or fixed line Electronic: fixed line | $5,531.15 Electronic from $7,725.65 |
| Cove 29 round bowl | 29¼″ × 15¼″ | 156 lb | 55,000 BTU | Fixed line | $2,699 |
| Cove 42 round bowl | 42″ × 19″ | 265 lb | 105,000 BTU propane 106,000 BTU natural gas | Fixed line | $4,199 |
| Cove Trapezoid square top, 37″ × 37″ | 37″ × 23¾″ | 305 lb | 55,000 BTU | Hidden 20 lb tank or fixed line | $3,799 |
Dekko figures are from Dekko's 04:2026 spec sheets; Cove figures from Outdoor GreatRoom's product data and Cove collection sheet. Dekko ships each bowl with your choice of a natural gas or propane burner. The Coves ship set up for propane, and the Cove 29 and Trapezoid include a natural-gas conversion kit. Prices update live from each product page.
Lightweight concrete or Supercast
Dekko casts its bowls hollow, which is why the Serenade 40 weighs 115 lb at 40″ across. The Element has barrelled walls and a cupped body just over 20″ wide; the two Serenades are broad, shallow basins. Each comes in six concrete colors (Natural, Ash, Charcoal, Clay, Limestone and Sandstone) with a choice of Ivory Beachstone, Slate Beachstone or Black Lava Rock on top. Every piece is cast by hand, so tone and texture vary a little from one bowl to the next.
Supercast is heavier and denser. Outdoor GreatRoom describes it as a blend of fiber glass and polymer-fortified concrete, "typically 1/3 of the thickness of traditional concrete with 3 times the strength." The Cove bowls weigh 156 to 305 lb, and the manual carries a team-lift warning: "Some bases will require up to four people to safely lift." It also asks for the base to sit "on solid ground. Do not place on grass or dirt." The Coves come in Natural Grey, and the Cove 42 also in Midnight Mist. Outdoor GreatRoom says color variations and "casual pitting" are normal for the material.
Seal it every year, or never seal it
Most advice on concrete fire bowls says to seal them regularly. For a Cove, that matches the maker's instructions. Outdoor GreatRoom's Cove collection manual says:
"It is recommended to reseal the Supercast base annually using a solvent-based stain/sealer."
The same manual lists the Sherwin-Williams formula for each color and says to clean the base first with a 10% vinegar and water solution, let it dry completely, and roll the sealer on with a foam roller. The newer Cove Trapezoid manual relaxes the interval to about every two years "under most conditions," depending on sun, use, salt water, chlorine, hard water, temperature and humidity. For routine cleaning, both say warm, soapy water.
Dekko's warranty says the opposite:
"This limited warranty is void if any coatings, sealers, cleaners (except for cleaners applied as directed by Dekko), or chemicals of any type are or have been applied to the casing/exterior shell."
A sealer that is routine care on a Cove would void the warranty on a Dekko, so before you put any product on a Dekko shell, ask us and we'll get Dekko's direction for that model.
Both makers expect some fine cracking. Dekko's warranty says "small and/or fine cosmetic cracking is also possible due to climatic exposure and subtle movement within the Products." The Cove Trapezoid manual says "non-structural hairline cracks are possible and shall not be considered a manufacturing defect."
Covers and glass guards
- Outdoor GreatRoom recommends covering Supercast bases when not in use, with a breathable cover, and never over a wet bowl. We stock the 44″ cover for the Cove 42 ($87).
- Each Cove includes a grey glass burner cover. Take it off before lighting: the manual says not to operate the burner with the cover in place.
- Outdoor GreatRoom recommends a glass guard around the burner on its stock GFRC pieces, saying it "reduces the risk of unnecessary thermal stress on the GFRC surface." The matching guards are the 20″ round for the Cove 29 ($329), the 30″ round for the Cove 42 ($479) and the 24″ square for the Trapezoid ($269).
- Dekko lists a vinyl weather cover as an optional accessory on its Serenade spec sheet. Ask us whether it's available for your bowl.
Propane tank or gas line
This is the question that rules models in or out, so settle it first.
Tank inside
The Cove Trapezoid's access door hides a standard 20 lb propane tank. You hand-tighten the regulator ("do not use a wrench"), then lift and tilt the tank in, taking care "not to chip the edges of the concrete." It converts to natural gas with the included kit.
Tank beside
A match-lit Dekko lights with a chrome key and needs no electricity. On propane it can run from a portable tank next to the bowl, using Dekko's 3/8″ × 144″ hose and regulator, which are ordered separately.
Fixed line only
Electronic-ignition Dekkos "require a fixed piping gas supply" and a 120V outdoor receptacle, and come with an on/off remote. The Cove 29 and Cove 42 have no room for a tank in the base, so they run from a fixed line too.
Dekko requires a certified gas technician to make the gas connection on every bowl, and Outdoor GreatRoom's instructions call for a leak check of every connection before the first light. If you're weighing ignition types, our electronic ignition vs match lit guide covers the tank rule in more detail, and the natural gas fire table guide covers running a gas line.
Size, height and heat
Five of the six stand 15¼ to 19″ tall, lower than Outdoor GreatRoom's chat-height fire tables, which mostly stand 20 to 24″. The Cove Trapezoid, at 23¾″, is the exception. The burners scale with the bowl: 18″ in the Element, 18 or 24″ in the Serenade 32 depending on ignition, 24″ in the Serenade 40, 20″ in the Cove 29, 30″ in the Cove 42, and a 24″ square in the Trapezoid.
Of the six as we sell them, the electronic-ignition Serenades are rated highest, at 140,000 BTU, but because electronic Dekkos need fixed piping, that figure is only available on a gas line. On a portable tank, the choice is a match-lit Dekko at 65,000 BTU or the Cove Trapezoid at 55,000. Our hottest propane fire pits guide ranks every fire table we sell by BTU, and the size and shape guide covers how big to go for your seating.
What each bowl needs around it
Dekko's spec sheets give the same clearances for each bowl: 36″ to each side, 84″ to any overhead solid structure (a floor above, an overhang, a pergola or a screen), solid structure or combustible material on no more than two sides, and at least 12″ from noncombustible materials. On a wood or composite deck, Dekko requires its deck insulation kit, which includes basalt material and instructions.
The Cove bowls use Outdoor GreatRoom's Crystal Fire Plus burner, and its manual sets 72″ from the top of the burner to overhead combustibles and 24″ from the burner trim to combustible side walls. Our overhead clearance guide explains how to measure under a pergola or covered patio.
Which concrete fire bowl to choose
All six, by what each does best. Prices shown are the current price on each product page.
Smallest and lightest
Dekko Element
20½″ across and 50 lb. 65,000 BTU match lit or 90,000 electronic, in six colors.
From $3,163.75View →
Most heat for its size
Dekko Serenade 32
A 32″ shallow basin, 90 lb, with 140,000 BTU on electronic ignition and a fixed gas line.
From $4,022.55View →
Largest Dekko bowl
Dekko Serenade 40
40″ × 19″ and still only 115 lb. Match lit for a tank, or electronic at 140,000 BTU.
From $5,531.15View →
Compact Supercast bowl
Cove 29
29¼″ round, 55,000 BTU, with fire glass and a glass burner cover included. Fixed gas line.
$2,699View →
Biggest bowl
Cove 42
42″ round with a 30″ burner at 105,000 BTU. Natural Grey or Midnight Mist. Fixed gas line.
$4,199View →
No gas line needed
Cove Trapezoid
Hides a 20 lb propane tank behind an access door. 37″ square top, 23¾″ tall, 55,000 BTU.
$3,799View →
For more shapes and the rest of the Dekko range, see all fire pits or the Dekko concrete collection. Our concrete fire tables guide covers the larger Dekko tables.
Delivery and warranty
Inspect the bowl on delivery day and report any damage to us within 24 hours for a Dekko, or within five business days for an Outdoor GreatRoom Cove. The refund policy has the details.
Each maker writes its own warranty. Dekko's is issued by HPC Fire Canada ULC, doing business as Dekko, to the original customer only, and it is not transferable. Dekko asks for written notice within 10 days of discovering a defect. The Coves are warranted by the Outdoor GreatRoom Company. The two documents differ in what they cover and from which date, so we'll send you the current one for any model before you order.
Before you order
- Decide tank or gas line first. Only the Cove Trapezoid takes a hidden tank, and electronic-ignition Dekkos need fixed piping.
- For electronic ignition, plan a 120V outdoor receptacle at the bowl.
- Measure what's overhead and to the sides against the clearances above.
- On a wood or composite deck, add Dekko's deck insulation kit, or ask us before choosing a Cove.
- Book a certified gas technician for the hookup.
- Pick the care routine you'll keep: a Cove gets resealed, a Dekko gets nothing on its shell without Dekko's say-so.
Send us a photo of the spot, what's overhead, and whether you have a gas line or a tank, and we'll tell you which bowl fits.
The Iridescent Home Team
We sell the Dekko and Outdoor GreatRoom ranges and can send the spec sheet, manual and warranty for any bowl before you order. Call (307) 201-4597, 9amβ5pm MT, every day.
Six bowls, two kinds of concrete
Every bowl here lists its size, heat output and gas requirements on the product page, so you can check the fit against your patio before you order.
Questions? (307) 201-4597 · 9amβ5pm MT, every day
Concrete fire bowl FAQ
Should you seal a concrete fire bowl?
Can you burn wood in one?
Can it run on a propane tank?
How heavy is a concrete fire bowl?
Can it go on a wood deck?
Do concrete fire bowls crack?
Sizes, weights, heat output, clearances and gas requirements are the manufacturers' published specifications and manual statements for the models we sell. Gas connections must be made by a certified gas technician to local code. Care and warranty statements are quoted from each maker's documents, which govern. Prices update live from each product page. Call (307) 201-4597 with any question before you order.