Small Propane Fire Tables for Small Patios: What Fits, and What It Needs Around It
On a small patio the table is rarely the problem. The space around the flame is. The smallest fire tables we sell, which ones hide the tank, the clearances that decide where they can go, and the balcony question.
A small propane fire table is one of the best things you can put on a small patio. It gives you a real fire without smoke or embers, it doubles as a table, and the best of them hide the propane tank inside. But on a small patio, the table's own size is the easy part. What decides whether it fits is the space the burner needs around it: overhead, to the walls, and where the tank goes.
We sell nine fire tables 32 inches wide or less, plus two slightly larger tables that still hide the tank, from $999. This guide compares them by size, then walks through the three questions that actually rule tables in or out on a small patio.
The short version
- Smallest table we sell: the Dekko Element, 20.5″ wide. Smallest that hide a 20 lb tank: the Outdoor GreatRoom Stonefire 32 (31.5″ square) and Providence (32″ × 20″).
- The clearance is bigger than the table. Outdoor GreatRoom's burners need 72″ overhead and 24″ to combustible walls; Dekko and HPC need 84″ overhead.
- Under a cover, add the table's height to its overhead clearance. Under a standard 8-foot cover, most small tables come within an inch or two, which means measure carefully and ask us; the low Cove 29 bowl clears it easily, and the Dekko tables don't.
- Plan the tank: inside the base, on a hose beside the table, or a fixed gas line.
- Balconies are often off-limits for open flames and 20 lb cylinders. Check with your building and fire marshal first.
Every small fire table we sell, by size
| Table | Size | BTU | Where the gas comes from | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dekko Element | 20.5″ W × 16″ H | 65,000 ML / 90,000 EI | Tank beside it (match lit) or gas line (electronic) | $3,163.75–$5,807.60 |
| OGR Cove 29 | 29.25″ round × 15.25″ H | 55,000 | Gas line only | $2,699 |
| HPC Tempe 31 (copper) | 31″ round × 10.5″ H | 65,000 / 90,000 | Gas line only | $4,301.85–$6,776.60 |
| OGR Stonefire 32 | 31.5″ × 31.5″ × 22.63″ H | 55,000 | 20 lb tank hidden inside, or gas line | $999 |
| OGR Providence (stainless) | 32″ × 20″ × 23″ H | 55,000 | 20 lb tank hidden inside, or gas line | $1,499 |
| Dekko Alea 32 · Bravo | 32″ × 32″ × 13″ H | 65,000 ML / 90,000 EI | Tank beside it (match lit) or gas line (electronic) | $4,022.55–$6,217.05 |
| Dekko Serenade 32 | 32″ W × 16″ H | 65,000 ML / 140,000 EI | Tank beside it (match lit) or gas line (electronic) | $4,022.55–$6,217.05 |
| HPC Mesa 32 (copper) | 32″ round × 15″ H | 65,000 / 90,000 | Gas line only | $5,569.15–$8,816.25 |
| OGR Cove Trapezoid | 37″ × 37″ × 23.75″ H | 55,000 | 20 lb tank hidden inside, or gas line | $3,799 |
| OGR Darien | 42.1″ × 30.3″ × 23.3″ H | 55,000 | 20 lb tank hidden inside, or gas line | $2,699 |
Sizes and BTU ratings are the manufacturers' published specifications (ML = match lit, EI = electronic ignition). Dekko and HPC tables are ordered for one ignition and one fuel; the price range runs from the match-lit version to the electronic one. Outdoor GreatRoom tables ship set up for propane with a natural-gas conversion kit included. Prices update live from each product page.
Two of these are worth singling out for very small spaces. The Providence is only 20″ deep, so it fits along a narrow patio or in front of a loveseat, and it still hides a 20 lb tank. The Stonefire 32 comes with a matching burner cover, so when the fire's off it's simply a 31.5″ side table.
The clearance is bigger than the table
Every gas burner comes with minimum distances to anything that can burn: the roof or cover above it, and walls, railings or fences beside it. They're set by the burner, so a small table doesn't earn smaller clearances. These are the published rules for the tables in this guide:
Clearances, from the manufacturers
- Outdoor GreatRoom (Crystal Fire Plus burner): "72″ from top of burner to any overhead combustible materials and 24″ from edge of burner trim to any combustible side walls."
- Dekko concrete: permitted at 84″ overhead clearance, with solid structure or combustible material on no more than two sides.
- HPC fire pits up to 142,000 BTU: 84″ overhead, and 36″ from the sides to any structure or combustible material (12″ if it's noncombustible).
Notice the Outdoor GreatRoom rule is measured from the burner trim, not the edge of the table, which works in a small patio's favor: the table's top extends beyond the burner, so the table itself can sit closer to a wall than 24 inches. Measure from the burner's edge.
Under a patio cover? Add the table's height
Overhead clearance is measured from the burner, which sits near the top of the table, not from the floor. So the ceiling height a table needs is roughly its own height plus its overhead clearance. Using each table's overall height as a conservative stand-in for the burner:
| Table | Height | Overhead clearance | Lowest overhead, roughly | Under an 8-ft (96″) cover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HPC Tempe 31 | 10.5″ | 84″ | 94.5″ | Too close to call — ask us |
| OGR Cove 29 | 15.25″ | 72″ | 87.3″ | Clears, with about 9″ to spare |
| OGR Stonefire 32 | 22.63″ | 72″ | 94.6″ | Too close to call — ask us |
| OGR Providence · Darien | 23–23.3″ | 72″ | 95–95.3″ | Too close to call — ask us |
| OGR Cove Trapezoid | 23.75″ | 72″ | 95.75″ | Too close to call — ask us |
| Dekko Alea 32 · Bravo | 13″ | 84″ | 97″ | Doesn't clear |
| Dekko Element · Serenade 32 | 16″ | 84″ | 100″ | Doesn't clear |
| HPC Mesa 32 | 15″ | 84″ | 99″ | Doesn't clear |
Our arithmetic from the published heights and clearances, using the table's full height in place of the burner's, which errs on the safe side. Measure to the lowest point of the overhead — a beam, fan or light, not the ceiling boards — and confirm against the manual for the exact model. If you're within a few inches of the requirement, treat it as a no until we've checked it with you.
The pattern is worth knowing before you shop. A standard 8-foot cover is right at the limit for most small tables: the Outdoor GreatRoom tables come within an inch or two, the Dekko tables fall short despite being lower, because their clearance is 12″ greater, and only the low Cove 29 bowl clears comfortably. If your cover is higher than 8 feet, the picture changes quickly. Our overhead clearance guide walks through measuring your own space step by step.
How enclosed can the space be?
A small patio is often a partly enclosed one, and that matters as much as height. Outdoor GreatRoom's burner manual defines an outdoor space as no more enclosed than one of these:
- Walls on all four sides with no overhead cover.
- An overhead cover with two side walls, either parallel or at right angles.
- An overhead cover with three side walls, where 30 percent of the surrounding wall area is permanently open.
Dekko's equivalent is the "no more than two sides" condition above. When you count sides, include screens, solid fencing and solid-backed built-in seating, as our clearance guide explains; a screened porch enclosed on three or four sides usually won't qualify.
Where's the tank going to go?
On a small patio, a 20 lb propane cylinder and its hose take up real space, so this question narrows the field quickly. There are three answers:
Inside the base
The Stonefire 32, Providence, Darien and Cove Trapezoid hold a standard 20 lb cylinder behind a door. Nothing on the floor but the table. The tidiest option for a small space.
Beside the table
Match-lit Dekko tables run from a portable tank on a 3/8″ × 144″ (12-foot) hose, ordered separately. HPC's own fire pit insert manual puts a remote tank at least 54 inches from the fire pit; check the manual for your model, and make sure you have room for it.
A fixed gas line
Electronic-ignition Dekko tables, the Cove 29 and the HPC copper bowls need a fixed supply, run by a licensed gas fitter. Electronic ignition also needs a 120V outdoor outlet.
Wherever the cylinder lives, the Crystal Fire Plus manual's rules apply: never use or store it "in a building, garage, or enclosed area," keep the valve closed when the table isn't in use, and don't store a spare cylinder near the appliance. Our electronic ignition vs match lit guide explains why the ignition you choose decides which supply you can use.
Balconies, condos and HOAs
If your small patio is a balcony, check the rules before anything else, because they're often stricter than the manufacturer's. Fire codes in many U.S. cities are based on the International Fire Code, and local versions commonly restrict open flames on combustible balconies and limit propane cylinders on balconies of multi-family buildings.
As one example, the Tucson Fire Department's guidance says open-flame cooking devices may not be used on combustible balconies or within 10 feet of combustible construction unless the building is sprinklered, and that 20 lb propane cylinders "shall not be stored within dwelling units, or on balconies unless shaded and min. 5' from any building opening or vent." Your city's rules may differ, and condo and HOA rules can add more. Ask your building management and your local fire marshal before you buy; if the answer is no, no fire table will be the right one.
Height, heat and the lid
Height. The tables here range from 10.5″ (the Tempe copper bowl) to about 24″. The low concrete and copper pieces read as coffee tables in front of a sofa; the 22–24″ Outdoor GreatRoom tables sit at chat height, comfortable from a lounge chair.
Heat. Small doesn't mean weak. The small Outdoor GreatRoom tables are rated 55,000 BTU on a hidden tank, the match-lit Dekkos 65,000, and on a gas line the 32″ Dekko Serenade reaches 140,000 BTU with electronic ignition. On a small patio, the clearances above usually limit you before heat does.
The lid. A burner cover turns a fire table into an ordinary table when it's off, which matters when the patio is small and every surface earns its place. The Stonefire includes one, and glass burner covers are sold for the 12″ × 24″ and 24″ × 24″ burners on the Providence, Darien and Cove Trapezoid. Always take the cover off before lighting: the manuals are explicit that the table must never be lit with it in place.
Which small fire table should you buy?
Best all-rounder for a small patio
OGR Stonefire 32
31.5″ square, hidden 20 lb tank, matching burner cover included.
$999View →
Narrowest with a hidden tank
OGR Providence
Stainless steel, just 20″ deep, 12″ × 24″ burner, 20 lb tank inside.
$1,499View →
More table, still compact
OGR Darien
42″ × 30″ with an aluminum top and a hidden 20 lb tank.
$2,699View →
Low bowl on a gas line
OGR Cove 29
29.25″ round, 15.25″ high; the one small table that clears a standard 8-ft cover comfortably.
$2,699View →
Smallest footprint
Dekko Element
20.5″ wide cast concrete; match lit from a tank, or electronic on a gas line.
$3,163.75–$5,807.60View →
Most heat in a small size
Dekko Serenade 32
32″ wide; 140,000 BTU with electronic ignition on a gas line.
$4,022.55–$6,217.05View →
Accessories that matter on a small patio. A breezy corner flattens a small flame, and a tempered glass wind guard sized to the burner keeps it upright: the 12″ × 24″ guard ($259) fits the Providence and Darien burners and the 20″ round guard ($329) the Cove 29. For the Providence there's a model-matched protective cover ($87). We don't list a wind guard or cover for the Stonefire's 16″ burner, so ask us before you order one elsewhere. Wider choices are in wind guards and covers.
Before you order — the short list
- Balcony or condo? Get a yes from the building and the fire marshal first.
- Measure overhead to the lowest point of any cover, and compare it with table height plus clearance.
- Count the walls: no more than a cover and two sides, or three sides with 30% permanently open.
- Choose the tank arrangement: hidden inside, beside the table (with room for it), or a gas line.
- Check the floor: on a wood or composite deck, read the deck-protection requirement on the product page.
Send us a photo of your patio with a couple of measurements, and we'll tell you which of these will fit, and where the tank can go.
The Iridescent Home Team
We sell gas fire tables from Outdoor GreatRoom, Dekko and HPC, and publish each one's dimensions, tank rule, clearances and owner's manual on its product page. Small-space question? Call (307) 201-4597, 9am–5pm MT, every day.
Real fire for a small patio
Dimensions, BTU, the tank arrangement and clearances are published on every fire table we sell, so you can check the fit before anything goes in your cart.
Questions? (307) 201-4597 · 9am–5pm MT, every day
Small propane fire table FAQ
What is the smallest propane fire table?
Can a small fire table hide the propane tank?
How much clearance does it need?
Will it work under a covered patio?
Can I use one on an apartment balcony?
Do small fire tables give off enough heat?
Dimensions, BTU ratings, tank arrangements and clearances are the manufacturers' published specifications and owner's-manual guidance for the models we sell; they vary by model and configuration, so confirm against the product page and manual before ordering. The ceiling-height figures are our own arithmetic from those published numbers. Balcony and multi-family rules vary by city; the Tucson example is one city's guidance, not a national rule. Fixed gas connections and conversions must be made by a licensed gas fitter to local code. Never use or store a propane cylinder in a building, garage or enclosed area. Call (307) 201-4597 with any question before you order.