Pro's and Con's of cast iron chimineas vs. clay chimineas

Chimenea Care and Usage

DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT CHIMINEAS? YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT CHIMINEAS? This is a list of questions we get asked often. If you have a question, comment or concern that isn't address here please email me Julie Jarvis, vice president Dancing Fire Inc. jjarvis@dancingfire.com

A LITTLE HISTORY ABOUT THE CHIMINEA MARKET!

Clay chimeneas have been given a bad rap. I have heard stories about the clay chimeneas having problems. Like cracking, dissolving clay, bad paint and such. This is a true and a valid point but in my opinion these problems are gone (for the most part). The clay Chimenea "FAD" took off like lightning several years ago. The demand was greater then the supply so consequently the quality of the clay Chimenea took a hit. Plus, and more importantly is the fact that the consumer was not given the proper instructions on how to use and care for the clay Chimenea. Clay Chimeneas are awesome and I don't have any problems with them but it's just like most everything- READ THE INSTRUCTIONS. And that brings up another good point about clay chimeneas. No assemble is required.

I have had a Chimenea for at least 8 years. The quality of this Chimenea isn't the greatest I have seen, but it has character and we like it. It's been part of the family and we've had great memories. We take care of it. We do some simple, periodical maintenance, that's all. It looks almost as good today as it did when I bought it. So I am more inclined to believe that it's not the bad quality of the Chimenea that gives it a bad name but rather the method of which they are taken care of. Yes, quality is extremely important, but a good quality Clay Chimenea will fall apart from lack of attention just as easy as one of a lesser quality. It's not a lot of maintenance but it's important.How to take care of my Clay Chimenea?

During the evolution of the CHIMINEA FAD the word spread on CLAY CHIMINEAS having problems. Then along came the cast iron Chimenea. BOOM! The FAD is off again. Cast iron chimeneas are selling very well. Sells of clay Chimenea aren't doing as well and this is a shame. Yes clay chimeneas have had problems but it's not like it use to be. Cast Iron chimeneas have problems as well. See What's Wrong With Cast Iron Chimeneas And when you weigh the pros and cons of both Chimenea, I, Me personally would prefer the clay Chimenea. If for no other reason then safety issues. In my opinion cast iron chimeneas have the potential of being very dangerous. The cast iron Chimenea gets extremely hot- blistering hot and without the proper supervision (totally, 100% attended to by an adult) the damage a cast iron Chimenea can do could be devastating. Much more dangerous then the clay chimenea.

Clay chimeneas have character. Each is hand made, not molded or poured into a mold. No assembly is required. Assembling a cast iron Chimenea right out of the box can be Enduring at best. Good word, Huh? Enduring! I hate Enduring "Some assembly required". I know there's times we all must endure SOME assembly but why if we don't have too. Clay chimeneas come with no assembly required. They are safer. They are more user friendly. You have access to many more different varieties. Inventory is more consistent. Almost every commercial site on the Internet, that retails cast iron chimeneas, use the same supplier. We are an independent, stocking clay chimenea distributor. We control the inventory.

CLAY CHIMINEA vs. CAST IRON CHIMINEAS

There is pro's and con's to clay chimeneas and cast iron chimeneas. Your needs for an outdoor fireplace are going to be different then my needs. A cast iron chimenea can work for you very well but not quite as well for myself. Vice , Versa. I will try to share with you what I have learned about cast iron chimeneas and clay chimeneas. The ultimate decision is yours and I believe knowing the facts can help you make a better, informed decision. Chimeneas are not cheap and buying a chimenea that's wrong for your needs is no good. Compare the facts and realize these are just some comparisons.

Cast Iron Chimeneas

PRO	CON
Won't rack or break as easy as a clay chimenea	Very dangerous when in use. opening the door and adding firewood could be painful and blistering
Easy to repaint	After prolong usage the paint burns off. Cast iron will rust very rapidly. Stains
Delivered via UPS or FEDEX. Cheaper freight.	Assembly required 2 to 6 hours. May need to re-drill holes.
Longer life span. A Cast Iron Chimenea will no doubt last longer the Clay Chimenea	When cast iron chimeneas rust, they will stain the deck when it rains.

Clay Chimeneas

A lot safer then a Cast Iron Chimenea. Does not get as hot as easily as a Cast Iron Chimenea	Can break if not handle correctly
It's easy to paint.	Paint can fade.
Looks better the longer you use the clay Chimenea.	Life expectancy is shorter then a Cast Iron Chimenea.
The Clay Chimenea is a work of art, each is unique. Its not as utilitarian	Requires some maintenance

WHERE TO BUY A CHIMINEA Dancing Fire Inc. carries a wide variety of both clay and cast iron chimeneas. They ship to your door and it's easy online ordering visit

I HAVE A CLAY CHIMINEA. WHAT DO I NEED TO USE IT SAFELY.
Let's assume you just bought a Chimenea and it came with no instructions. Or you just want to know how to use a clay chimenea safely and your doing research. Now what do you do to get started? If you are looking to buy a clay chimenea visit and we'll be happy to ship you one. You need to get some stuff before burning a fire in a clay chimenea. All of this is also available online at

Sealer	This is used to protect the clay from moisture. Adds to life of Chimenea.	recommended
Chimenea Rock	Put this in the bowl of the chimenea before lighting a fire. Keeps the coals off clay.	must have
A Cover	Protects chimenea from sun and helps keep moisture from clay.	recommended
A Chimenea Lid	When not using cover this help protect from rain. And its a spark arrester.	recommended
Fireplace Tools	You need tools to stoke fir and to help add logs to fire. Makes putting fire out easier.	must have

Make sure the Clay Chimenea is sealed, if it's not sealed i would recommend getting some sealer and sealing the clay. This will help protect the clay from absorbing moisture. This is a good thing to do from the get go. First find a good logical, practical, safe location to set your clay Chimenea. Look around, is this location ok if ashes fall out the front. Will you start something on fire? If this is on a wood deck you should build a hearth under and around the Chimenea. You can use bricks, flat rocks etc. Just make sure it's fire proof just in case some hot ashes fall out the front. Make sure ashes blowing out the top won't land in any nearby landscaping or leaves. But it's also important to put the clay Chimenea where it can be enjoyed. The point is to just beware of your surroundings because of the fire. Set the Chimenea so it doesn't rock and it's good and stable. Fill the bottom of the Clay Chimenea bowel with rock sand or pea gravel. Fill the Chimenea so the Chimenea rock fills all but about an inch or so from the bottom of the opening. You want the Chimenea bowel this full. This will do several things. When the fire is burning it will keep the hot coals from direct contact with the clay. The clay won't get as hot and will last longer. Also, when the fire is burning you want the top of the flames to be over the top of the opening. This keeps the smoke from coming out the front and smoking up your patio. All the smoke is blown out the top of the clay chimenea by the force from the fire. So now you should be ready to build a fire in your clay chimenea.

I HAVE A CAST IRON CHIMINEA. WHAT DO I DO TO USE IF SAFELY?

First find a good logical, practical, safe location to set your cast iron chimenea. Look around, is this location ok if ashes fall out the front. Will you start something on fire? If this is on a wood deck you should build a hearth under and around the Chimenea. You can use bricks, flat rocks etc. Just make sure it's fire proof just in case some hot ashes fall out the front. Make sure ashes blowing out the top won't land in any nearby landscaping or leaves. But it's also important to put the cast iron chimenea where it can be enjoyed. The point is to just beware of your surroundings because of the fire. Set the Chimenea so it doesn't rock and it's good and stable. The cast iron chimenea should have come with a grill. Most do, some don't. If you have a grill make sure its inside the bowl of the chimenea. If you do not have a grill use Chimenea rock sand or pea gravel. Fill the Chimenea so the Chimenea rock fills all but about an inch or so from the bottom of the opening. You want the Chimenea bowel this full. This keeps the smoke from coming out the front and smoking up your patio. All the smoke is blown out the top of the cast iron chimenea by the force from the fire. So now you should be ready to build a fire in your cast iron chimenea.

HOW TO START MY CHIMINEA?

Let's build a fire! This is how I light my chimenea fire. I get some firewood. We sell and I prefer Pinon Firewood. See Pinon firewood here it's some really awesome firewood. The aroma is wonderful. Easy to start, burns good and smells awesome. Smaller pieces of firewood work better. About the size of a baseball. Most of the time I will use a fire starter to ignite the Pinon firewood. I use a 100% natural fire starter sticks called FATWOOD. See here for fatwood Do not use a flammable lighter fluid. Please! The fatwood sticks are about 9 inches long. I use a couple of sticks and light one end. I get the flame going so its steady. I place the sticks into the chimenea rock in the bowl of the chimenea, flame up. I then place small chucks of firewood around the fatwood fire starter sticks so there's contact with the fire from the fatwood. This usually gets the pinon firewood going. Very simple and easy. Some times I might have to add so more fatwood sticks but usually two sticks does the trick.

KEEP THE FIRST FIRES SMALL

This is important so the clay has a chance to cure better. You will notice the longer you use you clay chimenea it will take on it's cured color. All clay chimeneas will turn, some how, some way and this is a good thing. These changes are taking place while you are making memories. This is what makes your chimenea, your chimenea.

DO YOU KNOW A PYROMANIAC?

Some people, such as myself, believe that if a small fire is fun a bigger fire ought to be more fun. Of coarse I am going to say don't build big fires but if you know a pyromaniac you need to approach with caution. Get to know your clay chimenea. I have personally built fires in my chimenea that was too big. You are taking risks and its not recommended.

PUTTING THE FIRE OUT IN YOUR CLAY CHIMINEA

It's late, time to go to bed. The chimenea is burning and you need to put out the fire. I have s set of fireplace tools. See fireplace tools. I use the porker and spread out the fire. then I will use the shovel and turn of the chimenea rock and this will smother the fire. Always make sure the fire is completely extinguished before leaving unattended.

HOW TO TAKE CARE OF MY CLAY CHIMINEA?

The worse enemy of a clay chimenea other then dropping it, is water. The clay chimenea will absorb the water and make it softer. The absorbed moisture has the potential of freezing in cold conditions and possibly cracking and, or breaking. Building a fire in a clay chimenea with heavy moisture saturation could also damage the chimenea.

CHIMINEA SEALER

The clay chimenea should be protected from water as much as practically possible. The best method is to be sure the clay chimenea is sealed. This protects and seals the clay so when it rains the water runs off just like a freshly waxed car. But this sealer will wear off and must be re-applied. This is the most important part of keeping your clay chimenea in good condition. Keeping it sealed. The life of the sealer depends on a lot of factors, usage is one, not being covered is another. The chimenea sealer will usually last about 3 to 4 months with average weekend usage before needing to be re-applied.

CLAY CHIMINEA COVERS

Covering your clay chimenea is very important. See chimenea covers here.This will prolong the life of the clay chimenea sealer and protect the clay from the UV rays from the sun. The paint will last longer as well. I usually keep my clay chimenea covered during the week but on Friday we usually take the cover off. During the weekend we just use a chimenea lid for rain protection. Recover the clay chimenea during the week. This seems to be the routine our family has adapted and the clay chimenea looks like new.

CLEANING THE CLAY CHIMINEA

Most of the time the clay chimenea cleans itself. sounds funny but the wind will usually clean the ashes and every once in awhile I might have to clean the rock. I will shovel out the rock from the clay chimenea into a bucket and rinse them off with water. I'll let the rock dry and put the rock back into the bowel of the clay chimenea.

HOW TO TAKE CARE OF MY CAST IRON CHIMINEA?

Cast Iron Chimeneas don't need to be sealed like clay chimeneas but they have their own problems. RUST! After a period of use the cast iron chimenea bowel and, or the other components of the chimenea i.e. smoke stack, the wire screen door, the cap on top, will rust. Some new cast iron chimeneas have better paint then others and they will last longer. But it's inevitable, something on that cast iron chimenea will rust sooner or later. You must deal with this rust. Rust never dies, it will not go away till the whole chimenea is rusted away. The only economical method i know is to use some heat resistant paint and repaint as needed. Most hardware stores carry the paint in a FEW different colors. Chances are, you are not going to match the original color of the cast iron chimenea. This is also something to think about when you are buying a cast iron chimenea. When the chimenea rust what color am i going to use to repaint with? Do i want to deal with this? It's going to happen sooner or later. It's just nice to know this before you make an investment.

COVERING YOUR CAST IRON CHIMINEA

This will help prolong the need for repainting.See chimenea covers here This will also help prevent the rust, if there is any, from getting wet and dripping onto the deck underneath the chimenea. I would highly suggest a cover. Most cast Iron Chimeneas come with lids and I don't think it's as important as they are with clay chimeneas. Covers Yes, lid not as important.

CLEANING THE CAST IRON CHIMINEA

Make sure all the coals are cooled off and just shovel out all the ashes, rinse off the grill and the chimenea and put them back together.

MY CLAY CHIMINEA HAS A CRACK IN IT. WHAT NOW?

Cracks? Cracks in clay chimeneas? It is an interesting topic. I have seen chimeneas last years with cracks in them. I have seen chimeneas crumble from cracks. Its your judgment call. There are reasons for cracks and depending on how that crack there has an impact on its safety. After the clay is formed into a chimenea cured its cooked in a large kiln. The intense heat with a multitude of variable will cause the clay to crack. Sometimes in many pieces. Sometimes no cracks at all. I believe these types of cracks are not aren't as severe as a crack from dropping the clay chimenea. Example: If you move your chimenea and its set down a little to hard and it cracks (you may not even notice or see the crack) chances are that when you build a fire in the chimenea the crack will grow. But a crack from the cooking process in the kiln i don't think those cracks will grow. With this thought in mind let's go to repairing cracks. If you have a crack from whatever reason and you want to at least attempt repairing the cracks i would try several products. The best i have seen so far that holds up is automotive bondo. I have never used it and can tell you nothing about how to use it and what to look out for. It appears to be a no-brainer but check with the sales person that sells the product. Automotive parts supply store? Cleaned the cracks of any debris. Get a good, clean, bondable surface. Apply bondo according to the instructions and let dry. Sand smooth and finish! I have heard of using concrete repair products. You can get this at most hardware supply stores. Try a two part epoxy glue. You have nothing to loose. If it works great, if not, well - you tried. I am sorry to say I have no sure fire method of repairing cracks but try- it could work.

I WANT TO PAINT MY CLAY CHIMINEA?

This is a question I get a lot. Yes you paint your chimenea. With what kind of paint? I would use a latex but any kind will work as long as you like the results. I have seen clay chimeneas in numerous different fashions. The finish is almost a trade mark of the artist that made the chimenea. It seems everyone has their own style. Before you paint the real thing try a practice piece on an old clay pot or something similar. This is one method I like. To completely repaint the entire chimenea I would find the color I am trying to achieve and find that same tint but a much brighter version. And get a couple of colors like red and yellow, or red and green. Paint the subject. Keep it simple. Use a rag and toss it on the subject. Use both or all of the colors till you get the coverage you are looking for. Let the paint dry. Make some real wet mud. Depending on the color of earth you use will change the color of the end product. Mix the mud so its wet and toss the mud all over the chimenea. Let dry. Use a can of spray lacquer and spray the chimenea with dry mud on it. the lacquer will melt thru the mud and give the chimenea a rustic look. Here's the catch. The artist I have seen use this technique make it look really easy, and I am sure it is, but I think it may take some practice. Bottom line here is keep it simple, be creative and experiment.

I WANT TO PAINT MY CAST IRON CHIMINEA?

Go to your local hardware store an ask the cleric to show you the heat resistant spray paint. Colors are going to be limited. While your at the store get some fine grit sand paper or some steel wool. Wipe off any dirt on the chimenea and sand the rust spots smooth. Sand any other rough spot you might see. Wipe off the chimenea with a rug. Get the chimenea good and clean and dry. Spray the chimenea with the heat resistant paint according to the instructions on the can. Try experimenting with different colors at the same time.

WHAT IS PINON FIREWOOD?

Pinon is a tree grown in the mountains of New Mexico. It makes are very pleasant firewood especially for burning in chimeneas. Pinon firewood is easy to start, has an awesome aroma, and burns wonderfully. Most people enjoy Pinon for the aroma. It usually comes per-cut just for chimeneas.

SOME OTHER USEFUL TIPS

We suggest you bring it indoors when freezing temperatures are predicted. Clay is breakable- and freezes are a problem. Use GOOD common sense when using the chimenea. Start with a small fire and let the clay get use to the heat. Just like if you pour hot water on a frozen windshield- it'll break. If your chimenea is not in a covered area we suggest you put a cover over the top to prevent the rain from filling the bowl. Small chimeneas are for small fires. Bigger chimeneas are for small fire also. Do not build big fire