Natural Gas vs Propane Fire Tables: How to Decide

Posted by Anna at The Modern Hearth

If you're standing in your backyard right now picturing where the fire table goes, you've probably already hit the question that stops most people: natural gas or propane?

It's the one thing nobody really explains until you're already at checkout. So here's the honest version — what each one is actually like to live with, what it costs, and how to figure out which one fits your patio.

The short answer

If you have a natural gas line running to your house and you don't mind paying a plumber to extend it to your patio, get natural gas. You'll never refill a tank, you'll pay a fraction of the fuel cost, and the table stays in one place for the next decade.

If you don't have a gas line, or you want the option to move the table, or you're renting — get propane. It works the day it arrives, no installer required, and a 20lb tank lasts most people 8–10 hours of evening use.

Everything else is detail.

Cost: this is bigger than people think

Here's the math, because nobody puts it in writing.

A typical luxury fire table runs around 55,000–65,000 BTU. At full burn:

  • Propane: roughly $3 to $5 per hour depending on tank size and your local refill price. A 20lb tank gives you about 8–10 hours. So a long weekend with friends — call it 12 hours total — runs you a refill, maybe two. Around $20–$40.
  • Natural gas: roughly $0.50 to $1.50 per hour at typical residential gas rates. That same 12-hour weekend? Under $20. For the whole season.

Over a few years of regular use, the fuel difference pays for the gas line install. After that, natural gas is basically free heat.

But — and this is the part the calculator doesn't show — running a gas line to your patio is usually $500 to $1,500 if your home is already set up for natural gas. If your home runs on propane or electric and you'd have to convert the whole house, that number goes way up and the math changes completely.

Convenience: the part you'll actually feel every day

Propane means you'll think about the tank. Is it full? Is it low? Did the last person turn the valve off? Most fire tables hide the tank inside the base, which is nice visually but also means you'll be opening that little door more than you'd like at first. You'll learn to keep a spare 20lb tank in the garage. You'll also have to swap tanks at the worst possible moment — usually mid-cocktail, with guests.

Natural gas means you walk outside, turn the knob, push the ignition, and that's it. Forever. No tanks, no swaps, no garage shuffle. The first time you use a natural gas fire table after living with propane, the difference is instant. It's the same reason most people prefer a gas dryer to electric — it's just there.

The flame itself: no, you can't tell the difference

This one comes up constantly. People worry that natural gas burns "weaker" or looks different.

In a quality fire table, the flame from natural gas and propane look essentially identical. Same yellow-orange color, same height, same dance. The orifices inside the burner are sized differently for the two fuels — that's all. The BTU output is matched on purpose.

If anyone tells you propane "looks better," they're describing tabletop tiki torches, not a 60,000 BTU fire table from a real manufacturer.

Installation: the catch propane buyers miss

Propane is the easy install — you unbox the table, drop a tank in, hook up the regulator, light it. Most people can do it in 15 minutes. No permits, no inspector.

Natural gas is the harder one. You need:

  • A licensed plumber to run the gas line from your home's manifold to the patio location
  • A shut-off valve at the connection point (code requires it)
  • Sometimes a permit, depending on your city
  • The right conversion kit for your specific fire table

Most quality fire tables ship propane-ready, and the manufacturer sells a natural gas conversion kit as a separate part. The conversion isn't a DIY job — it changes the orifice sizes inside the burner, and a wrong install is a real safety problem. Pay the plumber. It's worth it.

One thing worth knowing: not every fire table can convert to natural gas. Some lower-end models are propane-only. If you think you might want NG someday — even years from now — check that the model you're buying has an available conversion kit before you order. We list this on every product page.

What about covered patios?

This is where it gets serious for a second. Fire tables — both propane and natural gas — produce combustion byproducts, mainly water vapor and carbon dioxide, plus a small amount of carbon monoxide.

Outdoors, this disperses instantly and isn't a concern.

Under a covered patio or pergola with a closed roof, ventilation matters. Most manufacturers (Elementi included) specify minimum overhead clearance — usually 8 feet of vertical space and no fully enclosed walls. Read your manual. If you have a fully enclosed pergola or three solid walls, talk to the manufacturer before lighting it.

This is one of the questions our customers call us about most. The answer is almost always "you're fine, but here's the spec sheet." Sometimes it's "you need to make a change before this is safe." Either way — call. Don't guess.

A quick decision tree

Get natural gas if:

  • Your home already runs on natural gas
  • The patio is staying put (you're not moving the table around)
  • You use the table more than once a month — the convenience pays back fast
  • You'd rather pay once and forget it

Get propane if:

  • You don't have a natural gas line, and a conversion would be expensive
  • You want the option to move the table (between patios, to a rental, to a future home)
  • You only use the table occasionally — a tank lasts most casual users a whole summer
  • You want it working the day it arrives

Get propane now with the natural gas option later if:

  • You're not sure
  • You're remodeling soon and might add a gas line later
  • Just make sure the model you choose has an NG conversion kit available, and you're covered

What we carry

We sell propane-ready fire tables across the board, and most of our pieces have an Elementi natural gas conversion kit available as a separate purchase. If you call before you order, we'll tell you exactly which models can convert and which can't — sometimes we'll talk you out of a model because a different one is a better fit for your patio. That's the whole point of buying from a small shop.

Browse our fire table collection →

Or call us at 1-512-289-5700. Real humans, same-day responses. I'll pick up if I'm at my desk.

— Anna
The Modern Hearth

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