How Media Design Impacts Flame Beauty, Heat & Reliability
When designing a gas fire pit, the media you choose plays a significant role in the overall aesthetic and function of the appliance. HPC Inspired upholds the highest design standards and offers a vast variety of certified fire media such as lava rock, fire glass, and even ceramic logs. In his Tech Talk, HPC’s NFI experts want to highlight the role fire media plays as well as discuss factors to consider when selecting media and how to install media properly.
Fire Media Is Part of the System — Not Just Decoration.
Many people think fire media simply sits on top of the burner just looking pretty. Beyond the beautiful aesthetic, fire media plays a key role in distributing the flame properly, allowing airflow through the media aiding in the combustion process to ignite the burner. In addition, media helps manage heat reflection and heat retention, while helping to protect the ignition components.
HPC’s experts outline our most popular choices for media application distinguishing differences and proper application. HPC has your back ensuring consumers remain educated to guarantee customer satisfaction.
Lava Rock Natural, Durable & Proven
Lava rock has long been a reliable choice for HPC gas fire pits. Lava rock is naturally porous, which allows excellent airflow for mixing gas and air for maximum efficiency of the burner. Lava rock absorbs as well as radiates heat effectively. Being a natural stone, lava rock is durable in the outdoor environment, while being cost effective and offers easy maintenance. To install lava rock, it should be applied in a layer of 2”-2.5” deep, just enough to cover the burner, and should NOT cover the pilot housing box blow-out box. After applying lava rock in a new installation, it best to season the lava rock by igniting the fire appliance running the fire pit for about 45 minutes. As always, it is important to monitor the fire feature while in use.
Fire Glass: Modern Style with Precision Requirements
Fire glass offers a sleek, contemporary look with vibrant color options and reflective coatings. Fire glass will reflect the flame on the glass and more so with reflective coatings. It will retain more moisture than most media, so covering the fire pit when it is not in use becomes important. Fire glass retains more heat than it reflects, as it is a nonporous material. Fire glass works well with an HPC engineered burner system, as long as it is applied properly. Fire glass should be applied to a point that it is no more than ½” above the burner. If too much is applied the gas will be suppressed and will not reach the surface for combustion. This can cause heat damage to components and possible delayed ignitions.
Concrete/Ceramic Logs: Realism with Engineered Placement
Ceramic logs create the look of a traditional wood fire—without the smoke. When used with a base layer of lava rock, engineered logs provide a realistic flame pattern. Flames from an engineered HPC burner will climb the logs proving a taller flame and will guide and shape flame patterns. An added factor to consider when using logs, is figuring out the correct log set based on the size of your unit. Placing too many logs over the burner can cause overheating issues triggering the unit to shut down. Remember, practice restraint when applying logs, more is not always better.
Why Media Depth & Airflow Matter
A well-designed fire pit by HPC Fire Inspired maintains a precise balance between gas flow, oxygen intake, and heat distribution. At HPC all of our designs account for:
• Proper media depth for consistent ignition
• Clear pathways for air to reach the burner
• Flame visibility without overheating components
Too Much Media Can Lead to Issues Such As:
• Delayed ignition
• Low or uneven flames
• Safety shutdowns
Not applying enough media can lead to:
• Excessive heat on the burner
• Poor Flame Pattern
• Low lazy flame from exposed burner
For a detailed explanation on proper installation of media check out HPC’s video giving step by step instructions:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-re-EQHAjVM
To ensure that you order the appropriate amount of media for your fire design, utilize HPC’s Fire Glass Calculator:
https://hpcfire.com/tools/
The HPC Design Difference
At HPC, fire media is treated as a functional design element, not an afterthought. Every approved media option is tested for proper airflow, engineered to provide safe and reliable ignition and designed for long term outdoor performance. The result is a fire pit that lights easily, burns beautifully, and performs consistently—season after season.
When choosing fire media, you are not just choosing a style—you are choosing how your fire pit performs. With HPC-inspired design, beauty, and engineering work together to deliver exceptional flame presentation, dependable operation, and peace of mind.
