Fire Columns & Fire Towers: The Complete Guide
Updated November 6, 2026 · By the Chic Home Deco team, authorized US dealer of Planika and The Outdoor Plus
Quick answer: A fire column (also sold as a fire tower or flame tower) is a tall, freestanding outdoor fire feature with a real flame at or near the top. There are two kinds: portable propane fire columns about 5 feet tall that hide a 20 lb tank in the base and need no installation ($379 to $749), and installed gas fire towers, about 6 feet tall or more, that a licensed pro connects to a gas supply (from about $6,000).
The Planika Lighthouse: a 62-inch propane fire column with the tank hidden in the base.
In this guide
What is a fire column?
A fire column is a vertical fire feature: a slim base with a live flame on top or inside a glass chamber, built to be seen from every side. It is part fire feature and part outdoor lighting, and it warms the people sitting close to it.
Stores use several names for the same idea, which makes shopping confusing. Here is how the terms are used in the US:
Fire column: the general term for a tall, slim flame feature. "Propane fire column" usually means a portable one with the tank inside.
Fire tower / flame tower: the same shape, often taller or more architectural. Luxury fire towers are usually built from metal and connected to a gas line.
Fire pillar: mostly used for concrete pillars, often with a fire bowl on top. See our guide to fire bowls on pillars and columns.
Gas torch: a small flame on a post, used in groups along paths and pool edges.
Patio heater: built for heat first. Glass tube (pyramid) heaters look similar but are taller and thinner; we compare them in glass tube heater vs flame tower.
A propane fire column like the Faro sits next to the furniture, so the flame is part of the seating area.
Portable fire columns vs installed fire towers
The biggest decision is not the look but how the column gets its gas. That decides the price, the installation and whether you can move it later.
Portable propane fire columns
- A standard 20 lb propane tank hides in the base behind a door.
- No gas line and no installer: you connect the tank with the included regulator and hose.
- About 5 feet tall, 14 to 16 inches square, 33 to 61 lb, on casters or with handles.
- Examples: Planika Bino, Faro, Pyramid and Lighthouse.
The tank stores inside the base of a portable fire column, so nothing is visible once the door is closed.
Installed gas fire towers
- Connected to a natural gas line or a propane supply by a licensed gas professional.
- Made of stainless steel, Corten steel or hammered copper; the High Rise and Hay Stack stand 72 inches tall.
- Ignition choices on our listings: match lit, low-voltage electronic, and (on some models) plug and play electronic. Our ignition guide explains the difference.
- Built to order by The Outdoor Plus in Southern California; usually ships in 3 to 4 weeks.
- Examples: Bastille, High Rise and Hay Stack. Planning details are in our gas fire tower planning guide.
An installed fire tower: the High Rise by The Outdoor Plus, 72 inches tall, in stainless steel.
Shop propane fire columns
Four Planika models from $379, free shipping to the lower 48, US regulator and hose in the box.
See fire columnsHow tall should a fire column be?
Height decides how a column reads in the space. Around 5 feet, the flame sits near eye level for a seated person and fits under most pergolas and umbrellas. At 6 feet and up, a tower becomes architecture and is seen from across the yard.
Heights of the models we sell
- Planika Faro and Pyramid: 58.9 in
- Planika Lighthouse: 62 in
- Planika Bino: a compact round column, 33 lb
- The Outdoor Plus High Rise and Hay Stack: 72 in
A few practical rules: pick the shorter, portable class for decks, balconies and dining areas; pick a tall installed tower for an entry, a pool edge or a large lawn where it has to hold its own against the house. Pairs look intentional: two matching columns at a door or the ends of a long table almost always look better than one oversized piece.
A pair of Planika Pyramid columns at a restaurant entrance: matching pairs read as architecture.
How much heat does a fire column give?
Fire columns warm the people near them, not the whole yard. The listed heat is 27,300 BTU for the Bino and Faro, 28,000 BTU for the Pyramid and 34,120 BTU for the Lighthouse. In practice that is a warm zone of about 2 to 4 feet around the 27,300 to 28,000 BTU models and about 3 to 6 feet around the Lighthouse.
So plan by seating group, not by square footage:
- 2 chairs or a bistro set: one 27,300 BTU column (Bino or Faro)
- Sofa or sectional for 4 to 6: one Lighthouse at the open end
- Dining table for 6 to 8: two columns, one at each end
- Open, windy yard: several columns, or a classic patio heater if raw heat matters more than looks
- Restaurant terrace: one per table group (see our restaurant guide)
Wind reduces the warmth of any open flame. A sheltered or partly enclosed terrace makes a column feel warmer than its BTU number suggests. Tank life is covered in our Planika review, and the warmer of the two best sellers in Faro vs Lighthouse.
A Lighthouse beside a lounge group on the Hotel Copernicus terrace in Toruń, Poland.
Every fire column and fire tower we sell
Prices are on chichomedeco.com as of November 2026, with free shipping to the 48 contiguous states.
Planika Bino: $379
Compact round column in Silk Gray, 27,300 BTU, 33 lb with carry handles. The smallest footprint for balconies and bistro sets.
Planika Faro: $469
Slim black column, 58.9 in, 27,300 BTU, 44 lb on four casters, piezo push-button ignition. Our best seller.
Planika Pyramid: $549
Tapered tower with a cut-out pattern, 58.9 in, 28,000 BTU, wheels with brakes, flame-failure and tilt sensors listed.
Planika Lighthouse: $749
The warmest portable column: 62 in, 34,120 BTU, 61 lb on castors with a brake, electronic control panel, cover included.
The Bino is the compact, round option, here on a rooftop patio.
Triangular fire tower in Corten steel or hammered copper with an open flame crown. Natural gas or propane, three ignition options.
72 in stainless steel tower with the flame inside horizontal slats; 28 in and 42 in widths.
72 in sculptural stainless steel tower; match lit or low-voltage electronic ignition.
The Bastille fire tower in Corten steel, which weathers to a rust patina.
Not sure which one fits?
Send us your space and seating plan and we reply with a suggestion, usually within a few hours on weekdays.
Ask for adviceWhat a fire column costs
Prices fall into three clear bands in the US market:
- $150 to $550: glass tube (pyramid) patio heaters. Tall and bright, but built mainly for heat.
- $379 to $749: portable propane fire columns with a real flame behind glass and a hidden tank (the four Planika models).
- About $6,000 to over $20,000: installed metal fire towers, depending on size, metal and ignition. Gas line work by a licensed pro is extra; see gas fire pit installation costs for typical line costs.
Running cost is propane only for the portable columns. At full flame, a 20 lb tank lasts about 18 to 23 hours on the 27,300 to 28,000 BTU models and about 14 to 18 hours on the Lighthouse; lower settings last longer.
The Hay Stack by The Outdoor Plus: a sculptural 72-inch tower for statement landscapes.
Where to put a fire column, and clearance
Columns work best where people stop: by the front steps, beside the dining table, at the open end of a sectional, along a pool deck or in a rooftop corner. We show eight layouts with spacing tips in outdoor fire column ideas.
Clearance and safety basics
- Follow the side and overhead clearances printed in the manual for your model; local fire code and HOA rules come first.
- Outdoors or in a partly covered space with open sides and good airflow only. Never indoors, in a garage or in a closed porch.
- Stand it level, lock the casters and keep cushions, umbrellas and plants away from the glass.
- For general distances from the house, see our fire pit safety and clearance guide.
A Faro on a pool deck: a hard, level surface with room around the glass.
How to choose a fire column in 5 questions
1. Do you have a gas line where it will stand? No: choose a portable propane column. Yes, and you want it permanent: an installed tower.
2. Will you move it? Between the dining table and the lounge, or into storage in winter: portable.
3. How many people sit around it? One column per seating group of 2 to 6 people.
4. How big is the space? Balcony or small deck: Bino or Faro. Large terrace: Lighthouse or a pair. Entry or big lawn: a 72-inch tower.
5. What is the budget? Under $800 delivered: Planika. A permanent landscape feature: The Outdoor Plus.
Pyramid columns on a London rooftop: one per table group.
Ready to pick yours?
All four Planika fire columns ship free to the lower 48 in 1 to 2 business days from New Jersey, with a 2-year US warranty.
Shop fire columnsLooking for a permanent, gas-line tower or gas torches instead? Browse outdoor fire towers and gas torches.
Frequently asked questions
What is a fire column?
A fire column is a tall, slim outdoor fire feature with a real flame at the top or inside a glass chamber. Portable propane fire columns are about 5 feet tall and hide a 20 lb tank in the base; installed versions connect to a gas line.
Is a fire column the same as a fire tower?
Mostly yes. Both names describe a vertical flame feature. In the US, "fire tower" is more often used for taller, architectural metal towers that are connected to a gas line, while "propane fire column" usually means a portable unit with a hidden tank.
How tall is an outdoor fire column?
Portable propane fire columns are usually about 5 feet tall: the Planika Faro and Pyramid are 58.9 inches and the Lighthouse is 62 inches. Installed fire towers are taller; the High Rise and Hay Stack by The Outdoor Plus are 72 inches.
Do propane fire columns need a gas line?
No. A portable propane fire column runs on a standard 20 lb tank stored inside its base, connected with the included regulator and hose. Only installed fire towers need a gas line or a fixed propane supply, connected by a licensed gas professional.
How much does an outdoor fire tower cost?
Portable propane fire columns cost $379 to $749 on our site. Installed metal fire towers start around $6,000 and go past $20,000 for large stainless steel models with electronic ignition, plus the cost of the gas line work.
How many fire columns do I need for a patio?
Plan one column per seating group of 2 to 6 people. A long dining table usually needs two, one at each end, and an entrance looks best with a matching pair.
