Can a fire feature be added to an existing patio?

It depends on the fuel source, available access, required clearances, the structural condition of the existing hardscape, and whether gas or electrical utilities can be routed without compromising what's already in place. A retrofit is sometimes straightforward; other times the existing patio base or utility routing makes it impractical. We assess each site individually before recommending an approach.

What is a pondless waterfall?

A pondless waterfall is a recirculating water feature with no open pond. Water flows over boulders or a wall face and disappears into a buried basin filled with reservoir media. A submersible pump recirculates the water continuously. Because there is no exposed standing water, maintenance is simpler than a traditional pond and the feature is safer around children and pets.

Do pondless waterfalls have standing water?

The visible stream and waterfall face do not retain standing water when the pump is off. Water drains into the concealed reservoir below grade rather than remaining as an exposed pond. The reservoir itself holds water, but it is buried and covered — not visible or accessible at the surface.

How are outdoor water features handled during Utah winters?

Utah's freeze-thaw cycles require water features to be designed with drain-down capability so standing water doesn't freeze in supply lines, pump housings, or basin walls. We design the drainage slope, pipe routing, and pump access with winterization in mind from the start. Specific winterization procedures vary by feature type and site conditions.

Can a fire feature and waterfall be built together?

Yes — when gas, electrical, water, drainage, clearances, and structure are planned as an integrated system from the beginning. The two utilities need to be routed with safe separation, and the structural base needs to accommodate both. Features designed together from the start perform better and look more cohesive than elements added separately.

When should fire and water features be planned?

Ideally during the overall landscape and hardscape design phase, before permanent patios, walls, and utility routes are finalized. Gas line routing, water supply, drainage, and electrical circuits all affect where and how a feature can be placed. Planning them after the patio is poured often limits options and increases cost.

Does Black Diamond build fire and water features as part of complete outdoor-living projects?

Yes. Fire and water features are most often designed alongside patios, retaining walls, pergolas, landscape lighting, and other landscape construction — not as standalone additions. Coordinating all elements in one design phase means the gas lines, water lines, drainage, and electrical are resolved before construction begins, and the finished result looks integrated rather than assembled from separate parts.

Linear masonry fire table burning on a concrete court with a sheet waterfall in the block wall behind

Outdoor Living

Fire Features &
Water Features

Custom gas fire pits, pondless waterfalls, and sheet waterfall walls — designed and installed as part of the complete outdoor living space in Salt Lake County, Utah.

Start Your Design View Projects

What Black Diamond builds

Permanent fire and water elements — designed in from the start

Black Diamond Landscape designs and installs custom gas fire features and water features as part of complete outdoor living projects across Salt Lake County and the Wasatch Front. That includes natural gas fire pits, custom fire tables, linear burners, pondless waterfall systems, sheet waterfall walls, and integrated fire-and-water focal points.

These elements are planned during the design phase — before patios are poured, before gas lines are routed, before drainage is set. Features designed in from the beginning perform better, look more cohesive, and cost less to build than elements retrofitted after construction is complete.

How it works

From first conversation to finished feature

Site assessment & planning

We review the site, existing utilities, grade, and drainage before any design work begins. Gas line routing, water supply, and electrical access are confirmed at this stage — not discovered mid-build.

Integrated design

Fire and water elements are drawn into the full landscape plan alongside patios, walls, pergolas, and lighting. Clearances, structural loads, and utility separation are resolved on paper before anything is built.

Permits & utility coordination

Gas line work and certain electrical connections require permits in most Salt Lake County municipalities. We handle documentation and coordinate with utility providers as part of the project scope.

Construction & commissioning

Features are built as part of the overall landscape construction sequence — not added after. Final commissioning includes pressure testing gas lines, verifying pump operation, and confirming drainage function.

Wasatch Front

Built for Utah's climate and terrain

Utah's freeze-thaw cycles, high-altitude UV exposure, and alkaline soils affect how fire and water features are designed, built, and maintained. Pondless waterfall systems are designed with drain-down capability so water doesn't freeze in supply lines or pump housings over winter. Gas fittings and burner components are specified for outdoor use in cold climates. Concrete and masonry work accounts for the thermal expansion and contraction that comes with Wasatch Front temperature swings.

Black Diamond has been building fire and water features across Salt Lake County — Sandy, Draper, Riverton, South Jordan, Millcreek, Murray, Cottonwood Heights, and surrounding communities — since 2009. Every project is built to perform through Utah winters, not just look good in the photos.

Service area

SandyUtah

DraperUtah

RivertonUtah

South JordanUtah

MillcreekUtah

MurrayUtah

Cottonwood HeightsUtah

Salt Lake CityUtah

HolladayUtah

West JordanUtah

BluffdaleUtah

HerrimanUtah

Designed in. Not added on.

Fire and water elements work best when they're part of the original design — not retrofitted after the patio is poured. Gas lines, water lines, drainage, electrical, and structural integration are all resolved during the design phase, before a single shovel hits the ground.

The result is a feature that looks like it belongs — because it was planned to be there from the start.

Fire Elements

Custom gas fire features — Utah

Black Diamond primarily installs permanent natural-gas fire features connected to the property's primary natural-gas meter. Gas lines are routed and pressure-tested as part of the landscape construction scope. Propane-compatible options may be available for certain systems, but our built-in fire features are typically designed around permanent natural-gas service.

Natural Gas Fire Pits

Permanent natural-gas fire pits connected to the property's primary gas service. No wood, no ash, no restocking — consistent flame output on demand. Sized and positioned as part of the overall patio design.

Custom Fire Features

Integrated fire elements built into seat walls, segmental block walls, and outdoor kitchen structures. Belgard ARTFORMS fire bowls, linear burners, and custom concrete fire tables designed to the specific patio geometry.

Fire & Water Combinations

Combined fire-and-water elements — fire bowls over water basins, fire columns beside waterfall walls, and integrated fire-water focal points — planned for safe gas-line and water-line separation.

Fire features in finished paver courts

Rectangular and square fire features built into paver patios — gas line, drainage, and structural base all resolved before the pavers are set.

Rectangular fire table in a finished paver court with sectional seating — Rectangular fire table in a finished paver court.

Square masonry fire feature on a paver patio.

Cedar pergola with linear fire table on a turf-grid patio at dusk — Linear fire table under a cedar pergola on a turf-grid patio.

Pergola with rectangular linear fire table and lawn backdrop at dusk — Rectangular fire table under a pergola with lawn backdrop.

Cedar pavilion interior with linear fire feature in seat wall and string lights — Linear fire feature in a cedar pavilion seat wall with string lights.

Square fire table on a paver patio with a pondless boulder stream beyond — Square fire table on a paver patio with the pondless boulder stream beyond.

Fire & water on one court

Gas fire and recirculating water sharing the same patio footprint — supply lines, drainage, and structural base all planned from the start.

Linear masonry fire table and sheet waterfall wall on a concrete court — Linear fire table and wall sheet on one concrete court.

Masonry fire table and sheet waterfall wall at blue hour — Same court at blue hour — fire and water running together.

Wide establishing view of a concrete court with fire table and sheet waterfall wall — Fire table and wall sheet — full court view.

Basalt column fountain and gas fire feature sharing a concrete pad at dusk — Same fire-and-basalt pair at dusk.

Basalt column fountain and gas fire feature, ground-level view — Basalt column fountain and gas fire feature sharing a concrete pad.

Basalt column fountain and gas fire feature at night with moon backdrop — Basalt column fountain and gas fire feature at night.

Fire pit and pondless boulder stream on one patio — Black Diamond Landscape

Fire & water

Fire pit and pondless stream on one path.

Gas fire and recirculating water designed as a single outdoor composition — supply lines, drainage, and structural base all resolved before construction begins.

Waterfall walls

Sheet waterfall walls

A sheet waterfall blade recessed into a block or masonry wall, landing in a raised cobble basin. Water recirculates through a buried pump — no open pond, no standing water.

Sheet waterfall recessed in a block wall, landing in a raised cobble basin.

Same wall basin at night with under-cap lighting.

Sandy, Utah — confirmed project

Under-cap sheet waterfall, Sandy paver backyard

A curved Belgard seat wall with an integrated under-cap sheet waterfall, river cobble basin, and a linear fire feature — all planned as a single outdoor living composition on a Sandy paver patio.

Under-cap sheet waterfall in the curved Belgard wall on the Sandy paver patio.

Same Sandy wall and basin from the dining set.

View the full Sandy project

Water Elements

Custom water features — Utah

All water features Black Diamond installs are pondless — water recirculates through a buried basin and pump, with no open pond. Systems are designed with winter drain-down in mind so supply lines and pump housings don't freeze during Utah's cold months.

Pondless Waterfalls

Recirculating waterfall systems with no open pond. Water disappears into a buried basin and reservoir, reducing standing water and the maintenance demands of a traditional pond.

Waterfall Walls

Water walls integrated into seat walls and outdoor structures. Stacked stone, concrete, and natural boulder waterfall faces designed to the specific site and material palette.

Natural Boulder Streams

Naturalistic stream and waterfall systems using locally sourced boulders and river rock. Designed to follow the natural grade of the site and integrate with existing planting beds and landscape elements.

Pondless waterfalls

Pondless boulder waterfall — Wasatch Front

Multi-tier pondless waterfall with natural boulders, river cobble planting beds, ornamental grasses, and FX colour-changing LED lighting. Shown across multiple lighting conditions.

Pondless boulder stream with a buried basin — water disappears; no open pond.

Pondless boulder stream at dusk with colored water lighting and path lights

Same stream at dusk with colored water lighting and path lights.

Pondless boulder stream at Wasatch Front sunset

Sunset on the same feature.

Fire table and pondless stream on one patio.

Featured projects

Fire and water features — Salt Lake County

Sandy, UtahSheet waterfall wall & linear fireCurved Belgard seat wall with under-cap sheet waterfall, river cobble basin, and linear fire feature on a paver patio.View project

Riverton, UtahPondless boulder waterfall & fire tableMulti-tier pondless waterfall with natural boulders, FX colour-changing LED lighting, and a fire table on the same paver court.View project

Draper, UtahFire feature & waterfall — SuncrestCustom fire feature and waterfall integrated into a complete Suncrest outdoor living renovation with retaining walls and pergola.View project

Smaller-scale water features

Basalt fountains, compact falls, and entry bubblers

Not every water feature needs to be large-scale. Drilled basalt columns, compact boulder falls, and front-entry stream bubblers bring the same sound and movement to smaller spaces.

Drilled basalt fountain columns spilling water into river rock

Drilled / stacked basalt fountain in river rock.

Small recirculating stream and bubbler against the house.

Compact pondless waterfall against a deck rail

Compact pondless fall against a deck rail.

Planning & permitting

Gas lines, water lines, permits — handled

Fire and water features involve utility coordination, structural integration, and Utah-specific freeze-thaw considerations that affect every design decision. We handle the planning so the finished element performs correctly — in January as well as July.

Gas line sizing and pressure calculations for BTU output
Utility coordination and permit documentation
Freeze-thaw drainage design for Utah winters
Pump sizing, basin volume, and recirculation rate for water features
Electrical coordination for pump and lighting circuits
Integration with existing hardscape base and drainage systems

Common questions

Often designed together

Outdoor LivingPatios, pergolas, and outdoor kitchens

HardscapesPavers, retaining walls, and seat walls

Landscape LightingFX Luminaire professional lighting systems

Landscape ConstructionFull-scope construction from grade to finish

Landscape Design2D plans and 3D renderings before we build

Manufacturer inspiration: Belgard manufacturer inspiration. Final product, colour, availability, engineering, and project suitability are confirmed during Black Diamond’s design process.

Belgard Hardscape Inspiration for Fire & Water Spaces

Explore Belgard paver patios, seat walls, and fire-integrated hardscape concepts. Product availability is confirmed during Black Diamond's design process.

Showing 4 inspiration images(53 total in collection)

Belgard Dimensions 6 paver patio with curved Belair Wall seat wall and fire pit — manufacturer inspiration. — Dimensions 6 / Belair Wall
Antique
Belgard manufacturer inspiration · Product availability confirmed during design.

Belgard Dimensions 18 evening patio with Artforms seat wall, linear gas fire feature, and decorative privacy screen — manufacturer inspiration. — Dimensions 18 / Anchor Diamond Pro Smooth / Artforms
Belgard manufacturer inspiration · Product availability confirmed during design.

Belgard DimensionsSlab 24x36 Mirage contemporary patio with Artforms seat wall, gas fire feature, and slate gravel infill — manufacturer inspiration. — DimensionsSlab 24x36 / Artforms
Mirage / Noon
Belgard manufacturer inspiration · Product availability confirmed during design.

Belgard Origins 12 raised patio with Brisa Wall seat wall, Brooklyn Paver border, and circular fire pit surround — manufacturer inspiration. — Brisa Wall / Origins 12 / Brooklyn Paver
Belgard manufacturer inspiration · Product availability confirmed during design.

Explore custom outdoor fire features →

Techo-Bloc Fire & Water Feature Inspiration

Explore Techo-Bloc paver and slab design inspiration for fire features, water features, and outdoor living spaces. Product availability and project suitability are confirmed during Black Diamond's design process.

Manufacturer reference images. Techo-Bloc manufacturer reference. Final product, colour, availability, and project suitability are confirmed during Black Diamond's design process. Images courtesy of Techo-Bloc.