How to Keep a Fire Pit's pointed feet from pressing into DeckProtect's Basalt Boards
Does your fire pit or chiminea have tiny feet? While most fire pits have substantial feet that will not sink into the basalt board of a DeckProtect, some fire pits rest a lot of weight on feet with a very small footprint.
The basalt board used in DeckProtrect is not soft, but it is also not rock hard. For example, you could press a screwdriver into the surface if you pushed hard.
The Breeo X-24 (left) is a very heavy fire pit, but even with a full load of logs, its feet will not depress the basalt. A round base fire pit (above) distributes its weight and also is not likely to press into the basalt.
A customer with a heavy chiminea that rested on 3 legs with very narrow feet was concerned that the feet were pressing into the basalt under the substantial weight.
There was an easy solution. The electric supply section of a hardware store will have galvanized steel plates that are used as covers for an electrical junction box. There are several different varieties, all priced at less than $2. Ideally it has a round "knockout" in the center that an electrician knocks out to make an opening for a fixture. The one at left is 3-5/8" wide.
To make a natural looking foot plate, the galvanized steel can be painted with Rust-oleum High Heat paint. It is essential to remove the UPC sticker and any adhesive left behind, which may require a solvent.