American Fyre Designs

American Fyre Designs launched in March 2013 as the outdoor fire feature line of R.H. Peterson Co., a family of hearth and grill brands operating out of City of Industry, California that had already been in business more than 60 years at the time. If you know Fire Magic grills or Real Fyre gas logs, you know the parent company. The AFD line pulled together the formerly independent Designs by Garry brand and the Outdoor Campfyre product under one name, and the mandate was the same one Peterson had applied to grills for decades: build it in America, build it to last outside.

The material choice is the whole story. Glass fiber reinforced concrete gets its strength from a dosage of alkali-resistant glass fiber and acrylic polymer mixed into the concrete, which produces a panel that is stronger than poured concrete and dramatically lighter than natural stone or terracotta. In practice that means a 44 inch square fire table weighs 230 pounds instead of the several hundred a cast stone equivalent would, so it ships by common carrier and two people can place it. It also means the larger pieces work as modular kits: a fireplace or firewall arrives as components that stack and bolt together, no mason required. Finishes are hand-applied in seven options, four standard (White Aspen, Cafe Blanco, Black Lava, Smoke) and three antique (Travertine, Dark Basalt, Light Basalt), so the concrete reads as stone rather than as a gray slab.

American Fyre Designs suits the homeowner who wants a finished, designed fire feature rather than a burner kit to build around, and the landscape designer specifying a coordinated set of pieces in one finish across a patio. Everything is handcrafted in America and ANSI certified. The GFRC exterior and accessories carry a 3 year warranty, with 1 year on valves, burners, electrical components, and controls. Backyard Commerce is an authorized retailer, so every piece ships with full factory coverage and R.H. Peterson's support behind