A fire pit wind guard is a short ring of tempered glass panels that sits around the burner of a gas fire pit to keep the flame lit and steady when a breeze picks up. It is a flame accessory, not a safety fence. Below: how to size one to your burner pan, glass and height, shapes, clips and cleaning. If you still need to pick the burner itself, start with our fire pit burner size guide.
Do I need a wind guard for my fire pit?
You probably do if your fire pit is gas fired, sits somewhere exposed (a rooftop, a lakefront deck, an open yard), and the flame flickers, leans or goes out on breezy nights. HPC Fire’s match lit fire pit insert manual lists “too windy” as a cause when a burner will not stay lit, and its fix is to “use when less windy or with our wind guard.” The same manual says the fire pit assembly should be recessed at least 2 inches below the top of the enclosure to protect the flame from being blown out. A guard adds protection on top of that.
You may not need one if your patio is sheltered or your burner already sits well down inside the table.
What a wind guard does not do
Some product copy, including parts of ours, says wind guards make a fire feature safer for guests. Treat that carefully. HPC guards are 6 inches tall: enough to shelter the flame, not enough to keep a child or pet away from the fire. HPC’s manual says never to leave an operating fire pit unattended, to warn everyone about hot surfaces, and to supervise young children closely. It also says to turn the fire pit off if gusty conditions make it unsafe. A wind guard does not change any of that.
Fire pit wind guard sizing: burner pan, not table opening
A wind guard surrounds the burner pan, so it is usually much smaller than the table. Prism Hardscapes shows this: its Tavola 2 table measures 36 in x 36 in on the maker’s Tavola page, while the matching guard we carry is part number PHWG-25-SQ, and the 48 in x 48 in Tavola 3 pairs with PHWG-31-SQ. Check with us for exact guard dimensions.
HPC Fire’s wind guard installation instructions set the ground rules for fit:
- Never place the wind guard directly on the fire pit insert.
- Center the assembled guard over the insert, sitting on its rubber feet.
- Keep a 1/2 in gap between glass panels.
- Do not use a panel that has a crack.
Our practical take: measure the outside edge of your burner pan, including its lip, then pick a guard that clears the pan all the way around and still sits on a flat, solid part of the table. Too small and it rests on the insert, which HPC says not to do. Too big and it may hang off a narrow table. HPC also points buyers to its accessories chart for burner compatibility, and we can match a guard to a specific HPC insert by phone.
HPC Fire wind guard size chart
Every HPC Fire guard is 6 in tall per HPC’s published dimensions. The round, square and rectangle listings on our site describe the glass as 3/16 in thick tempered glass. Sizes below are the outside dimensions from our product pages and HPC’s wind guard page.
| Shape | Sizes (inches) | Height | Made for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Round | 23, 30, 38, 48 diameter | 6 in | Round pans |
| Square | 25 x 25, 31 x 31, 37 x 37, 43 x 43, 49 x 49 | 6 in | Square pans |
| Rectangle | 31 x 19, 37 x 19, 43 x 21, 49 x 21, 61 x 23 | 6 in | Rectangular pans |
| Linear | 31 x 15, 43 x 15, 55 x 15, 67 x 15 | 6 in | Long, narrow burners |
A few sizes on our site to start with: the HPC Fire 30 in round glass wind guard, the 37 in x 37 in square wind guard, the 43 in x 21 in rectangle wind guard and the 55 in x 15 in linear wind guard. You can see the full range on our HPC Fire brand page.
Glass wind guard for fire pit: thickness, height and clearance
Glass wind guards use tempered glass. Our HPC round listings describe 3/16 in thick tempered glass designed to withstand high temperatures, and our Prism Hardscapes Tavola listing for the Tavola 1, 4, 5 and 8 also specifies 3/16 in clear tempered glass. If a listing does not state thickness, ask us before you buy.
For height, every HPC size is 6 in, a low profile that leaves the flame in view. To see how table height changes what guests see, read our fire pit table height guide.
On clearance, HPC’s rule is simple: the guard never sits on the insert. A little room around the pan lip also makes it easier to lift the guard off when you service the burner or top up lava rock or fire glass.
Round vs square vs rectangle vs linear
- Round: matches round bowls and round pans. HPC notes its 38 in and 48 in round guards come in 6 pieces.
- Square: five sizes from 25 in to 49 in.
- Rectangle: widths of 19 in to 23 in, so check your table has room on both long sides.
- Linear: a narrow 15 in profile for long burners.
Brand specific guards are made for one product line. Our Prism Hardscapes Tavola 1, 4, 5, 8 and Porto glass wind guard and Tavola 3 wind guard fit those tables, and the listings say to order them along with a compatible gas fire pit. The Patio Resorts wind guard for round fire pans is made for Patio Resorts fire tables; our listing does not give dimensions, so call us to confirm fit.
Clips and extension kits
HPC guards join with brackets that use set screws and silicone inserts; HPC says to check the screws periodically. If a clip goes missing, HPC sells replacements one per pack: the glass wind guard clip for square or rectangle guards and a separate round clip. Each includes a rubber foot that you remove when the clip is used at the top.
Need a longer run? The HPC wind guard straight extension kit is listed for square, rectangle and linear guards, and HPC’s straight clip joins panels to extend lengths on square and linear glass.
Cleaning and storage
HPC recommends cleaning the glass 2 to 3 times per season or as needed with a non abrasive glass cleaner and a clean, lint free cloth. For storage, wrap the panels in a clean lint free cloth if the original packaging is gone. Check every panel for chips or cracks before reinstalling.
Frequently asked questions
What wind guard size do I need for my fire pit?
Size it to the burner pan, not the tabletop. The guard has to clear the pan without resting on the insert and still sit flat on the table. Send us your pan dimensions and we will match a size.
How tall is a glass wind guard for a fire pit?
HPC Fire guards are 6 in tall in every shape and size.
Is a fire pit wind guard a safety barrier for kids?
No. It protects the flame from wind. Supervise children around any fire pit, guard or not.
Can a wind guard sit directly on the burner?
No. HPC’s instructions say never to place the guard directly on the fire pit insert. Center it over the insert on its rubber feet.
Does a wind guard work with propane and natural gas?
The guard only shields the flame, so fuel type does not change the fit. See propane vs natural gas fire pits for the fuel decision, and our fire pit buying guide for the bigger picture.
Orders of $999 or more ship free; below that, freight is a $200 flat rate. See our return and refund policy for details. Not sure which guard fits? Call 866-777-2590 (Mon to Fri, 9AM to 6PM PST).
