Grilling on your deck comes with a risk of having fat dripping or even burn marks on your nicely stained boards. I had a look at a fireproof mat for the deck or patio.
The simple solution is to use a fireproof mat for your deck and place it under your grill to protect your deck from burns and stains.
I found there is no difference if you use a wooden deck or a composite deck. Although composite decks are not known to catch fire and are easier to clean.
My Top 3 Fireproof Mats For Your Deck
I have narrowed it down to 3 brands that I think are worth the money.
- GrillTex
- The original grill pad
- Napoleon grill pad
This decision is based on overall customer ratings and of course, things like how easy these mats are to use and clean.
GrillTex Protective Grill Mat For Deck and Patio
I guess this is one of the most known brands if you are looking for a fireproof mat for under your gas or charcoal grill.
It is also one of the only ones that come in several sizes. the largest one might be considered a large grill mat.
These sizes are:
- 27 inch round
- 36 x 50 inches
- 36 x 56 inches
- 36 x 63 inches
- 39 x 72 inches
The features mention that is made of recycled rubber and will protect the floor under the grill from all major things like sauce, grease, oil with heat resistance up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit.
What I like is that it has a slighter thicker edge and in my opinion that will keep the spill contained to the mat and not run off on the deck.
This would defeat the purpose I think.
The Original Grill Pad
The Original grill pad is available in two sizes.
- 30 inch round
- 49 X 33 Inch Rectangle
The used material of this fiber cement grill pad is known to be very fireproof.
Although this is a very strong material this mat is still flexible enough.
With its weight, it will stay anchored to your deck or patio and the wind will not affect it.
It is only available in the color brown!
According to the manufacturer this fireproof mat is made in the USA.
Buyers mentioned it also worked very well on a composite deck.
Napoleon Commercial Grill Pad
I guess that the name and brand Napoleon does not need too much introduction and you can find my grill reviews on the menu.
The features of this Napoleon 68001 are:
- 32 x 47 x 0.1 inches
- 11.25 lbs
Again I found a user that mentioned it worked fine on a composite deck. In my opinion, that means that it is also great for a wooden deck.
The manufacturer wrote that it is mainly made out of PVC composite and after I did some research I found that this is the same material that composite decks are made of.
However, they also mentioned it is not specifically tested on composite decking.
This size of 32 x 47 is also an average size for many grills and even for most of the pellet grills I reviewed.
Where Should You Use A Fireproof Grill Mat?
In my opinion, it is pretty simple, and the reason I am saying that is because of the experience I mentioned above.
- On your wooden deck
- On your composite deck
- On your patio
- On your lawn.
As you can read in the post I made about the pads for under your grill they come in many shapes and sizes.
Fireproof Mat For Secks – My Experience
I use fireproof mats under all my grills and I have a reason for that.
When you spend a nice chunk of money on your deck, wooden or composite, and then place a grill on it, it makes sense to me to protect your deck from the heat, spilling, and splatters.
Fireproof mats for decks, or grill mats for decks as others call them, are very cheap compared to repairs on your deck. There are no special mats for composite decks but all of the ones I looked at do also work on them.
However, I still advise reading customer reviews to make sure.
Some people call them BBQ mats but that confused me with a mat you use on your grill for grilling small items. I prefer the term BBQ floor mat instead.
The price of the fireproof grill mats I reviewed here is very affordable and not comparable with any repairs to your deck caused by burns or spills.
Although I have my grill set on a concrete patio, I still think using a fireproof charcoal grill mat on your patio can also help it keep clean and save a lot of work on cleaning your concrete.
I read a question if you can put under a fire pit on a deck and I guess these products are also perfect to be used as a fireproof mat for under the fire pit.
I even found that people call them fire pit decking protectors. That is a mouthful!
Robert Chill
Robert Chill loves to cook on BBQs and grills and uses all types of recipes and techniques to cook some awesome food. With his experience, he can share many reviews, tips, and ideas on how to use any grill. You can read more about him here