Propane or Natural Gas Fire Tables: Which Fuel is Better?

Key Takeaways

• Propane is portable and needs no installation; natural gas is fixed but usually cheaper to run.

• Both fuels burn cleanly and are used safely across UK homes every day.

• Heat output is down to the appliance, not the fuel type.

• Natural gas connections and propane-to-natural-gas conversions both require a Gas Safe registered engineer.

• For most UK gardens without an existing gas point, propane is the simpler starting choice.

Propane wins on flexibility and setup speed. Natural gas wins on running cost and convenience, once it's installed. Neither is the outright "better" fuel — the right pick depends on what your garden already has, and how you plan to use the table. Here's how the two actually compare.

What Are Propane and Natural Gas Made Of?

Both are hydrocarbon gases, but they're not the same fuel.

Propane (C3H8) is a by-product of natural gas processing and oil refining. It's stored as a liquid under pressure and turns to gas the moment it's released, which is what lets it pack into a compact cylinder.

Natural gas is mostly methane (CH4), drawn straight from underground reserves and piped to your home in its gaseous form. There's no liquefying involved for a standard domestic supply.

Smell and Physical Properties

Neither gas has a natural smell. Suppliers add a distinctive, sulphurous odorant to both, so a leak is easy to notice by smell alone.

Propane turns to liquid at a much higher temperature than methane does — it stays liquid down to around -42°C, while methane needs roughly -162°C to liquefy. That's why propane can be stored as a liquid in an ordinary outdoor cylinder, while natural gas is delivered as a gas through pipework instead.

Once alight, both fuels burn at broadly similar flame temperatures, and both produce a clean, controllable blue-based flame in a well-tuned appliance.

How is Each Fuel Stored and Delivered?

This is the practical heart of the comparison.

Propane comes in a bottled cylinder, either tucked inside the fire table's base or sat externally beside it. When it runs low, you swap the cylinder for a full one. Nothing about the table is tied to a fixed location.

Natural gas comes through your home's existing mains supply, via fixed pipework out to the table. There's no cylinder to manage, but the table stays wherever that pipework ends.

If your garden already has an outdoor gas point, natural gas removes a chore. If it doesn't, propane gets you up and running without any groundwork at all.

Cost and Heat Output: Which is Cheaper to Run?

Propane generally holds more energy per litre than natural gas does, which is why a compact cylinder can still deliver a strong, sustained flame.

On price per unit of energy, though, natural gas usually comes out ahead in the UK. Mains gas typically runs at somewhere around 5-6p per kWh under the current Ofgem price cap, while bottled LPG (propane) tends to sit closer to 12p per kWh. Over a full season of regular use, that gap adds up.

Heat output itself is an appliance spec, not a fuel one. A propane fire table and a natural gas fire table can both be built to produce the same kW rating — the fuel doesn't cap how much heat a given model puts out.

In short: propane costs more per kWh, but needs no installation. Natural gas costs less to run, but needs a fixed connection first. Factor in installation cost alongside running cost before deciding which works out cheaper overall for your setup.

Pros and Cons of Each Fuel

How Do the Two Fuels Behave, and How are They Tested?

Both fuels are used safely in millions of UK homes every day, in boilers, cookers, and outdoor appliances alike. The difference between them comes down to physics, not one being inherently safer than the other.

Propane vapour is heavier than air, so it tends to settle near ground level if released. Natural gas is lighter than air, so it tends to rise and disperse. This is simply why installation guidance differs slightly between the two — ventilation matters more at ground level for propane, and at a higher level for natural gas.

Every gas fire table sold in the UK, on either fuel, is built to recognised safety standards, and every connection — cylinder or pipework — gets tested for leaks as a standard step before first use. A simple soapy water check on any joint is the standard way to confirm a solid seal: bubbles mean it needs tightening.

Installation Requirements

Propane models generally connect using a hose and regulator supplied with the appliance. This is standard consumer use, similar to connecting a gas barbecue, and homeowners can do this themselves following the manufacturer's instructions.

Natural gas models connect to a fixed outdoor gas point. This work must be carried out by a Gas Safe registered engineer, since it involves fixed pipework rather than a portable cylinder.

Some propane fire tables can also be converted to run on natural gas using a manufacturer-specific conversion kit — Elementi, for example, sells these separately for compatible models. That conversion is gas work in its own right, and it must be done by a Gas Safe registered engineer too.

Which Fuel is Better for Your Garden?

If you want a table you can set up today, move around, or take with you if you relocate, propane is the simpler choice. It's the default across most of the UK fire table market for exactly this reason.

If you already have an outdoor gas point, use your fire table often, and would rather skip buying cylinders altogether, natural gas can work out cheaper over time — provided you're happy to commit to one fixed spot and cover the upfront installation.

For most UK gardens without an existing gas point, propane remains the more practical starting point.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is propane or natural gas cheaper to run?

Natural gas is usually cheaper per unit of energy in the UK. Propane costs more per kWh but needs no fixed installation, so the cheaper overall option depends on your setup.

2. Do propane and natural gas produce the same amount of heat?

Heat output depends on the appliance's burner, not the fuel. Both propane and natural gas fire tables are available across a similar range of kW outputs.

3. Can I convert my propane fire table to natural gas?

Some models can be converted using a manufacturer-specific kit. The conversion must be carried out by a Gas Safe registered engineer.

4. Do I need a professional to install a propane fire table?

No, not for a standard portable model using its manufacturer-supplied hose and regulator. A natural gas connection does require a Gas Safe registered engineer.

5. Which fuel is more common in UK gardens?

Propane, by a wide margin. Most gas fire tables sold in the UK run on bottled propane, largely because it needs no fixed gas point to get started.

6. Do both fuels smell if they leak?

Yes. Both are naturally odourless, but suppliers add the same type of distinctive odorant to each, so a leak is easy to detect by smell.

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