For warmth, ambiance and even cooking, it’s hard to beat a wood burning fireplace. A properly built fire will heat your home for hours. Learn how to start a wood burning fireplace efficiently, ensuring a long lasting burn.
Start with the condition of your empty wood burning fireplace. Some use a grate or andiron in the center of the fireplace. These help to create good oxygen flow throughout the wood pile, creating a cleaner, more even burn. Others simply arrange the wood in such a way to create the same effect. Either way, you will need to have the wood burning fireplace clear of excess ash before starting your fire. Use a flat shovel and bucket to collect and dispose of the ash.
Start with crumpled paper. Be sure not to use colored or coated paper, such as magazines or flyers. Place the balls of crumpled paper underneath the fireplace grate or directly onto the bottom of the fireplace. You can also use fire starter, often made of wax or a mixture of sawdust and wax.
Place a layer of kindling (small, thin sticks or shards) on top of the paper or on the grate with the paper underneath. You can create a teepee or tented shape with the kindling to ensure good air flow. Kindling is essential to get the logs burning evenly – use it even with fire starters.
Light the fire starter or paper in a few places. Open the air control or damper fully. If you have an insert or are using a stove, close the door most of the way. Be sure to leave it open slightly to provide oxygen, but closing it almost shut will reduce the smoke. At this point you are trying to heat the air in the stovepipe to create a draft.
Add kindling if necessary to keep the flames, but do not add more paper. Once the kindling is burning well, you can add smaller pieces of dry firewood. Start with the smaller logs so as not to smother the fire. You’ll need to close the door most of way each time you add wood, keeping the smoke down and still providing air. As the draft picks up in the stovepipe, the smoke will move up and out.
At that point you have obtained optimum combustion inside your wood burning fireplace. Once that is established you can add larger logs and close the door completely. If your fireplace is open (without a door), be sure to keep a fireplace screen across the opening to block sparks and provide a safety barrier. Set your air control settings or damper to the desired level, remembering that the lower the setting, the longer the fire will burn.
Learning how to start a wood burning fireplace is a simple, step by step procedure that will fill your home with warmth and comfort. Enjoy a well built fire today.
