Have you ever got confused about how to start a fire in a wood burning stove? Your confusion is about to be put to an end; ‘cos in seven easy steps, we will explain how you will perform this operation by yourself. We will also provide enough data for you to understand the entire process thoroughly.
Handling fire is not an easy task; it comes with a vast deal of risks, for it is destructive and, most of all, violent if not appropriately handled.
One step, and you’ll be seeing sparks of your life’s work. It is challenging for someone who does not know what to do with this kind of work because they are constricted by doubt and wavering. One wrong move, and you’ll find yourself watching all of your belongings turn into ash. To avoid such accidents, we are at your service.
Steps To Start A Fire In A Wood-Burning Stove
Stop wondering how to start a fire in a wood burning stove. Here are the following steps:
Step #1. You should place larger logs on the firebox floor of your wood heater
It is vital to start with a firm wood foundation when starting a fire in a wood-burning stove, for it will serve as an excellent understructure for the layers of wood that you are going to put right on top of it. The pieces of wood should have a diameter of 3 – 5 inches so that the structure can carry the load above.
Step #2. Add the second layer
In a crisscross pattern, place the second layer of medium logs on top of the more extensive logs. It’s optimal if the medium logs are between 50 and 75 percent of the size of the larger logs. You should consider variations in wood layering due to the fact that you do not want to let your wood burn at the same rate because it would not be favorable on your part. After all, it will be a waste of money.
Firewood is not cheap! Nowadays, prices for these materials range anywhere from $120 and $660, depending on what type of wood you want to utilize in your wood-burning stove.
Oak is the ideal firewood; this is because of its long, slow burn. Oak is a thick hardwood that you may find in almost every part of North America. While oak wood takes a little longer to season than other firewood, the fire from correctly seasoned oak in your wood stove is superb and unbeatable.
Step #3. Add the third layer
Using a crisscross pattern, add a third layer of small logs right on top of the medium logs like the previous steps.
To layer the woods properly and is ideal with the goal of slow-burning, the diameter of the little wood pieces should be between 1-2 inches. As a result, wood should be placed so that the fire can spread quickly to other pieces of wood while receiving enough oxygen to keep the process going.
The process will eventually burn off the stack of a wood base on the placement due to the difference in thickness in each layer. The minor diameter layer shall burn first, thus creating a pattern leaving the lowest pile to burn down last. You may want to know how to stack wood in a fireplace.
Step #4. Place little logs on top of fine kindling
In this particular step, we use either of the following: wood splits, heavy-duty cardboard, or a combination of the two. Layering is the critical factor in making your wood burner fire lit efficiently so is the type of wood. You should observe this format due to its benefits in the long run.
Step #5. Above the kindling splits and cardboard, tie newspaper knots
Tear a sheet of newspaper into a rope-like length, then twist it together and tie it in a knot. Place three or four knots evenly across the width of the firebox above the kindling. This will serve as an excellent ignitor for the fire because of the material and the way it is place.
Putting it on top makes it a suitable material for the fire to catch because the paper has a low ignition temperature, it quickly catches fire. Still, when wrapped around an aluminum pipe, the ignition temperature is not reached. This is due to the heat supplied to paper is absorbed by the aluminum metal.
Step #6. Set the paper on fire
Please make sure the damper or combustion fan on your stove is open, and make sure that it is set too high. Set the newspaper knots on fire by using a long match or a stick lighter. Lighting the newspaper can be done rapidly and with such ease.
Step #7. Enjoy
This marks the last step in our seven procedures about the proper way of starting a fire in a wood burner stove. As the fire starts from the newspaper, it will spread down to the last stack of wood that you have placed in the bottom of the panel of your stove. Enjoy the soothing touch of heat from your wood burner stove. You may find it helpful to know how to make wood stove look new.
Conclusion
Starting a fire in a wood burner stove includes a lot of meticulous processes of layering, placement, and ignition of materials used in the entire activity. It requires lots of critical thinking for someone to perform this properly, so adhere to the procedure to avoid risks and hazards. That’s how to start a fire in a wood burning stove. It may also be helpful if you read why does my wood stove smoke up the house and what to do with ashes from wood stove.