What is the best method for starting a fire?

There isn't one. The only "best" method for fire-starting for any individual is the one the individual has mastered to his/her liking, and gets the job done quickly and easily. There are lots of different ways to accomplish this. Rick

KidsAIR said:

What is the “best” approach for starting a fire (e.g., top down, log cabin, tepee, etc.)? Thorough details/explanations are welcomed ☺ Also, what do you think are the most important tips for using a wood stove correctly?

Disclosure: These questions are being asked to get additional feedback and tips on best burn practices for a study focused on improving indoor air quality and respiratory outcomes.

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As Fossil said . . . if it works for you . . . go for it.

For me . . . it's a top down fire using a quarter of a Super Cedar . . . sometimes I go with the conventional newspaper and kindling . . . sometimes I even am nostalgic and go with a log cabin style fire . . . again . . . if it lights up quickly and burns . . . go with it.

As for tips to use a stove correctly . . . #1: Burn seasoned wood. #2: Seriously, burn seasoned wood . . . and make sure it really is seasoned. #3: Thought I was going to say burn seasoned wood, didn't you . . . nope . . . know how to operate your stove so you know how and when to make it burn efficiently whether it be engaging the cat or obtaining a secondary burn. #4: Maintain your stove diligently . . . cleaning the chimney only takes a little bit of time . . . and it buys you peace of mind that lasts a lot longer than a half hour or hour that it would take to clean the chimney.

I like the top down. Just experiment until you find the method that works best for you.

The best method? Works every time and the house will be guaranteed warm:

Grisu has a good idea - well, if toned down a bit. A propane/MAPP gas torch in the flue for a minute and then lighting paper or fire starters can solve some poor draft problems on start up.

When I had my Jotul F3 and buring Envi-8 blocks... the TeePee version (with a few balled up sheets of newspaper underneeth) worked very well and was easy. And as everyone will tell you... IF you open your ash pan door to get it started (which really helps!), do NOT leave the room lest you forget that door is open

Opening the ash pan door will HELP - but if you need to to get the fire going all together, then yes, that would be a problem :O

The best method for starting a fire is to use dry seasoned wood. Everything after that is pretty easy.

begreen said:

If you need to open the ashpan door to start the fire it is an indication of another problem.

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....I knew this was coming...

Full size splits and ....



I haven't used anything but these for the last 4 years. I finally took all the newspaper from the previous 12 years to the recycler.

The issue is always draft when starting a fire. I change over from an Ashley wood stove insert to Pellet. Simple method. Everyone uses toilet paper, and reads newspapers.

This is the method I used for my wood stove insert and can be modified for an open fireplace as well.

1-Save the toilet paper roll.
2-Roll up a section of the news paper and then slide it into the roll.
3-Get enough made up (I used 5) and lay them into the fire box front to back.
4-Use new paper strips and lay over the paper rolls and between and place your medium fire starters on top.
5-Final prep- Place your logs on top of that open the ash pan door and light the fire to the paper strips and close the fire door. When the fire has started and is going good close the ash pan door.

Steve
Pheasant Hollow Farm

Pheasant Hollow Farm said:

The issue is always draft when starting a fire. I change over from an Ashley wood stove insert to Pellet. Simple method. Everyone uses toilet paper, and reads newspapers.

This is the method I used for my wood stove insert and can be modified for an open fireplace as well.

1-Save the toilet paper roll.
2-Roll up a section of the news paper and then slide it into the roll.
3-Get enough made up (I used 5) and lay them into the fire box front to back.
4-Use new paper strips and lay over the paper rolls and between and place your medium fire starters on top.
5-Final prep- Place your logs on top of that open the ash pan door and light the fire to the paper strips and close the fire door. When the fire has started and is going good close the ash pan door.

Steve
Pheasant Hollow Farm

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You must be burning extremely wet wood to have to go to such great (and dangerous, in the case of the ash pan technique) lengths to get a fire started.

1/4 of a Super Cedar and full size splits is all I use. If I'm starting off fighting a reverse draft I just place one or two pieces of crumpled paper atop my already built fire, light them, let them burn out, then light my Super Cedar chunk down below. Starting a fire in my stove with well seasoned wood is simple as can be, it's more of a chore to get the fire pit going.

No one mentioned, but when cleaning the stove, I leave the larger chunks of coals for starting the next fire. I usually wrap some kindling in newspaper, place on top of the last fire coals and let it go. then place larger kindling till it takes off for splits.

I'm interested in trying the top down fire myself this year!
Heres my current method:
I have access to lots of dry pine lathe strips about 1.5-2" wide x 1/8-1/2" thick cut to 16" used for spacing lumber, so that's my main kindling over a couple sheets of newspaper. And then I have a split up row of birch or poplar tops for my midsize. And then would put a few larger splits on top once it got going. If I understand the top down fire I just reverse the stacking and I'm good to go for about 2 hours without opening the door right? Less babysitting the fire is always good.

The thing I like about the top-down method is it confines the start-up heat to the small volume between the large splits on the bottom and the secondary burn tubes. I find this gets the secondary burn going very early in the burn cycle.

Sconnie Burner said:

I'm interested in trying the top down fire myself this year!
Heres my current method:
I have access to lots of dry pine lathe strips about 1.5-2" wide x 1/8-1/2" thick cut to 16" used for spacing lumber, so that's my main kindling over a couple sheets of newspaper. And then I have a split up row of birch or poplar tops for my midsize. And then would put a few larger splits on top once it got going. If I understand the top down fire I just reverse the stacking and I'm good to go for about 2 hours without opening the door right? Less babysitting the fire is always good.

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Actually, longer than that. You shouldn't have to open the door until it's time to reload. With good seasoned wood, I load up normally with the kindling on top. Light it up, close the door, make air adjustments when needed. Good to go.

I discovered that log house style fire works best for me. I get little pieces of scraps from a local cabinet maker it works great. Not only starts fire real quick but also warms the flue quick.

As mentioned by a few folks . . . avoid the temptation to open the ash pan door. Did it a few times myself when I first started and thought it was great . . . until I saw a couple folks with damaged stoves and voided warrantees due to this practice. Stopped doing so . . . and realized pretty quickly that with a bit of skill (i.e. practice) and good kindling one could get the fire going pretty much just as easily without resorting to using the ash pan door.

Pine, split real small, like 1 inch diameter, and seasoned for over a year, real dry. Put some newspaper on the bottom, all balled up, and lay 15 sticks of that pine kindling in there, and off you go!