Newspaper doesn't burn very well?

I have the same problem. Even in my outdoor fire pit, I will crumple some newspaper and light it, only to watch it smoke and eventually stall out completely without ever really burning.

Yep, modern newspaper hardly burns compared to the old stuff. I've heard it's the clay content, but I really don't know. All I know is it's not worth the trouble as fire starter any more.
Shave some kindling down, pine cones, dryer lint, sawdust & wax... Or just buy some Super Cedars or Lightning Nuggets, or one of the lesser fire starters & leave the paper in the recycle bin.

I am not sure if it is the COLOR that makes a difference or not. I use some "newspaper" ads I get from Harbor Frieght which is color print. It does well. It is non-glossy.

I also use the regular newspaper (black ink) and it does OK too.

I notice if I inadvertently I use any paper that has a "glossy" coating that it will just char over and not do much to help the fire start.


Used to be newspaper ink was petro based.
Now it is SOY based I believe. Even has some wax in it too. Not sure if it matters though.

newspaper here in the stix seems to burn fine.

Any glossy stuff goes in the trash and non-glossy goes in the woodstove box. The glossy stuff is horrible but the other stuff is fine (B&W or color).

My boiler needs newspaper to fire it off due to its design. I don't subscribe to a newspaper as none is available in "the sticks"but used to get a supply from my parents. I tried to get them to separate the uncoated newsprint from the coated stuff but usually got a fair share of the glossy stuff. I just throw the glossy stuff in my recycling bin. They have moved so I am out of the newspaper and right now have to use torn up cardboard. It burns pretty well but generates more ash. Hard to beat good old groundwood newsprint. I do agree that coated groundwood used in colored tabloid type papers doesn't burn well at all.

I buy a bag of pellets now and then and throw a large cup full on the coals to get it going.

Go find a few lighter stumps (fatwood) like these. I've got enough for years piled up I've found

The newsprint we get seems to burn well, dunno what the difference is. Sometimes it will go out if it gets too much air wash.

Shredded beer cartons do well for fire starting, too. You wouldn't think so due to the slick print jobs but they do burn nicely.

Must be different types of newsprint - what I use here burns great & leaves very little ash, I use it every day.

The glossy stuff in flyers not so much - I don't even try that stuff.

Not damp is it?

I get the wilmington paper everyday and it burns great. Must be a territory thing. I've noticed other cities I'm in do have a different feel to their newspapers. What a discussion huh? My wife thinks I'm nuts anyway.

I hate using newspaper to start a fire. It does not burn very well, it smokes like crazy, and it stinks.
I started making my own fire starters.

Mag Craft said:

I hate using newspaper to start a fire. It does not burn very well, it smokes like crazy, and it stinks.
I started making my own fire starters.

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Do tell on the diy

Small paper cup, wood noodles, lamp oil. Starts easy, burns long time, no smoke, no smell.
This works good for me. I do not burn all night because it gets to hot so I let the stove burn until about midnight.
That means I start a new fire every morning. I set the cup in laying on its side and stack kindling around it and just a few minutes it is going strong.

Newspaper . . . depends on the paper stock.

The daily newspaper here has a "smoother" feel and finish . . . it does not burn as cleanly or nicely.

The local newspaper here has a "rougher", more papery feel . . . it burns quite well.

I cold start, 4-6 times a week, I wrap a few sticks of fatwood in newspaper and it is off to the races, but I see what you mean about it charring. If it wasn't for the fatwood I'd be in your position. I bought a 35 pound box for $39 and barely made a dent in it so far. I saw a sale on it 20%.....that's a good deal....I get a free paper delivered every week. I just gotta get it inside before any rain hits it......

Good old newprint, the stuff that turns yellow after a couple of weeks in the sun is mostly groundwood pulp with very little if any fillers. Its basically a ground up piece of wood that has been washed and bleached. It burns real well. Coated groundwood is a lot whiter and smoother. Its starts with a underlying layer of groundwood pulp and then coating is applied to the groundwood to make it smooth. This grad of paper is used by tabloid type papers it is distinctly brighter than newsprint. The coating is mostly clay which is cheaper than pulp and doesn't burn. The coating my be 50% of the sheet weight. Copy paper also contains lots of fillers. The ultimate in hard to burn is coated magazine paper, it has kraft fiber as a base which is much stronger than groundwood. and then coated with lots of fillers to make it opaque and shiny. Its not worth trying to burn. Recyclers like it as they can wash out the clay and end up with strong fiber.

As the prior poster mentioned, regular newsprint blots up water quickly while coated paper doesn't.

Unfortunately fatwood and conventional fire starters don't work well in my bottom grate boiler. I need a lot of flames quickly to light off the fire in the main chamber. White Birch bark works a bit too well but lately I am mixing a few sheets in with the cardboard until I get a new newsprint source.

I'm a big fan of brown paper grocery bags-I have my wife get paper every week at the store so I have a good supply. They light easy, burn well, and don't smell too bad.

Ram 1500 with an axe... said:

I cold start, 4-6 times a week, I wrap a few sticks of fatwood in newspaper and it is off to the races, but I see what you mean about it charring. If it wasn't for the fatwood I'd be in your position. I bought a 35 pound box for $39 and barely made a dent in it so far. I saw a sale on it 20%.....that's a good deal....I get a free paper delivered every week. I just gotta get it inside before any rain hits it......

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So no fat lighter in the woods up that way?

This works amazingly well. Use paper towel cardboard core. You lay one between splits and it lights the whole length of the split. Instant complete fire. Also toilet paper rolls.

xman23 said:

This works amazingly well. Use paper towel cardboard core. You lay one between splits and it lights the whole length of the split. Instant complete fire. Also toilet paper rolls.

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Plain brown corrugated cardboard is great as well-whenever I get boxes from Amazon I just pull the black tape off and use them.

Wood splitting leftovers and propane torch.

Rebelduckman said:

So no fat lighter in the woods up that way?

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I've never seen it as of yet, but then again, I haven't really looked but if I ever see any I'm grabbing it and will try to make my own for sure. Can you show more pics of your before, during and after pics? Thanks....