I've read some online articles from guys swearing that lighting a fire from the top and letting burn downward is the way to go. I've tried it a few times and it didn't go so well. Is anyone doing this?
Burning from the top down, possible?
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There are lots of conversations on here about top down burning, with good detail on how to go about doing so,. One within the past week or so. You can search for them.
Many of us use top down fires on occasion, some use them all the time. They work fine.
Many of us use top down fires on occasion, some use them all the time. They work fine.
USMC80
Minister of Fire
Grisu
Minister of Fire
The few times I tried did not work so well for me either compared to my usual bottom-up. However, Supercedars are supposed to help a lot: https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/super-cedar-free-samples-discount-code.113830/
bag of hammers
Minister of Fire
Backwoods Savage
Minister of Fire
Welcome to the forum mass_burner.
Yes, there are folks who like it and there is a popular video about it. Still, many of us just go back to our old ways as we find it works best.
Yes, there are folks who like it and there is a popular video about it. Still, many of us just go back to our old ways as we find it works best.
firefighterjake
Minister of Fire
First few times I tried it I failed . . . kept with it and now it's pretty much all I do. There is a bit of a skill in doing it.
Treacherous
Minister of Fire
jharkin
Minister of Fire
Modified top down. SC chunk at the bottom between two big splits and then build top down from there. SC flames ignite the small stuff at the top and as it burns down the embers fall into the pocket between the big splits and the whole load takes off.
Huntindog1
Minister of Fire
Top Down Fire Starts
Some bullet points about top down fire.
Some bullet points about top down fire.
- You should build a platform with your splits fill the stove up as much as possible but leave a little room at the top to put some small thin dry kindling.
- By filling stove you have now left only a small space up around the secondary air tubes or baffle.
- This small space that is left is easy to build heat than an almost empty stove with just just a little wood.
- Put your fire starter up on or by the kindling. (NewsPaper, Super Cedar etc.)
- The fire starter is now open to burn at a higher rate and heat up quicker with nothing piled on top of it.
- Fire starter is up by the secondary air so it gets air to burn in the small space and the small space heats up quicker.
- As its all about building the heat up quick and hot in that small space on top of the wood platform you built.
- The kindling will ignite then the top of your splits at the top of the platform will then catch fire as the heat build quickly, its all about building heat.
- Top down fire starts gives you less smoke at start up.
- Did I note that its all about the heat
- So lastly its all about the heat
- Did I mention small spaces heat more easily and more quickly
- Did I point out that wood catches fire from building the heat
- Ok I will shut up
- One more thing small kindling will burn with the door closed with less air and burn hot. So will super cedars.
- Good kindling burning hot with the door shut builds heat better as less heat is flushed up the flue vs. open door that lets more air flow flush your heat up the flue.
Hogwildz
Minister of Fire
Basically, if your using good dry wood, and once the firebox gets to temp, most stoves are truly burning from the top down anyways due to the secondaries.
IMO your going to get smoke from fire starts & reloads regardless of how you start the fire. Your burning the wood either way, and until the box gets up to temp, its going to smoke.
IMO your going to get smoke from fire starts & reloads regardless of how you start the fire. Your burning the wood either way, and until the box gets up to temp, its going to smoke.
Coog
Burning Hunk
Mr A
Minister of Fire
I don't emit enough smoke to get caught on no burn days, reloads, lots of smoke, and I have just built a small fire on top of reload splits to help burn the smoke. Top down is the way to go for cold start and not emitting smoke, small kindling on top with progressively larger splits 2-3 layers below. It is the heat and embers from the top dropping down that get it going,. not the flames, which are on top, helping to burn off smoke. It does take a bit longer to start, so it seems. Once I light a top down, I just come back in 10-20 minutes to close the air a bit, the same time I would be there building a bottom up on a cold start-without supercedars, of course. I don't need supercedars with a top down. We having roving patrols of air quality management people writing citation left and right.
pyroholic
Member
No burn days? I never knew. Only in Cali. How often are there no burn days. Is this for air quality, or forest fires? What if you get cold on a no burn day? (And you don't want to burn anyway)
Mr A
Minister of Fire
It is for air quality and very biased and corrupt. Stated levels of PPM are often exaggerated, inflated to call a no burn day. This is documented by hearth business organizations. I heard this from a sweep I hired.
Thanks. I'll try again with all the tips offered here. Due to its flat, surface mount design, my Morso is very unforgiving about smoke escape when opening the door. So when I light it and close the door that has to be it until a good coal bed is established. My other Regency insert can be opened almost any time without smoke escape.
Hogwildz
Minister of Fire
Just light it the best way that works for you.
Some use the top down, others don't.
Just a matter of preference.
Some use the top down, others don't.
Just a matter of preference.
Backwoods Savage
Minister of Fire
Backwoods Savage
Minister of Fire
This has been popular on this forum. Although I do not completely agree with how they are doing it, they have the right idea.
Ashful
Minister of Fire
No one has mentioned downdraft stoves. Based on my own limited experience, I will state that top down does not work well in any stove where the exhaust port is located lower in the firebox.
Treacherous
Minister of Fire
That is a little exaggeration on my part. There is some room to try it but bottom up works well enough for me. I'm often just interested in getting a cold cabin up to temp rather than wanting to experiment with something that may or may not work for me the first time. I might try it in the spring shoulder season though.
nice video. i'm stuck with east-west due to my stove's rectangular shape. but i love this technique because I always forget to lay in the starter until after I've stacked my load. and like she said, the starter has to fight through the wood stacked above it.
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