How to Light a Wood Burning Stove

Before starting to light your wood burning stove you should check that  the stove firebox is not full of ash. Any excess should be removed using a suitable metal container. If the stove is a multi-fuel stove, the only air supply is from beneath the stove grate so you should to ensure that the grate is clear from ash and that the ashpan is empty.

Open the bottom air vents of the stove and, if you have have a flue damper, open that.

You may use firelighters or newspaper.

Start with approximately 8 full sheets of newspaper to light the fire and "scrunch" them up into balls. It is possible to use much less paper, but  you might as well make sure that the fire will light by using a little bit extra. Pile the balls of newspaper in the centre of the firebox.

For kindling dry softwoods or light hardwoods are best:  pine, beech, or ash are recommended. Use a hatchet to chop the wood into some small pieces roughly half inch square.  Place about 6 small pieces on top of the newspaper in different directions - so that air and flames can get to each piece of wood. Now lay a few larger 1 to 2 inch square pieces on top.

Then light the newspaper in a couple of places at the bottom. Once alight you  can close the stove door(s).

When the wood is burning put some larger pieces of  into the firebox. Place the wood gently on top of the fire. At this stage you can turn the air supply down a little but aim to maintain good flames whilst not letting the fire smoulder.

If you have air vents at the top of the stove then close down the air vents at the bottom and open those at the top. Do this gradually as the fire develops.