A roaring fire is a pleasure to sit around on a cold evening. It comforts those around it and can warm an entire home. Starting this fire however, may prove tricky. By following a few basic steps you should be able to get your fire going.
What do you need to start a fire:
- Tinder - No, not the dating app. Tinder is what you put the match to. Usually paper or firelighters.
- Kindling - Gather a bunch of small twigs and sticks, make sure that they are dry otherwise they won't catch flame.
- Well seasoned firewood - Sufficiently dry firewood will catch flame with less trouble than wet or unseasoned wood. Select the type of firewood that will work best for your purpose.
- A clean, unblocked chimney will help draw away smoke and allow a flow of oxygen to the wood.
Order your Load of Firewood below
Each load of Firewood is 25 bags of firewood, weighing 200kg. (Free delivery in Johannesburg, usually next work day). Note: we only take orders online and accept only payment by cash on delivery. Prices correct at 5 April 2024
How to start a fire
Everyone has their own way of getting a fire started, some easier than others, but the end result is the same: A warm fire. Here are two methods to try.
Fire starting method 1
- Build a little nest of tinder (paper or firelighters).
- Use a mix of fine and less fine twigs and shards of wood (kindling).
- Light the tinder, and allow it to catch properly. You should have a small fire going.
- Lay a log on the side of the fire, perpendicular to the fireplace entrance.
- Place a smallish log over the flames with one end resting on the first log. The angle will allow the flame to reach the log instead of being smothered which will happen if you place the firewood directly onto the kindling flame.
- Wait for the log to start burning before adding more logs in the same way but this time resting on the other side of the fireplace. Remember to keep sufficient space between the logs to allow air to flow through.
- Once these logs have been burning for a while you can gradually add more firewood, always careful not to smother the fire.
Fire starting method 2
- Make a small pile of kindling. You can buy some from us with your order of firewood.
- Light the kindling with a firelighter and allow a minute or two for it to burn.
- Place three logs, standing on one end and resting against each other in a teepee over the flames. By doing this you are allowing the gap between the kindling and the wood to allow air to feed the flames as they reach the wood.
- Allow the wooden teepee to be properly burning for a short while before you add any more wood.
Keep your chimney clean visit our Chimney cleaning partner.