How to Start a Wood Burning Stove - Step by Step

This guide explains the traditional method of lighting a stove. The "top down" method is a popular alternative that we'll cover in another guide

Starting a wood burning stove is easy, a little preparation to gather the required materials first goes a long way.

Materials you will need

- Matches (or lighter)

- Tinder or Firelighters

- Kindling

- Logs in various sizes

Setup your stove

Controls will depend on your particular stove, however, typically there are two main air inlet controls. When burning firewood, the airwash (that comes in at the top/rear of the firebox to keep the glass clean) is what you will need to adjust. Multi-fuel stoves that support coal and solid fuels will have a base air inlet for these purposes - when burning wood, the base air inlet should be shut off completely.

If your stove has a single air inlet control, that's fine - this is what should be used.

Now you know which air control to use, fully open it before you get started, a cold stove doesn't have much draw to begin with and will need maximum airflow to get going.

Clear away any excess ash and charcoal, many stove manufacturers recommend leaving a base of ash on the grate for wood burning. This helps to protect the grate from excess heat and also helps to develop a bed of embers. Too much ash from previous fires will make your firebox smaller and inhibit airflow.

Build your base

If you just put a match directly to some of your hardwood logs, you might get a small flame and some charring, but it's unlikely to fully set them alight, especially the denser species like Oak and Ash. You need to build up a base of heat and airflow first, to do this you will need smaller pieces of wood, this allows more surface area and airflow for the fire to spread.

Place a mixture of kindling and tinder (or you can use firelighters as shown in our photos) at the base of the firebox. Stack the kindling loosely, so that there's plenty of room for air and heat circulation.

On top of this you can put a couple of larger pieces of kindling, or small logs - these will help to build a base of embers that will keep your fire going.

Start the fire

Now you have constructed the perfect base, it's time to light it - use your matches or lighter to set your tinder/firelighters alight. Once the flames are steady, close the stove door but leave it slightly ajar. Leaving the door slightly open at this stage ensures the fire has plenty of oxygen. Leave this for a few minutes until the flames are burning strongly and producing plenty of heat.

Once the fire is going strong, close the stove door. Earlier we fully opened the air inlet, so your fire will still have plenty of oxygen. At this stage, your fire can be left to burn, your stove will build up heat and the airflow will increase. The smaller logs you put on top of the kindling should soon turn into glowing embers.

Fuel up with larger logs

Now that you have a hot stove and a bed of embers, you can put in some larger logs to keep your fire going for longer. The number of logs will depend on the size of your stove and the area you are heating, however most domestic appliances sit between the 4-7kW rating. For a typical stove, you can add 1-2 logs onto the fire. Don't be tempted to overload your stove, by adding the right amount you will ensure that the fire burns efficiently with enough airflow. A regularly overloaded stove could eventually lead to damage over time from excess heat.

Adjust your air intake

At this stage, there will be a lot of heat in your stove, you can slowly adjust your air intake down to regulate your fire. Reducing the airflow can make the fire last longer, however don't reduce too much as this can lead to an inefficient, smoky burn. It might take some trial and error, but once you get familiar with your stove, you'll be able to balance the airflow to get the most out of your fuel.

Re-fuel if required

You might get 40 minutes to an hour from a single re-fuel, maybe more depending on the species and how you have regulated the airflow. The embers left behind from the larger logs will last much longer. Don't re-fuel too soon as this will overload the fire and likely waste your logs. Once the flames have died down, you should have a glowing bed of embers that will last at least 30 minutes. Repeat the steps above to re-fuel with larger logs.

Choosing the right logs

Although you could chuck just about anything into your stove, it's important to choose the right fuel - both for your stove's longevity and for the air quality in and around your home.

Since 1 May 2021, the Ready to Burn scheme in England has made it illegal to sell wood fuel in quantities under 2m³ unless it's certified as having a moisture content of 20% or less. The scheme underpins the Air Quality (Domestic Solid Fuels Standards) (England) Regulations 2020, which were introduced to cut harmful particulate emissions from domestic burning.

Wet wood is the main cause of poor stove performance: it produces less heat (much of the energy is wasted boiling off water), creates more smoke and harmful PM2.5 emissions, blackens your glass, and deposits tar and creosote in your flue. You should also avoid burning any other materials that can create toxic smoke or damage your stove, such as pallets, treated or painted wood, offcuts etc.

In summary

- Open the air inlet fully before lighting

- Build a loose base of kindling and tinder for airflow

- Leave the door slightly ajar until flames are established

- Add 1-2 logs at a time once you have a bed of embers

- Adjust airflow gradually to balance burn time and efficiency

- Always burn dry, untreated wood

A well-tended stove is efficient, clean and a real pleasure to use - enjoy it!