How to light a feckin fire

Glowing

Ok today is the third fire fail this week. They just won't stay lighting!!

I've tried wood, brickettes, and paper in multiple combinations, and always end up going back to expensive fire logs.

What can I do? (ok whoever says use petrol is not being original, thanks )

Oxygen, fuel and heat to burn

Millicent

This is a weird one, but if you've no firelighters and you can get a small but of a flame going, sometimes sugar can help build the flame. No idea how I even discovered that particular tidbit.

ETA: Hahahaha at your username! :pac:

El Weirdo

Have you tried asking a man to do it?

scientific1982

More detail.

KeithM89_old

I usually use matches or a lighter to light a fire...

AnonoBoy

Glowing wrote: »

What can I do? (ok whoever says use petrol is not being original, thanks )

Gasoline?

Voodoomelon

1. Fill the grate with small coals
2. Get a few firelighters and split them up into small pieces so you have bout 12 dotted around in between the coals
3. Light all the fire lighters and lay about 8 thin sticks over the coals and fire lighters.
4. After the sticks start to catch, lay 3-4 slices of briquettes (slice em with a shovel) over the sticks.
5. Load a whack of coal on top of the briquettes.
6. Play the Bord Na Mona tune on the fiddle.

Riamfada

you never mentioned matches or a lighter?

cedan

I used to struggle too. i found that it was important that air had a clear passage up underneath the fire. Make sure there are no ashes in the grate and keep the cover off the bottom grate.

Building the fire is quite important too. Make sure that your firelighter is surrounded on all sides and that the flame isn't just coming up past whatever fuel you are using.

Its an art really! Took me ages to get it right.

As somone said already, more details would help!

Darlughda

Scrunch up a few sheets of newspaper really tight with a few sticks or twigs, underneath light your couple of bits of broken up firelighters, with a bout 3 briquettes a bit broken up over that. Pull the grate out a bit, so plenty of air can circulate to help getting the fire going.

Or, you could also pray to the fire elementals, salamanders I think they are called and they will do the job for you.:D

PanchoVilla

First put a layer of loosely balled up newspaper down. Chop up the wood into three thickness: one very thin (matchsticks), one about the thickness of you pinky or a cigarette, then one about twice as thick as the previous ones. Lay the thin ones on the paper all in one direction (front to back), the medium on top of that in the opposite direction (left to right), then the thick on top of all of them (front to back again). Make sure there's spaces in between the sticks to let the air in. Lay about four briquettes on top of the whole thing; two left to right, two front to back on top. Light the paper and you're set.

Only noobs use firelighters.

alwaysadub

I've a lovely roaring fire lit. 1st one of the year. Well i cheated a few weeks back and used a firelog..

Anyway, few sticks, firelighters and start small, a couple of briquttes or turf till it starts to get going then gradually add them till it's going properly. Don't overload it or it'll just go out!

Cotton wool is a great way ignitor if you get stuck!

Bucklesman

Stages are the trick. Kindling/firelighters first, then small twigs, larger sticks and finally larger branches. When it's burning well, add coal, logs or briquettes.

Marshmallows optional.

DeepSleeper

Glowing wrote: »

Ok today is the third fire fail this week. They just won't stay lighting!!

I've tried wood, brickettes, and paper in multiple combinations, and always end up going back to expensive fire logs.

What can I do? (ok whoever says use petrol is not being original, thanks )

You need 4 briquettes and 3 firelighters... Put the first 2 briquettes in on their sides in an A-shape (touching each other at the centre/back of the grate and each extending outwards towards the front corners of the grate). Pop the 3 firelighters (each the size of a small matchbox) into the space in the centre. Break up the 3rd briquette using the poker in a sort of stabbing action (look for one with a few cracks on the side already) - try to split the briquette into a least 2 parts, 3 or 4 parts if you can. Light the firelighters, put the pieces of the broken briquette directly onto them and then put the 4th briquette on top, balanced on one or both of the side briquettes and on the broken pieces too. Hey presto - works every time... (if it doesn't take off and is just smoking after a few minutes, leave it alone - it will almost certainly come on eventually...)

starbelgrade

Can't light fire + Username:Glowing = does not compute.

TonyM.

save your milk cartons they work as well as firelighters

sollar

Good dry kindling is the secret to lighting a fire every time.

dilallio

Don't use the cheap firelighters - not worth a damn.

Clean out the old ashes.

Leave 2 briquettes on their sides in a V formation with the pointy end away from you.

Light a decent size chunk (or 2) of the firelighter and place it inside the V.

Place 2 - 3 more briquettes on top of the V - place them on their flat end. Place them close together, otherwise it will flame up too high and the firelighters will burn out too quickly.

Wait until the firelighter has burned out before adding more briquettes / coal.

If you run out of firelighters, a few pringles will do the same job.

Overheal

if you cant get it going with those gray clay-y firestarter things, get a man.

Alternatively, get some barbecue lighter fluid and get some going on a handful of the smaller coals.

Nodin

Glowing wrote: »

Ok today is the third fire fail this week. They just won't stay lighting!!

I've tried wood, brickettes, and paper in multiple combinations, and always end up going back to expensive fire logs.

What can I do? (ok whoever says use petrol is not being original, thanks )

Place one full briquette in grate, piece of coal or two with it.

Scrunch up a few pieces of newspaper - not too tightly.

Place in grate on top of briquette with a few bits of firelighter mixed in and around.

Lean wood on this to make a sort of teepee shape.

Split briquettes into three using shovel, place pieces leaning against wood.

Light.

Add full briquette or two when fire takes off after a while.

Don't put coal on till things are good and blazing.

The trick is to make sure air can circulate amongst the paper/wood/briquettes at the beginning. Once you get the hang of it, you won't need firelighters.

Glowing

cedan wrote: »

I used to struggle too. i found that it was important that air had a clear passage up underneath the fire. Make sure there are no ashes in the grate and keep the cover off the bottom grate.

Building the fire is quite important too. Make sure that your firelighter is surrounded on all sides and that the flame isn't just coming up past whatever fuel you are using.

Its an art really! Took me ages to get it right.

As somone said already, more details would help!

This is helpful, cheers! I've started with fire lighters, with small sticks on top then a layer of brickettes. Generally the wood and firefighters will burn out in ten mins leaving the glowing brickettes and feck all flames.

Maybe I need to have more patience in the preparation (or just get a man to do it! )

Thanks

ps. is it possible to have crappy brickettes?

Nodin

Glowing wrote: »

This is helpful, cheers! I've started with fire lighters, with small sticks on top then a layer of brickettes. Generally the wood and firefighters will burn out in ten mins leaving the glowing brickettes and feck all flames.

Maybe I need to have more patience in the preparation (or just get a man to do it! )

Thanks

ps. is it possible to have crappy brickettes?

No, but its easier to get them going if you split them.

Agricola

A tissue dipped in a little crisp n dry, goes off like a bomb!

ScumLord

Set fire to your house and when superman arrives to save you ask him to start the fire with his laser beam vision.

Sauve

recession firelighters:
a bit of cotton wool with a wee bit of vaseline in it. works a treat

mikom

Rub two boyscouts together.

Brendog

Glowing wrote: »

Ok today is the third fire fail this week. They just won't stay lighting!!

I've tried wood, brickettes, and paper in multiple combinations, and always end up going back to expensive fire logs.

What can I do? (ok whoever says use petrol is not being original, thanks )

Perhaps one day you will be.....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IS7Og1zvdy8

aidhan

Spar shops had a special offer on fire logs E. 1 each. Bought 3 boxes (12 per box) and cut them in half handy for the mother not to be messing with lighters and sticks..

Overheal

aidhan wrote: »

Spar shops had a special offer on fire logs E. 1 each. Bought 3 boxes (12 per box) and cut them in half handy for the mother not to be messing with lighters and sticks..

This implies that people use the whole log per fire? Madness.

Sauve

aidhan wrote: »

Spar shops had a special offer on fire logs E. 1 each. Bought 3 boxes (12 per box) and cut them in half handy for the mother not to be messing with lighters and sticks..

Ah....aren't ya awful nice to the mammy

ROS123

Put a small layer of coal in the bottom, a large firelighter on top. Light the firelighter, build coal around the lit firelighter making sure not to put it out. Pile the coal up two or three layers above the firelighter. Put a sheet of newspaper across the front of the open fireplace. This encourages the draft (quite vigourously) to draw up from underneath. Leave it there for 5 mins or so but keep an eye on it, it can get sucked into the fire. You will have a blazing coal fire in 5- 8 mins. If after you take the paper away and it begins dieing down, put the paper back for another 4 or 5 mins.

The paper trick will work with most open fires regardless of fuel, it has a very powerful effect, always keep and eye on it.

ejmaztec

aidhan wrote: »

Spar shops had a special offer on fire logs E. 1 each. Bought 3 boxes (12 per box) and cut them in half handy for the mother not to be messing with lighters and sticks..

I hope you're not going to burn your mother at the stake. Try the ducking-stool first, it might prove her innocent,

karlog

Unleaded fuel always does the trick for me.

SeaFields

Old fashioned tip....throw some chucks of wax off an old candle on top. Will get it blazing in no time if it looks like its about to go out.

Overature

basically the smaller the wood, the faster it will light. that and magic

allthedoyles

The plastic chinese take-away containers burn well too

kerash

hold a sheet of newspaper over the opening to the fire and you'll get a good draw - be careful though that the chimney doesnt suck in the newspaper and go on fire!

You dont need a man btw :rolleyes:

btard

What is it with all the posters telling her to use firelighters? Who can afford to burn money these days?

..and wtf is a fire log?

ollie1

Isnt logs and wood the same thing?

piskins72

my fool proof way is to put your briquettes in the shape of a triangle, put your fire lighters in the middle and light that, then place one or two briquettes over this and bob's your uncle! it does work cause ever time my other half tries to light the open fire it always fails and I have to step in and rescue the situation and btw hes the Man of the house!! oh and as another poster said make sure its getting a good bit of air initially and clean the grate out of ashes also as it does effect it!

hal9000

Glowing wrote: »

Ok today is the third fire fail this week. They just won't stay lighting!!

I've tried wood, brickettes, and paper in multiple combinations, and always end up going back to expensive fire logs.

What can I do? (ok whoever says use petrol is not being original, thanks )

hmmm sounds like it needs more fire.

Princess Peach

I'm cold

I wish I had a fireplace in my bedroom

Dudess

Fires are a pain in the hole to set, and to clean - just buy a fake fire/stove.

Supercell

Firelighters are for girls.
Save your cardboard - milk cartons, boxes etc and use instead.

If you have some old charcoal left from the lst fire leave that on the bottom, alternatively if you are gonna use coal - put some small peices at the bottom, then..

Tear into girlie small peices scrunch up some junk mail fliers and then put some small sticks or those kindlings (or scrap wood chopped up even better) , chop a few brickettes lengthways with a poker and put on top.
Light and dont touch until the brickettes are burning, add more coal.
If that fails..
Get a man!

garancafan

Overheal wrote: »

.... get a man.

A woman would be better - higher fat content.

kerash

ollie1 wrote: »

Isnt logs and wood the same thing?

'firewood'

comes in different forms - logs, sticks, chips etc - it's all 'wood'

irljessf

Prawn crackers. No joke. They're so full of grease.

DonkeyStyle \o/

Nobody wants to smell your disgusting fire, I can't even open a window without the stink of caveman wafting in and making my clothes smell like smoke and melted plastic.

Whatever you do, don't do this! :pac:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqawkwrzmsM

Proxy

Any criss-cross formation works perfect. Airflow/oxygen is the key.

This thread makes me miss the smell of a turf fire Must stock up on some briquettes before the shops hike up the price.