How to light a feckin fire

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.

FatRat

Light the fire, once it starts dying down, Get a newspaper.... Cover the fireplace with it, once it starts roaring take the newspaper away, there you go, a lit fire.

Now your nice and warm.... regardless of the central heating being on, that doesn't count.

flas

two briquettes on the bottom parrell to each other, two going the opposite dirrection placed on these then two more on top going same direction as the ones on the bottom,place the lit firelighters into the middle and pull out the dampner, leave for 5-10 minutes, then put the dampner in, and place turf/briquettes against the lit original briquettes!

this always works and easily too!

Mozoltov!

ollie1 wrote: »

Isnt logs and wood the same thing?

Dropping a wood? Doesn't sound right. Getting log? Doesn't sound right.

Wood = Bark stripped off.
Log = Raw tree, bark still there.

Darlughda

ffs, op have you not got the fire going yet??

We're F-f-f-f-f-f-ffreezing!!:mad: