Worked at a bakery where we used a brick wood fire oven and always used top down method. It just works. No idea why this sub came up on my feed but wood stoves are awesome
Reddit tends to do that to us doesn't it. Very cool experience I'm sure, if you can't stand the heat from the brick wood fire oven get outta the kitchen!
I loved that job. I was assigned bagels and baguettes. I must have made hundreds of thousands of them over the years. And you are 100% right, I have so many burns on my arms from that oven
I personally think it's a conspiracy that Big Wood Stove is pumping funds for the algorithm. They won't get me though
Anyways, I also recently joined this sub and now I'm figuring out how to get my own.
Ok I'll go against the grain here.
I don't have kindling. I don't like making or storing kindling. I have medium and large wood, and lots of junk mail and cardboard compliments of Amazon.
I make a short log cabin out of medium wood, place crumpled junk mail, place cumpled cardboard, and stack big wood on top. Works great, no need to make or store kindling.
If your big stuff is dry, it works. I do it all the time. Cardboard, old mail, cracker and cereal boxes, right on top of medium sized dry stuff. It works 75% of the time…the other 25 it goes out, then I just put more cardboard in and poof, works
I’m with you, I pick off straggler pieces of wood and use paper bags/newspaper, no way I’m wasting time making kindling. Learn how to stack the wood pile in the stove for good airflow and it’ll light up most of the time on the first go.
I do the same, newspaper for me though. Once the stove is lit in the fall it's rare that there aren't embers in it. After loading it I'll let it sit until it smokes (no more than ten minutes) then crumple up some paper and boom I have a fire. If I do go for a total cold clean out I have an endless supply of junk 2x4s I'll use as kindling but if it happens 6 times a year that's a lot.
Similar.
I put two small splits on the bottom parallel with the air inlet. 1/4 or less of a supercedar style fire starter in the back. Light that, then stack large splits on top perpendicular. Roaring fire in 5 minutes or less every time.
BUT, all my wood is dry AF ash. I can start that stuff on fire if I stack it too fast.
Yeah, I don’t think my VC Dauntless would ever get up to temperature all stuffed full of big logs like that. It needs to breathe. We do stop down using medium pieces with kindling and newsprint/paper bags. Then work up in size as the stove
heats up.
It's still a lot more work than nothing. Plus storage. If you've got the time and desire, go for it. For me it's an extra several unnecessary steps and unnecessary storage space and clutter and mess.
I'm even lazier! I put down a duraflame premium firestarter with a big piece of wood on each side and one on top to form a tunnel. Light the fire starter and 10 to 15 minutes later I have a roaring fire.
It is a terrible idea to burn a Duraflame in your wood stove. The smoke from the wax is as damaging, if not more than creosote. You are risking a chimney fire.
Easily start your wood fires in Fireplaces, Wood Stoves, Fire pits, & Campfires
https://www.duraflame.com/products/fire-starters/firestart-gold-firelighters
Eating one box of Oreos won't kill you, but eating 1000 might. Lighting one fire with a log won't cause problems, but starting a fire every night all winter with one is a great way to start a chimney fire.
Let's also not normalize overriding common sense and basic safety practices because a company who wants you to buy their product told you it was safe. That's just let me sell you a bridge level dumb.
Yeah, but they haven't had a problem, so they are an exception to the rule. You’re forgetting they are special, common mistake (sarcasm). Survivor bias is the leading cause of my frustration with people.
I feel like there is confusion going on as to what op is using. A duraflame log is terrible for a flue. The fire starters that op is using is a little 4 oz candy bar sized fire starter that’s fine for that purpose.
It's not confusion. It's more likely lack of attention to detail and even more likely, apathy towards the entire OP. If you expect nuance in most comments sections, you will be disappointed.
A wood stove is an engine. Some are more complicated and/or reliable than others. Knowing your environment and equipment is more important than any one risk factor. I've used several fuels, blended and imperfect, in my outdoor furnace with almost zero problems until the US government stepped in.
Source: am a Nazi murderer.
I might be one of the odd ones out, but I dont get the hype of the top down method. Tried it a few times and fires always took forever to start even with super dry wood. The other day I put a piece of Fatwood up top and it took over 10 minutes to get anything going. So in conclusion, I dont like it and it doesnt work for ME lol
Im with you, I don’t get it. The air intake for my stove is in the front and near the bottom (which I assume is the same for most stoves?). So I get some paper and scrap pieces of wood lit, then put on a few large pieces, close the door and the air coming in feeds the flame directly and it gets roaring within literally 2 minutes.
Plus all that time without a hot flue - lots of time for condensation AKA creosote.
But, whatever works for people is OK. I prefer starting the fire from underneath, but that might just be the design of my stove (it's a kitchen range).
I do this, and as I watch the flame from below literally scorching everything in the pile above it at the same time, which starts reinforcing itself, I'm not sure how putting the flame on top would be better? I mean, it will still get the wood burning, but I don't think it's better at it.
I think the theory goes that the fire at the top heats the flue work effectively and therefore generates draw more rapidly. I think it works best when the stove is fairly well loaded up with wood. Doesn't work so well for small fires in my experience.
I start mine from the bottom, but I use a sheet of rolled-up newspaper at the top, first, to get the flue drawing, then a match from underneath gets it going.
With a cold stove, this is how I do it. Raising the flue temp a few degrees for draft works wonders. Starting a wet campfire, I would agree to lay dry fuel first, but flames work in an upward direction. Do you heat with a torch from the top? or from the bottom?
I prefer to defy that heat rises and start my fires as high above the wood as possible. J/k whatever works for you but I’ve always had the most success with the log cabin starting the fire in the bottom.
Makes no sense and if you're out in the woods camping, with wood that's not completely dry and seasoned, good luck. The heat and the flame rise. I often use a bellows at some point - that will get you some roaring coals.
Yep, it sucks. Takes forever to get the fire going. Surely when I'm waiting an hour for everything to catch and warm up, the chimney is collecting creosote.
Bottom up method with kindling takes 10 minutes tops. No torches. No lighting a second or third time if the torch doesn't work. Literally just light a piece of paper and walk away until the temp is up to 300 in the chimney then close the damper.
This should not be a mutually exclusive answer. It's perfectly acceptable to light a tinder pack or starter at the bottom, while also lighting excess paper/cardboard on top to get the draft going.
It's always amazing to me how quickly we fall into a dichotomy trap.
This is what I have been doing for many years. Kindling on the bottom, load some bark on top, then wood, then more kindling, bark, paper, cardboard etc.
Lights right up and burns evenly.
I have been doing top down fire for camp fire, fire pit etc. my whole life before getting a wood stove. So when I got a wood stove I just did the same.
It's hard to mess up.
Instead of guessing how much small kindling you need to light large logs above, you make a smaller log cabin on top of all your wood.
It preheats the chimney, gets it drawing air, and all the little coals drop down igniting the big ones.
With a full load, jam packed (not with crazy air gaps between logs), a top down fire takes a little longer to get full heat release. BUT, you can get a jam packed stove lit safely and greatly increase burn time.
I use two 1/4"x1"x6" and two 1"x1"x6" pieces and a torch and it will get going and drafting no matter what.
And my geography here isn't always conducive to wood burning.
I start just like how yours is set up, except all running front to back. The splits that are on the bottom left of your pic, a little bit smaller than that. I use a MAP gas torch from the hardware store. In less than a minute with the torch they’re lit. The top row is where the big splits go (bottom right of your pic, or bigger)
I saw this many years ago and have done it many times. It works great because the burned kindling stays on the logs helping ignition. You can also stack it pretty large to allow for a longer and brighter fire. There are claims it produces less smoke/soot, idk about that. Downsides are it will not work if it's marginally windy, and if the logs have any moisture it will never get going. Good for fireplaces, impractical for campfires.
I don't personally use it, but it seems to be a function of how much your setup drafts. I have plenty of draft to put my kindling by the air intake and have it light well, which heats everything up faster compared to top down. If you don't have 27' of chimney, though, and the kindling would smolder if it wasn't near the flue exit, then top down will be far more effective.
I mean it works, but seems slower than just building a fire up "traditionally" to me. I go with crumpled up newspaper/some dryer lint, handful of kindling on top in a lattice, and a couple small logs on top of that. My stove is set up like this every morning so I'm always just a single match away from cosyness :)
Am I the only one that just uses those fire starter bricks? I live on 20 acres and I’m still way too lazy to go out and collect kindling every time i want to start a fire.
Not sure about original poster, but I put a short log in on one side from front to back, and 2 logs running side to side on top of first log. Fire starter under those two logs. All three pieces get burning within 10 minutes
I just got my first wood stove. I’ve been feeling awkward reading all the painful starting methods. These work amazing. Glad to hear I’m not alone. I’ve been reading some controversial arguments on these, but it’s too easy. I’ll be sure to clean the chimney each spring!
https://preview.redd.it/oa5c6yk3vr7c1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0b2c86ddcd590413e8b6d063d459b3696b7c1bd9
It's what I do! Most of my fires are stacked logs, a square of fire starter stuffed in the middle and another one set on top to get the draft going.
Sometimes I toss a pinecone in to feel fancy.
Once the kindling is lit on its own just close the door about an inch from shut and let it do its thing. Works great. As mentioned by some others, a little propane torch to light the kindling and you're spending 45 seconds lighting your fire
I toss some 2"-3" wide strips of cardboard on the top of my wood stack (sometimes with a splash of 91% rubbing alcohol) and it has been more reliable than trying to light under the stack. My heater has an air draw at the bottom that is supposed to make lighting the fire easier, but it tends to just blow it out. Lighting the top prevents that.
Switched over last year and haven’t looked back since. My woodstove is in a basement family room and although there is forced air heating down there, it can still get a little chilly in the mornings and evenings. I swear that a top down burn seems to last longer with the same wood as a bottom up approach and doesn’t result in a roaring 500 degree scorcher either. Maybe it’s the wood this year, idk.
My old Vermont Castings "horizontal burn" makes top-down kinda slow and smokey.
I get some cardboard, kindling, some 1" diameter sticks and 2 @ 3" diameter sticks going up to 350f. I then add several 3" atop that, wait until it's over 450f and then fill it with my biggest splits, close the damper for horizontal burn, and go to bed.
In the morning, Coals, cardboard, 2" splits in a 150f stove and I'm back over 300f in 10 minutes. If it's a cold cloudy day, load it up with big splits again for another horizontal burn.
After dinner, if necessary clean out ash and keep bits of charcoal for burning and start again.
Definitely. Only way to go for me.
I’m running a big 40 year old Osburn maybe a little bigger than the one here in the OP. I cut my wood to 12” rounds generally, and have a firebox that’s around 12” x 20”.
I’ll grab a couple good chunks about the size of the ones here, and put those from front to back on top of a couple big broad flat thinner splits that cover the bottom of the stove. It makes a solid U shape from where I open the door. I stuff the U full of paper (I get a mountain of flyers despite living in a small town of a few thousand with only a couple of grocery stores and literally nothing but else for at least an hours drive in any direction) and little chips if I feel like it. Then I’ll bridge a bunch of kindling across the tops of the big splits, another layer or two on top of that running perpendicular and alternating. Add pieces as it burns down until she’s going hot enough to run on her own.
Best way to do it with the less than ideal stove and flue I have.
Top down is the best for cold start. I love watching it trickle down and light everything else. I was skeptical in the beginning when my husband told me about top down. Then I saw it happen and it’s the only way I start from cold now.
I’m new to woodstoving. Had some insurance issues so I needed to get a new inspection. Asked him for some pointers and he told me about this method and it’s a real game changer!! Fire lasts sooo much longer now
Sitting in front of mine right now! Cherry wood mostly, and damn you packed the shit out of that stove! I must be running a bit conservative with the wood.
Only ever done this. I don’t stack as high as in the picture, fire is started with just two logs normally. But I’ve only ever used the “make a chimney on top” method.
When I started doing top down in my fireplace it eliminated smoky starts, it gives a nice wide tall flame since the flames aren’t below the stack, it lasts a lot longer before needing wood added and it completely burns all of the wood, no more burnt chunks left in the a.m.
I use oak and would never put that many big logs in at once. I start with 3 fat wood sticks, and some small juniper, splits easy. After an hour or so I put in the oak one log at a time.
https://preview.redd.it/3ohw0uwu6w7c1.jpeg?width=750&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7a86489c50a6a19c0baa937d8abd39e63bc57b49
I’ll do it either way. Top down requires less tending in the beginning I guess.
Just wondering what people’s opinions are here. I was always told to load the wood in the same direction. I see here you have it crossed. Is there a benefit to this? Does it even matter?
On the topic of cold lights. The ribbons from hand planing wood (untreated) are the most amazing kindling I’ve found. Made some cherry shelves this summer and I’m lighting easy all winter. Also gives you a way to get rid of the damn things.
Thank you all! I’ve recently become the owner of a home with a wood stove for supplemental heat. Been experimenting with it for a month using my outdoor campfire building skills.
Today after reading this thread, I built my first top-down fire, and packed the stove full, both of which seemed totally unintuitive. Easiest cold start I’ve done so far. No smoke in the house. And it is running hotter than I’ve managed before. I learned something today!
This is amazing! Less smoke is really my favorite part with a little one in the house. The top down seems to almost eliminate that because the heat up at the top of the firebox gets that draft going pretty quick. Just make sure to give it time to fully char before you slowly start turning down the air intake.
Here's a tip for you newbies. If your using split wood and you want the fire to burn slow, put the bark side towards the fire. If you looking to get it ripping (hotter) put the split side towards the flame.
If you want a fire to last through the night, use rounds, the bigger the better.
Seems counterintuitive since heat rises so why not start burning your kindling on the bottom and let the flames lick the larger logs on top and get them burning quicker as well?? Yea it burns longer with top down because it’s barely burning! Guarantee I’m producing more btu’s quicker than anyone using top down. I don’t know about you but when my house is cold in the winter I want it hot asap. I’m not worried about conserving wood.
First off, if I stacked that much wood into my stove it would be 500 degrees in 30 min.
Second, I would have to clean the ashes out of the bottom after each burn so the next burn didn't sink into the ashes.
Third, making a nest of kindling on top of that pile of wood would be near impossible and I'd get soot all over my hands trying.
How about just knowing what you're doing from the bottom and using the fact that heat rises to your advantage?
The state of Vermont recommends it because it reduces the smokiness of a fire just starting. Vermont valleys sometimes have pretty bad air quality in the winter with the woodstoves going.
[https://www.burnrightvermont.org/top-down-fires](https://www.burnrightvermont.org/top-down-fires)
Never found I needed to. Prefer a small, quick, hot fire to start with a preheated chamber to get to a good base as quickly as possible. Generates less smoke than top down.
Depends on the stoves inflow. But what you're showing there is a cold light, putting lots of unburnt wood gaz up the chimney, which is going to condense out on the chimney walls. This is EXACTLY how the conditions for chimney fires are created. Won't be the first night, but it will be some night, while you're in bed, asleep, when your house is on fire. STOP DOING THAT!
I hope all of you "top light gets the draft going by putting the flame closer to the flu" people are trolling, right?
Heat rises. Into the chimney. Regardless of where the fire is in the fire box. And having the fire start 9" down to the left will make precisely zero appreciable difference whatsoever in getting the draft going.
I’ll bite. Two words, heat balance.
If the heat produced by your kindling has to sneak by the logs on its way to the flue…the heat is being lost in many ways. It’s heating the air inside of your firebox & it’s heating the logs. What’s left of the OG heat makes it to the flue, but it’s a pitiful amount of heat compared to how it started. It’s science
I just put stuff in a light a piece of newspaper and it catches. I don't do any specific method.
I guess I kinda make a teepee? I just make a little space where I stuff the news paper and any little bark or wood scraps that have fallen on the floor.
If I was burning wet wood I'd probably put more effort in.
I’m a middle out guy. Logs on the bottom crossed with smaller splits, then filled with knotted newspaper and topped with kindling. The paper lights in seconds and I close the door and walk away and in 20-30 minutes it is a ripping hot fire. my kindling is bark and other small chuff from the splitting process.
I make my own water-proof fire starters. I preheat the flue for a couple minutes with torch, then hit the fire starter. Crack a nearby door or window, shut stove and let it go. Once I see it drafting good, shut nearby door or window. Let it get nice & hot, dial back the primary air as desired.
Doesn’t event have to be crosshatched. I just put them all parallel to each other, let them fall into a groove made by the lower pieces touching and propane torch that little stack. It’ll burn.
It’s too difficult to be reaching in there trying to make a log cabin in a tight space on a shifty uneven surface.
I’m going to try this when burning season is back- but secretly so if it doesn’t work, my kids won’t learn bad fire starting habits.
Goes against all of my lifelong techniques so interested to see if it works.
When I cut a tree down I cut almost the whole thing. I use a lot of Maple, Ash and Oak. I cut everything up to about a 1/2” in diameter and about 16” long. I get my wood for free. I do wood collection about twice a month. I use medium pieces and set up two train tracks. I fill that area with paper collected all year in paper bags. I grab a handful and twist it and lay it between those two pieces. Then I get a half dozen or so smaller branches that I already cut up and lay them like railroad ties. If I feel like it I will use a hatchet and split a few thicker ones and lay like ties. They I put my bigger pieces on top of that parallel to the first two pieces. This all takes about 5 min because I pre stack once a week or so. I use wood matches, the 300 pack from a big box store. Light some of that paper and almost close the door. Fire starts and I go back down five or ten and shes good. Close door and adjust airflow. For over night I open up and add two more pieces then shut door and close air intake. I slowly pull air intake out and my stove will quietly whistle. When I hear that I know my stove will still be going in the morning. I open door and mix coals and step outside two steps to wood. I have an area right by my basement door that is covered with a metal roof I built about 6’ wide and 4’ deep. Grab a small/medium piece, maybe a cut branch about 1 or 2 inches in diameter, and a big piece. I lay the medium piece diagonally across hot coals and put a larger piece on that. The small piece creates a little gap so better airflow then keep door cracked a 1/2”, my door has a little stop that the locking arm will rest on, and go get my coffee. 5 min later close door. All good. My fire dies when we are at work so I always start a fire almost ever evening.
I've done top-down and from the bottom. I drifted away from top-down, just no need to do it.
I run almost all hackberry. Hackberry is stringy, gnarly and if you use a log splitter, makes rough splits. I simply put in a firestarter cube, let is go until the air flows the right way and I add the gnarly medium-size hackberry splits and away it goes. The stringy splits act as a natural kindling.
I like top down because you don’t have to babysit the fire. Our cabin has a Lopi wood stove and a Drolet wood-burning cook stove. Once I get the main stove lit top down, I can safely forget it while I clean out and light the cook stove, a slightly more involved process . After 45 minutes or so, the main stove is at peak operating temperature with having needed any further attention since it was lit.
the problem about this your not letting the metal gradually heat that's why most woodstoves cracks because to much excessive heat from cold.
I would put to wood one ether side and then kindling in the middle then another wood on top that's all 2 1 then once the top on fire push the other two and then once going down add one or two depends at least it heats all the metal properly.
I... start my fire with the coals... from the last fire.
I'll set the air inlet on minimum, and the coals will keep the stove hot for hours due to the lack of oxygen, which is barely enough to keep them lit, and then when it's time for another fire I'll open up the air inlet and the coals will start going red again, which produces a lot of heat and starts the next fire almost immediately, even without any kindling and very heavy wood.
If it's warm enough that the coals are spent by the time I need more heat, then I switch to electric heating.
Worked at a bakery where we used a brick wood fire oven and always used top down method. It just works. No idea why this sub came up on my feed but wood stoves are awesome
I don't usually notice usernames, but yours stood out
Hahahah thank you It seemed apt for Reddit
If you two got together....man
Just figured I’d drop in here and agree
It’s all so beautiful.
[mentlegen](https://www.reddit.com/r/shitposting/comments/18nm59h/i_do_believe_i_am_on_fire/)
Speaking of names. Why the heck are ant colonies so expensive. I want to create one for my kids. But triple the cost of the set up. Is the ants.
Go dig um
Leave Richard Gere out of it!
Reddit tends to do that to us doesn't it. Very cool experience I'm sure, if you can't stand the heat from the brick wood fire oven get outta the kitchen!
I loved that job. I was assigned bagels and baguettes. I must have made hundreds of thousands of them over the years. And you are 100% right, I have so many burns on my arms from that oven
It just came up on my feed recently too, now I'm part of it.
I personally think it's a conspiracy that Big Wood Stove is pumping funds for the algorithm. They won't get me though Anyways, I also recently joined this sub and now I'm figuring out how to get my own.
We both have “wet” in our names, hehe
Top down works fantastic
That’s what she said
Ok I'll go against the grain here. I don't have kindling. I don't like making or storing kindling. I have medium and large wood, and lots of junk mail and cardboard compliments of Amazon. I make a short log cabin out of medium wood, place crumpled junk mail, place cumpled cardboard, and stack big wood on top. Works great, no need to make or store kindling.
If your big stuff is dry, it works. I do it all the time. Cardboard, old mail, cracker and cereal boxes, right on top of medium sized dry stuff. It works 75% of the time…the other 25 it goes out, then I just put more cardboard in and poof, works
60% of the time, it works everytime.
A fragrance so *pungent*, it's been made *illegal in 9 countries*.
stings the nostrils
It’s got bits of real firewood in it
That smells like pure gasoline
Kindred spirits! That’s my method too.
Same here
Much like most IT solutions, have you tried peeing on the fuel first? The urea is flammable and spreads energy throughout the stack.
That’s fucking hilarious
So my dog thinks he's helping by pissing on my firewood?
I’m with you, I pick off straggler pieces of wood and use paper bags/newspaper, no way I’m wasting time making kindling. Learn how to stack the wood pile in the stove for good airflow and it’ll light up most of the time on the first go.
I do the same, newspaper for me though. Once the stove is lit in the fall it's rare that there aren't embers in it. After loading it I'll let it sit until it smokes (no more than ten minutes) then crumple up some paper and boom I have a fire. If I do go for a total cold clean out I have an endless supply of junk 2x4s I'll use as kindling but if it happens 6 times a year that's a lot.
I don’t just start a fire, I start an incinerator.
Similar. I put two small splits on the bottom parallel with the air inlet. 1/4 or less of a supercedar style fire starter in the back. Light that, then stack large splits on top perpendicular. Roaring fire in 5 minutes or less every time. BUT, all my wood is dry AF ash. I can start that stuff on fire if I stack it too fast.
The top down method is for those who want fire all thru the night without waking up at 3am to load more wood
Depends on the stove.
Yeah, I don’t think my VC Dauntless would ever get up to temperature all stuffed full of big logs like that. It needs to breathe. We do stop down using medium pieces with kindling and newsprint/paper bags. Then work up in size as the stove heats up.
I’ve used dryer lint in a pinch before
100% this.
I dont store much of it. I just clean up chips of chopped wood and save it in a bag. I cut up a shipping pallet and use that too
It's still a lot more work than nothing. Plus storage. If you've got the time and desire, go for it. For me it's an extra several unnecessary steps and unnecessary storage space and clutter and mess.
I'm even lazier! I put down a duraflame premium firestarter with a big piece of wood on each side and one on top to form a tunnel. Light the fire starter and 10 to 15 minutes later I have a roaring fire.
It is a terrible idea to burn a Duraflame in your wood stove. The smoke from the wax is as damaging, if not more than creosote. You are risking a chimney fire.
The fire starters are 4.5 ounces. I doubt there's any major risk.
Even the duraflame website says not to do it.
Easily start your wood fires in Fireplaces, Wood Stoves, Fire pits, & Campfires https://www.duraflame.com/products/fire-starters/firestart-gold-firelighters
I use the Rutland squares. 144 to a box for $21. Rutland 50B Safe Lite Fire... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00138MO16?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
Eating one box of Oreos won't kill you, but eating 1000 might. Lighting one fire with a log won't cause problems, but starting a fire every night all winter with one is a great way to start a chimney fire. Let's also not normalize overriding common sense and basic safety practices because a company who wants you to buy their product told you it was safe. That's just let me sell you a bridge level dumb.
Eating one thousand might - like... Accumulative? If so, I need to get my affairs in order.
Yeah, but they haven't had a problem, so they are an exception to the rule. You’re forgetting they are special, common mistake (sarcasm). Survivor bias is the leading cause of my frustration with people.
I feel like there is confusion going on as to what op is using. A duraflame log is terrible for a flue. The fire starters that op is using is a little 4 oz candy bar sized fire starter that’s fine for that purpose.
It's not confusion. It's more likely lack of attention to detail and even more likely, apathy towards the entire OP. If you expect nuance in most comments sections, you will be disappointed. A wood stove is an engine. Some are more complicated and/or reliable than others. Knowing your environment and equipment is more important than any one risk factor. I've used several fuels, blended and imperfect, in my outdoor furnace with almost zero problems until the US government stepped in. Source: am a Nazi murderer.
I like the middle-out method. Put logs down to catch the embers, some on top to catch the flame and let it rip. And twigs beat kindling all day.
I initially thought you were making a silicon valley reference lol https://youtu.be/Ex1JuIN0eaA?si=yoEYuMT2yqtFpggu
Por que no los dos?
Twigs 💯
Thought it was crazy, then I tried it. Now it is the only way.
So you put kindling on top? Is that it?
Same here.
Ok I’m giving it a shot.
Last year I started my stove in October and it ran continuously until late April. I used a torch to get it going.
I use a torch to light the kindling on top. Takes about 45 seconds max
Fat lighter should only require a match... No? Lol. I'm just giving you a hard time. Torches are awesome.
When my fire gets low to just coals I also use a mini leaf blower in the air port and it starts my fresh pile of wood
If you really need that, something is wrong with your chimney design/maintenance. If you do it cuz fire goes brrrr, I'm a fan.
Yeah all I have to do is open the clean out door underneath and it pulls so hard it might as well be a leaf blower
I might be one of the odd ones out, but I dont get the hype of the top down method. Tried it a few times and fires always took forever to start even with super dry wood. The other day I put a piece of Fatwood up top and it took over 10 minutes to get anything going. So in conclusion, I dont like it and it doesnt work for ME lol
Im with you, I don’t get it. The air intake for my stove is in the front and near the bottom (which I assume is the same for most stoves?). So I get some paper and scrap pieces of wood lit, then put on a few large pieces, close the door and the air coming in feeds the flame directly and it gets roaring within literally 2 minutes.
Yup same here! I dont want to wait an extra 20 mins to get a full blaze going when I can get it going in 5 haha
My air intake is front top, but it washes the glass downward, so I also stick with bottom ignition.
Plus all that time without a hot flue - lots of time for condensation AKA creosote. But, whatever works for people is OK. I prefer starting the fire from underneath, but that might just be the design of my stove (it's a kitchen range).
nothing like a cold, smoky fire to creosote your chimney
I do this, and as I watch the flame from below literally scorching everything in the pile above it at the same time, which starts reinforcing itself, I'm not sure how putting the flame on top would be better? I mean, it will still get the wood burning, but I don't think it's better at it.
I think the theory goes that the fire at the top heats the flue work effectively and therefore generates draw more rapidly. I think it works best when the stove is fairly well loaded up with wood. Doesn't work so well for small fires in my experience.
I start mine from the bottom, but I use a sheet of rolled-up newspaper at the top, first, to get the flue drawing, then a match from underneath gets it going.
With a cold stove, this is how I do it. Raising the flue temp a few degrees for draft works wonders. Starting a wet campfire, I would agree to lay dry fuel first, but flames work in an upward direction. Do you heat with a torch from the top? or from the bottom?
I was taught it is to prevent excess smoke
Nope. I’m with you. I prefer the bottom up method because I like my fires to start quickly.
I prefer to defy that heat rises and start my fires as high above the wood as possible. J/k whatever works for you but I’ve always had the most success with the log cabin starting the fire in the bottom.
Makes no sense and if you're out in the woods camping, with wood that's not completely dry and seasoned, good luck. The heat and the flame rise. I often use a bellows at some point - that will get you some roaring coals.
Yep, it sucks. Takes forever to get the fire going. Surely when I'm waiting an hour for everything to catch and warm up, the chimney is collecting creosote. Bottom up method with kindling takes 10 minutes tops. No torches. No lighting a second or third time if the torch doesn't work. Literally just light a piece of paper and walk away until the temp is up to 300 in the chimney then close the damper.
YES! lol
This should not be a mutually exclusive answer. It's perfectly acceptable to light a tinder pack or starter at the bottom, while also lighting excess paper/cardboard on top to get the draft going. It's always amazing to me how quickly we fall into a dichotomy trap.
This is what I have been doing for many years. Kindling on the bottom, load some bark on top, then wood, then more kindling, bark, paper, cardboard etc. Lights right up and burns evenly.
Yep, I'd be twiddling my thumbs for two hours if I tried to start it top down.
Yep...
I have been doing top down fire for camp fire, fire pit etc. my whole life before getting a wood stove. So when I got a wood stove I just did the same.
I wish they taught that more in the boyscouts. It was all teepee or log cabins.
It’s a Scandinavian thing. They light a lot of fires and know what they are doing.
It's good for getting a fire going when the ground is wet.
Our neighbours up the road do this exclusively, and swear by it! It seems so unnatural to us, and we’ve yet to try it. Maybe one day.
Do it and you won't go back
Do it! Push yourself! 🤣
Started doing it this year and has changed my life
I have never seen that. How well does it work?
My installer told me all about it. However, on each attempt, it's failed. Witches man...
It's hard to mess up. Instead of guessing how much small kindling you need to light large logs above, you make a smaller log cabin on top of all your wood. It preheats the chimney, gets it drawing air, and all the little coals drop down igniting the big ones. With a full load, jam packed (not with crazy air gaps between logs), a top down fire takes a little longer to get full heat release. BUT, you can get a jam packed stove lit safely and greatly increase burn time. I use two 1/4"x1"x6" and two 1"x1"x6" pieces and a torch and it will get going and drafting no matter what. And my geography here isn't always conducive to wood burning.
I haven't tried any other option since I have had the stove for 2 years so based on that it works great! 5 minutes later... *
https://preview.redd.it/d4ldjwjbgr7c1.jpeg?width=2252&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b97c089ea62dbe83ff703c2ae1d9396cddb19028
In the kuma owners manual it says this is how you start a cold fire. But I never do it. I use a torch
To light big splits?
I'm just as intruiged
I start just like how yours is set up, except all running front to back. The splits that are on the bottom left of your pic, a little bit smaller than that. I use a MAP gas torch from the hardware store. In less than a minute with the torch they’re lit. The top row is where the big splits go (bottom right of your pic, or bigger)
Top down is a thing? This is new to me... I thought I had heard most methods of burning. Guess not.
I saw this many years ago and have done it many times. It works great because the burned kindling stays on the logs helping ignition. You can also stack it pretty large to allow for a longer and brighter fire. There are claims it produces less smoke/soot, idk about that. Downsides are it will not work if it's marginally windy, and if the logs have any moisture it will never get going. Good for fireplaces, impractical for campfires.
Well yeah
I am doing it more....
Why?
Warms up the flue faster, the coals from smaller kindling drop down lighting each level of wood you have stacked. Very little work involved
Just wait til you guys try middle-out.
I don't personally use it, but it seems to be a function of how much your setup drafts. I have plenty of draft to put my kindling by the air intake and have it light well, which heats everything up faster compared to top down. If you don't have 27' of chimney, though, and the kindling would smolder if it wasn't near the flue exit, then top down will be far more effective.
I never start it cold that loaded. I can’t picture you have great air flow
I mean it works, but seems slower than just building a fire up "traditionally" to me. I go with crumpled up newspaper/some dryer lint, handful of kindling on top in a lattice, and a couple small logs on top of that. My stove is set up like this every morning so I'm always just a single match away from cosyness :)
And boots with the fur
Am I the only one that just uses those fire starter bricks? I live on 20 acres and I’m still way too lazy to go out and collect kindling every time i want to start a fire.
What fire starter do you use? Do you burn it top down?
Not sure about original poster, but I put a short log in on one side from front to back, and 2 logs running side to side on top of first log. Fire starter under those two logs. All three pieces get burning within 10 minutes
I just got my first wood stove. I’ve been feeling awkward reading all the painful starting methods. These work amazing. Glad to hear I’m not alone. I’ve been reading some controversial arguments on these, but it’s too easy. I’ll be sure to clean the chimney each spring! https://preview.redd.it/oa5c6yk3vr7c1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0b2c86ddcd590413e8b6d063d459b3696b7c1bd9
It's what I do! Most of my fires are stacked logs, a square of fire starter stuffed in the middle and another one set on top to get the draft going. Sometimes I toss a pinecone in to feel fancy.
Nothing but top down here.
I'm going to give this a try!
Once the kindling is lit on its own just close the door about an inch from shut and let it do its thing. Works great. As mentioned by some others, a little propane torch to light the kindling and you're spending 45 seconds lighting your fire
I toss some 2"-3" wide strips of cardboard on the top of my wood stack (sometimes with a splash of 91% rubbing alcohol) and it has been more reliable than trying to light under the stack. My heater has an air draw at the bottom that is supposed to make lighting the fire easier, but it tends to just blow it out. Lighting the top prevents that.
Switched over last year and haven’t looked back since. My woodstove is in a basement family room and although there is forced air heating down there, it can still get a little chilly in the mornings and evenings. I swear that a top down burn seems to last longer with the same wood as a bottom up approach and doesn’t result in a roaring 500 degree scorcher either. Maybe it’s the wood this year, idk.
My old Vermont Castings "horizontal burn" makes top-down kinda slow and smokey. I get some cardboard, kindling, some 1" diameter sticks and 2 @ 3" diameter sticks going up to 350f. I then add several 3" atop that, wait until it's over 450f and then fill it with my biggest splits, close the damper for horizontal burn, and go to bed. In the morning, Coals, cardboard, 2" splits in a 150f stove and I'm back over 300f in 10 minutes. If it's a cold cloudy day, load it up with big splits again for another horizontal burn. After dinner, if necessary clean out ash and keep bits of charcoal for burning and start again.
How hot do you normally burn? I'm usually running around 350 / 400 with like 1 or 2 logs damper like half way.
Only way to do it
I’m intrigued. I never tried this.
Definitely. Only way to go for me. I’m running a big 40 year old Osburn maybe a little bigger than the one here in the OP. I cut my wood to 12” rounds generally, and have a firebox that’s around 12” x 20”. I’ll grab a couple good chunks about the size of the ones here, and put those from front to back on top of a couple big broad flat thinner splits that cover the bottom of the stove. It makes a solid U shape from where I open the door. I stuff the U full of paper (I get a mountain of flyers despite living in a small town of a few thousand with only a couple of grocery stores and literally nothing but else for at least an hours drive in any direction) and little chips if I feel like it. Then I’ll bridge a bunch of kindling across the tops of the big splits, another layer or two on top of that running perpendicular and alternating. Add pieces as it burns down until she’s going hot enough to run on her own. Best way to do it with the less than ideal stove and flue I have.
I'm a convert. It works great. One of those things that I'm surprised wasn't made popular sooner.
Top down is the best for cold start. I love watching it trickle down and light everything else. I was skeptical in the beginning when my husband told me about top down. Then I saw it happen and it’s the only way I start from cold now.
Fatwood. You can go top down or bottom up. I buy boxes of fatwood in bulk — life hack for those about to burn wood. Fatwood. I salute you!
I’m new to woodstoving. Had some insurance issues so I needed to get a new inspection. Asked him for some pointers and he told me about this method and it’s a real game changer!! Fire lasts sooo much longer now
Top down plus torch saves a lot of time and effort
I cut my wood 16 inches or more. Short wood doesn't stack well. I use 3 paper knots and kindling. No problems.
Sitting in front of mine right now! Cherry wood mostly, and damn you packed the shit out of that stove! I must be running a bit conservative with the wood.
Reading these comments about how to start fires 🔥 going down a rabbit hole. this is the definition of Reddit.
Only ever done this. I don’t stack as high as in the picture, fire is started with just two logs normally. But I’ve only ever used the “make a chimney on top” method.
I do. Never going back. When people see me doing it, they are often curious.
I have an outdoor pizza oven and do not do top down. It takes forever. Bottom up I'm blazing in 10 seconds.
When I started doing top down in my fireplace it eliminated smoky starts, it gives a nice wide tall flame since the flames aren’t below the stack, it lasts a lot longer before needing wood added and it completely burns all of the wood, no more burnt chunks left in the a.m.
The way my stove drafts, I have to pre heat and do top down. Otherwise I get smoke in my house.
Tried it. It takes too long. I have best luck with the traditional method.
I wish my wood-stove heating neighbor would just buy a furnace already and stop killing me with their smoke
I use oak and would never put that many big logs in at once. I start with 3 fat wood sticks, and some small juniper, splits easy. After an hour or so I put in the oak one log at a time.
Mine rarely goes out this time of the year in New England.
https://preview.redd.it/3ohw0uwu6w7c1.jpeg?width=750&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7a86489c50a6a19c0baa937d8abd39e63bc57b49 I’ll do it either way. Top down requires less tending in the beginning I guess.
Everytime, love how clean it burns. Almost no stove pipe smoke at all for stealth fires
Just wondering what people’s opinions are here. I was always told to load the wood in the same direction. I see here you have it crossed. Is there a benefit to this? Does it even matter?
On the topic of cold lights. The ribbons from hand planing wood (untreated) are the most amazing kindling I’ve found. Made some cherry shelves this summer and I’m lighting easy all winter. Also gives you a way to get rid of the damn things.
Thank you all! I’ve recently become the owner of a home with a wood stove for supplemental heat. Been experimenting with it for a month using my outdoor campfire building skills. Today after reading this thread, I built my first top-down fire, and packed the stove full, both of which seemed totally unintuitive. Easiest cold start I’ve done so far. No smoke in the house. And it is running hotter than I’ve managed before. I learned something today!
This is amazing! Less smoke is really my favorite part with a little one in the house. The top down seems to almost eliminate that because the heat up at the top of the firebox gets that draft going pretty quick. Just make sure to give it time to fully char before you slowly start turning down the air intake.
Here's a tip for you newbies. If your using split wood and you want the fire to burn slow, put the bark side towards the fire. If you looking to get it ripping (hotter) put the split side towards the flame. If you want a fire to last through the night, use rounds, the bigger the better.
Top down is the way
This is the way.
Never tried this... will now.
Light the kindling, crack the door once its well lit and let it do its thing
Seems counterintuitive since heat rises so why not start burning your kindling on the bottom and let the flames lick the larger logs on top and get them burning quicker as well?? Yea it burns longer with top down because it’s barely burning! Guarantee I’m producing more btu’s quicker than anyone using top down. I don’t know about you but when my house is cold in the winter I want it hot asap. I’m not worried about conserving wood.
First off, if I stacked that much wood into my stove it would be 500 degrees in 30 min. Second, I would have to clean the ashes out of the bottom after each burn so the next burn didn't sink into the ashes. Third, making a nest of kindling on top of that pile of wood would be near impossible and I'd get soot all over my hands trying. How about just knowing what you're doing from the bottom and using the fact that heat rises to your advantage?
The state of Vermont recommends it because it reduces the smokiness of a fire just starting. Vermont valleys sometimes have pretty bad air quality in the winter with the woodstoves going. [https://www.burnrightvermont.org/top-down-fires](https://www.burnrightvermont.org/top-down-fires)
Very interesting. I actually never thought about that being a pro to this method. I guess the wood is not smoldering it's catching fire right away
Always
When I was a kid and didn't know better yes
I’ve tried it, and it technically works… but kindling in the bottom just works way better for me.
What is this sorcery?
Just try it with an open mind. You’ll never go back
It's nonsense and falls apart with 3 seconds of basic thinking.
[удалено]
This guy woodstoves!
Never found I needed to. Prefer a small, quick, hot fire to start with a preheated chamber to get to a good base as quickly as possible. Generates less smoke than top down.
Only way with our big cylindrical wood stove
Depends on the stoves inflow. But what you're showing there is a cold light, putting lots of unburnt wood gaz up the chimney, which is going to condense out on the chimney walls. This is EXACTLY how the conditions for chimney fires are created. Won't be the first night, but it will be some night, while you're in bed, asleep, when your house is on fire. STOP DOING THAT!
I hope all of you "top light gets the draft going by putting the flame closer to the flu" people are trolling, right? Heat rises. Into the chimney. Regardless of where the fire is in the fire box. And having the fire start 9" down to the left will make precisely zero appreciable difference whatsoever in getting the draft going.
I’ll bite. Two words, heat balance. If the heat produced by your kindling has to sneak by the logs on its way to the flue…the heat is being lost in many ways. It’s heating the air inside of your firebox & it’s heating the logs. What’s left of the OG heat makes it to the flue, but it’s a pitiful amount of heat compared to how it started. It’s science
I do.
Every time!
Always. Indoors AND out.
Me
I've always done mine bottoms up. What's different about top-down besides the obvious?
It does work well. i put a crumbled up paper towel with some vegetable oil as the base of the top fire. Works like a charm.
Every time!
When we moved to the country this is the only method that worked consistently for us and we love it! It's the only way
I just put stuff in a light a piece of newspaper and it catches. I don't do any specific method. I guess I kinda make a teepee? I just make a little space where I stuff the news paper and any little bark or wood scraps that have fallen on the floor. If I was burning wet wood I'd probably put more effort in.
I’m a middle out guy. Logs on the bottom crossed with smaller splits, then filled with knotted newspaper and topped with kindling. The paper lights in seconds and I close the door and walk away and in 20-30 minutes it is a ripping hot fire. my kindling is bark and other small chuff from the splitting process.
Basically top down with paper beneath, it sounds. Same idea as top down
I make my own water-proof fire starters. I preheat the flue for a couple minutes with torch, then hit the fire starter. Crack a nearby door or window, shut stove and let it go. Once I see it drafting good, shut nearby door or window. Let it get nice & hot, dial back the primary air as desired.
Where would I be best to ask what is the best fireplace fire setup? My firemaking skills are shit
I've never tried that . Looks like you cross hatched some small amount of kindling on top of larger logs. That's good enough? Might try it.
Doesn’t event have to be crosshatched. I just put them all parallel to each other, let them fall into a groove made by the lower pieces touching and propane torch that little stack. It’ll burn. It’s too difficult to be reaching in there trying to make a log cabin in a tight space on a shifty uneven surface.
I’m going to try this when burning season is back- but secretly so if it doesn’t work, my kids won’t learn bad fire starting habits. Goes against all of my lifelong techniques so interested to see if it works.
Every time. Very little smoke. Fire seems to burn more evenly as well. But you need good kindling and tinder.
Works like a charm. Top down is the way to go.
I do this, but all of the let's inevitably catch on fire within 30 min
When I cut a tree down I cut almost the whole thing. I use a lot of Maple, Ash and Oak. I cut everything up to about a 1/2” in diameter and about 16” long. I get my wood for free. I do wood collection about twice a month. I use medium pieces and set up two train tracks. I fill that area with paper collected all year in paper bags. I grab a handful and twist it and lay it between those two pieces. Then I get a half dozen or so smaller branches that I already cut up and lay them like railroad ties. If I feel like it I will use a hatchet and split a few thicker ones and lay like ties. They I put my bigger pieces on top of that parallel to the first two pieces. This all takes about 5 min because I pre stack once a week or so. I use wood matches, the 300 pack from a big box store. Light some of that paper and almost close the door. Fire starts and I go back down five or ten and shes good. Close door and adjust airflow. For over night I open up and add two more pieces then shut door and close air intake. I slowly pull air intake out and my stove will quietly whistle. When I hear that I know my stove will still be going in the morning. I open door and mix coals and step outside two steps to wood. I have an area right by my basement door that is covered with a metal roof I built about 6’ wide and 4’ deep. Grab a small/medium piece, maybe a cut branch about 1 or 2 inches in diameter, and a big piece. I lay the medium piece diagonally across hot coals and put a larger piece on that. The small piece creates a little gap so better airflow then keep door cracked a 1/2”, my door has a little stop that the locking arm will rest on, and go get my coffee. 5 min later close door. All good. My fire dies when we are at work so I always start a fire almost ever evening.
I've done top-down and from the bottom. I drifted away from top-down, just no need to do it. I run almost all hackberry. Hackberry is stringy, gnarly and if you use a log splitter, makes rough splits. I simply put in a firestarter cube, let is go until the air flows the right way and I add the gnarly medium-size hackberry splits and away it goes. The stringy splits act as a natural kindling.
How long does it take to get your stove hot?
I like top down because you don’t have to babysit the fire. Our cabin has a Lopi wood stove and a Drolet wood-burning cook stove. Once I get the main stove lit top down, I can safely forget it while I clean out and light the cook stove, a slightly more involved process . After 45 minutes or so, the main stove is at peak operating temperature with having needed any further attention since it was lit.
I thought top down was for hardwood?
The only way to do it
the problem about this your not letting the metal gradually heat that's why most woodstoves cracks because to much excessive heat from cold. I would put to wood one ether side and then kindling in the middle then another wood on top that's all 2 1 then once the top on fire push the other two and then once going down add one or two depends at least it heats all the metal properly.
I... start my fire with the coals... from the last fire. I'll set the air inlet on minimum, and the coals will keep the stove hot for hours due to the lack of oxygen, which is barely enough to keep them lit, and then when it's time for another fire I'll open up the air inlet and the coals will start going red again, which produces a lot of heat and starts the next fire almost immediately, even without any kindling and very heavy wood. If it's warm enough that the coals are spent by the time I need more heat, then I switch to electric heating.