[tomtom]

Lastly - top down fire lighting is the way forward - one of those things you wonder why you weren't taught as a small boy.

Does anyone use this in a standard fireplace? I repeatedly struggle getting our fireplace to stay lit without reasonably regular tending and, though faffing with fire is a great joy and spending every waking moment smelling of smoke makes life complete, I feel my manliness is in question.

Coal wood or smokeless?

[galpinos]

Coal wood or smokeless?

Wood. Mix of stuff I've acquired, happy clappy stuff from the Unicorn and pikey bags from the garage down the road (probaly the same as the Unicorn stuff but half the price). No dabbled in coal (no storage) and don't have fires that often (images of toddlers falling face first into the fire) but we got a new fire guard for Christmas last year and I REALLY like fire so keen for more evenings in with a fire this winter.

[Simon W]

After seeing it on here I got excited and tried top down last night for the first time. Didn't work for me at all, ended up having to take everything out and do it the usual way after half an hour of swearing and wasting a box of matches.

For me this works every time provided all the stuff is dry -

From the bottom up - 5/6 balls of scrunched up newspaper, optional layer of strips of cardboard, kindling no thicker than little finger (generally use pallets for this), thicker wood around an inch or so and a biggy (2-3 inches) or 2 on top. I either shape it like a tent with wood leaning against paper and kindling or make a tower shaped stack with layers of wood at right angles to each other (like Jenga)!

I have all the vents open when I light it, sometimes have the door just open too. This always works well for me, not like this top down black magic shit!

[Simon W]

Using a woodburner, is top down for open fires or something?

[tomtom]

Using a woodburner, is top down for open fires or something?

Often the other way around. Trick is having your wood really really dry.. I used to light a fire (in a wood burner with a couple of med logs - split) on top of which 3 or 4 bits of kindling - on top of which half a firelighter... I think a chunk of it is getting to know your stove and how it works with the different vent combinations etc.. (there are many ways manufacturers do it..).

Firelighters are cheaper than newspaper too...

[Simon W]

Think you're right about it varying depending upon which stove you have, bottom top seems the way forward for mine. Not sure your firelighters are cheaper than my copies of Metro though!

[butters]

Simon - I know that sense of frustration - mine took quite a bit of fine tuning to get it to work but when it did. 

For reference I have the top layer thinner than finger thickness using newspaper as the initial combustion - that would be second layer kindling for me but I would imagine that firelighters mean that you can get away with thicker stuff. Also as TT points out it has to be really dry kindling - old floor boards are great for this so keep an eye out for any in a skip and have them. 

Edit - just checked and about pencil thickness works for me as a top layer it seems.

[Simon W]

Ha ha, I was swearing my head off! Might give the upside down way another go.............after a few more stress free right way up fires though!?!

[tomtom]

Ha ha, I was swearing my head off! Might give the upside down way another go.............after a few more stress free right way up fires though!?!

Works really well on a solid (no grate/grill) base (as you should always burn wood!)

[galpinos]

Works really well on a solid (no grate/grill) base (as you should always burn wood!)

Hmmm, should I be ditching my grate/ash pan then?

[tomtom]

Works really well on a solid (no grate/grill) base (as you should always burn wood!)

Hmmm, should I be ditching my grate/ash pan then?

If you're burning just wood, then I'd suggest yes. Burn it on the stone/brick or a metal plate... don't clean up the ash either.. the wood then burns in a bed of ash.. grates are designed for coal which needs alot of air flow to burn...

[bigironhorse]

Seems to be loads of freshly cut beech (i think) knocking about on the paths leading to the general cemetery from ecclesall road. Don't know how much trouble you'd get in for helping yourself to a few barrows full?

[SamT]

hmmm .. not there this morning. .. went for a quick look see before the road is closed for the joggers.

[abarro81]

We can't remember where we last bought a big load of wood from... so... anyone got any good beta for cheap/good places that deliver to Sheffield?

[remus]

I've got a number for a tree surgeon who delivered a ton bag to ours for £70, no idea how that compares to prices elsewhere. Gotten through about a third of it so far and seems alright (well seasoned etc.), I'll message you the number.

[Simon W]

We get ours from here.

https://thelogshopsheffield.com/

Not the cheapest but the best quality of places I've tried. Kiln dried logs that seem to last well and knock out plenty of heat.