When it’s cold outside, there’s nothing better than a wood-burning stove to keep you warm and create a real, homey atmosphere. Okay, so you’ve made the investment. We spent a lot of time reading reviews to come up with the finest combination of heat output, user-friendliness, design, and size/shape for your house. We hired the most reliable fitter for the work. The ideal hearth tiles have arrived, and your chimney has been swept and lined. Your work is just stunning.
Here you can find all the information you need to know about starting a fire in a wood burner. In this detailed tutorial, you will learn all you need to know to start a crackling fire, from gathering the necessary items to doing it in the safest and most efficient way imaginable. We’ll also share some insider secrets for keeping your fire running strong.

How To Build A Wood Stove
Step | Description |
---|---|
1. Remove the Top | Remove the plug end of the 55-gallon steel barrel to create the cooking floor. |
2. Clean Out the Barrel | Ensure the barrel is free from any residues and contaminants. |
3. Stovepipe Fitting |
|
4. Cutting the Hole |
|
5. Stovepipe Attachment | Fit the stovepipe over the tabs and bolt it on with two L braces. |
6. Firebox Creation |
Save the larger piece for the firebox door and the smaller piece for the draft. |
7. Attaching the Firebox Door |
|
8. Reinforce the Barrel | Bolt at least six L braces around the barrel below the top crimp. |
9. Firebox Floor Setup | Bolt the firebox floor in place and fill any cracks around the edges with aluminum foil. |
10. Air Draft Creation |
|
11. Test Fire |
|
12. Finishing Touches | If desired, paint the stove with stove spray paint for aesthetics and protection. |

How to Build a Fire in a Wood Stove
The top-down fire method is used to construct a fire in a wood stove by first placing bigger pieces of wood on the floor of the fire box attached to the wood stove. Next, smaller pieces of wood, kindling, and newspaper are placed on top of the larger pieces of wood. Applying a match or lighter to the newspaper will cause the fire to gradually spread through the kindling and eventually progress to the larger logs that are underneath. When it comes to building a fire in a wood stove, the top-down fire method is by far the most effective, easiest, and clean method. It may take a few attempts to get it perfect, but the end result is a fire that is cleaner, easier, and by far the finest method.
with order to assist you with building a fire in your wood burning stove using the top-down method, the following instructions are broken down into step-by-step format.
In order to construct a fire from the top down, you need first place larger logs on the floor of the firebox of your wood stove.
In order to kick off the process of constructing a fire, it is essential to start with a sturdy foundation using wood. At the very least, the pieces ought to have a diameter of three to five inches.
- Place a second layer of medium logs in a crisscross pattern on top of the second layer of larger logs.
The ideal size for the medium logs is somewhere between fifty percent and seventy-five percent of the size of the larger logs. Put an end to your frustrations with your dated and confusing wood stove. Shop for MF Fire right now! - Arrange a third layer of small logs in a crisscross pattern upon the medium logs that are already in place.
In terms of diameter, the little pieces of wood should be somewhere between one and two inches. - Arrange the fine kindling on top of the compact logs.
Wood splits, heavy-duty cardboard, or both are among the materials that we typically use. - Position the newspaper knots so that they are above the cardboard and the kindling splits.
Using newspaper knots is an excellent method for this step. To make a piece that resembles rope, tear a sheet of newspaper, twist it together to create a piece, and then tie it into a knot. You should tie three or four knots above the kindling in a manner that is uniform across the width of the fire barrel.