Introduction: How to Light a Wood-burning Stove

About: I love building and engineering, downhill skiing is the best sport on earth, because snowboarding is stupid. Yes, I am admittedly a star wars geek. My favorite music is 80's rock. I have been building …

I thought it would be a good idea to make an ible on this, so here it is.  I was about to start the stove this morning, when I got the idea to make an instructable on it.  This instructable will show you how to build and light a fire in your stove.  Happy firelighting!

Step 1: Step One: Make Sure Your Stove Is Cleaned Out.

Not much to say here, other than read the title again.

Step 2: Step Two: Set Up the Wood

This step is important to get right, so get it right!  This is where you set up the wood to get the fire started.  First, you need wood, so I went outside and got some.  Then you have to get kindling, which is just thinly split fuelwood (the big logs) or old split lumber, which I am using.

At this step, let me make a big recemendation to you:  Oak is one of the best firewoods you can use.  It burns long, hot and clean(not much smoke).  We have a lot of oak trees in our yard, too many, in fact, so my dad is always cutting down oaks, and 2-5 trees can last a whole winter.  Do not use pine unless you have to, as it is just about the opposite of everything I just said about oak.

I will give you instructions throught image notes, as those are much easier to follow.

Step 3: Step Three: Light the Fire!

This step will show you how to light your fire.  I use the firestarter blocks, but i cut them open and cut the block into 8 cubes.  You do not need the whole giant firestarter log to start your fire, if you can get 8 fires out of it.  We got a big box full of them last year, and we still have half of it this year.  And thats after lighting a fire almost every day in winter.  It saves you lots of money to cut the log into 8 parts, and if you build the fire the way I am showing you, you will only need one.  You can also use newspaper, when we run out of firestarters and haven't gotten more yet, thats what we use, but I really don't have any tips for that.

Step 4: Step Four: Making Sure Your Fire Stays Lit.

Ok, last step.  Finally!  Just make sure you have lots of fuelwood handy, and maintain the vents properly.