How to make a wood stove burn longer

Do you find that the fire in your wood burner is going out quickly?

You’re probably asking yourself “How do I make a wood stove burn longer?” and if you are, then you have come to the right place.

Having a fire burn quickly and fizzle out is a very common problem among people who have a wood stove at home. We’re going to show you how you can make your fires burn for hours.

You might find some of the wood burning stove tips and tricks useful on our blog as well.

1. Restrict the air flow into your fire

This is a tricky one because if you’ve read our post on How to use log burner air vents you’ll know that these need to be open to get the fire started.

If you are finding that your fire is burning fast and is therefore extinguishing quickly, you need to restrict the air into the chamber. Simply start closing the vents off once you add your logs (without completely shutting them down) and your fire will burn slower which means it will last longer.

2. Use more than just one log!

Don’t just put one on the fire and hope for the best.

Many people make the mistake of trying to make firewood last as long as possible so they just add one log on but this is a surefire way for your wood burner to go out quickly. Add at least two or ideally three logs depending on the size of your wood burner and you’ll find that it will burn for a much longer time.

3. Use hardwood instead of softwood

Hardwoods like our kiln dried ash and birch logs will burn slower than softwood. Softwood still has its uses because it is great for kindling which you need to get your fire started.

When it comes to using logs, always go with hardwood because they’ll burn for longer, so you’ll get fires that last hours instead of minutes. Using hardwood that has a low moisture content is also recommended for a slower burn.

4. Stack your fire correctly

It can take a few goes to do this right and you probably won’t stack your fire correctly the first time but with a bit of practice you’ll notice better results.

Get all the things you need together - kindling, paper, firelighters and your logs - and create a pyramid shape with the logs going on top (although leave these out until the fire has started).

Make sure it isn’t too densely packed as this can cause the flames to go out and once everything has caught and is burning away, you can add two or three logs.

Creating long lasting fires in your wood stove

Everyone has their own technique when it comes to lighting a fire but these tips should help you to notice a difference in the length of your fires.

Common mistakes to avoid!

• Using low quality firewood
• Shutting off air vents completely
• Not stacking the fire properly
• Only putting on one log to burn

Avoid these and follow our advice and you’ll enjoy fires that last for hours at a time.