How the bugger do you light a log burner?

[Monikaar]

I’ve tried kindling but it’s not catching!

Use damp scrumpled up newspaper and the ash from the bottom of the grate, bring the glass up like new ?

You need heat not flame to get logs going. So create heat first with kindling which will burn easily

Hob brite( from supermarkets) and kitchen roll
To clean the glass. Chuck the kitchen roll in for next time you light it

Before you light a fire you need to check when the last time the chimney was cleaned. It should be done once a year.
Also check the model, some are dual fuel so you can use logs and coal and some are just logs.
You should also have a carbon monoxide detector in the room where the burner is.

Clean the glass with damp newspaper dipped in the ash from the bottom.

All this. Black glass just means you’ve not got the hang yet.

Don’t empty the ash every day - a good burning fire means you shouldn’t have to empty it more than once a week, or more

very Dry kindling, bit of paper and card as all the other PPs have said, vents open. As soon as it
hot, reduce the vents down

very very dry wood. Buy a moisture tester if needed.

once you get going, vents right, one log per hour should provide a very decent heat output

as advised above regarding checking valves etc. but also watch this:

www.ecofiresandstoves.co.uk/light-your-fire-more-easily/

plus easy kindling is pine cones so collect them when you can and yes definitely use fire lighters. You can buy eco friendly fire lighters but they’re expensive.

I use 4 sheets of scrunched up newspaper and kindling on top in a criss cross pattern. Once lit I then add coal or wood. The door closed but not latched helps with the draw.
To clean the glass damp newspaper or kitchen towel in the ash and wipe.

I do the same as @TooMinty but will try the logs underneath method now .

Egg boxes are good for lighting.

Also, having the door just slightly ajar seems to allow more air to get in to get it going. Sometimes I do a little routine of opening/closing the door to allow it to heat up, then letting the air in to get the fire going. Seems to work for us!

We have had the chimney swept and the log burner itself has been safety checked.

It was the previous owners of the house who made the glass go black and not clean it off!

The damp newspaper with a bit of ash was a good tip, thank you!

You can light kindling with a match, I used to take great pride in this, you just need to start with very fine kindling, then bigger and bigger pieces until they are about 1/2 in diameter and use plenty of it. Or just throw a load of firelighters on it.