What is the secret to burning logs - can't get it going?!

[Decaffe]

I have tried all sorts of kindling and all sorts of logs and I just can't find a decent combination. What do you use for a guaranteed burn?

Intermediate sized logs as well as chunky ones.

As dry as possible , none that are even a tiny bit damp.
Gaps between them to let air get in

I usually put down a piece of cardboard, then build a triangle of kindling with a firelighter in the middle. Once alight, I'll put on a dry log or if they're small logs or pieces of wood then I'll make a triangle of wood again, like a teepee. Once the log or wood is going I'll put in some coal then I'll keep topping up the logs once they've burnt.
I cant get a fire going without kindling and a firelighter, plus the logs need to be very dry

My kindling is kept in the house so it is definitely dry. Try to buy from a joinery company or similar as they often have large bags available for a few pounds. The kindling should probably be quite thin to catch fire easily.
I have an outdoor, undercover log store. I bring in logs daily to fill a basket. I would make sure any still in the basket are used to start the fire as they will be the driest.
Your newspapers should be loosely scrunched, as tightly is more difficult to ignite.

I like to use the logs made from sawdust to get that initial burn going. I buy hot max from the local farmer store. It’s £8 for 20kg. With two fires I get through a couple of bags a month. Cardboard then a bed of dry twigs hotmax to get a fast initial burn all the vents open. Then once hotmax are properly burning top up with logs and close the vents. Top up with wood as necessary.

Six sheets of scrunched up newspaper.
six kindling sticks in 3x layers, alternating directions.
get them going, then add a very small log.
once that’s got going add a bigger log.
i have a stove not a fire and make sure the bottom lever is pulled all the way out and the door left ajar until it gets going.

Where do you store your logs and are they well seasoned?

Newspaper, kindling, firelighter, two small logs and when they are underway, bigger ones.

I never use newspaper. It burns away too fast and we hardly ever have it anyway

A wigwam if kindling and 2 firelight's. You need heat to get the bigger pieces to burn, not loads of flame. So kindling until there's plenty of red glow in there and it's all pretty hot.

You can have what looks like and inferno of flame with paper but it's not hot enough in there to start logs off

I use one ot two firefighters and, say 4 small logs. The logs have been stored in an airy log shed 1-2 years.

Firelighters.

Fire lighter, Jenga tower of kindling (I'll make that triangular on the back of this thread though.) Light. When the kindling is glowing red and has got going - about 5 minutes - then a thin-ish log.
We have to be a bit careful until we've burnt a few logs and everything has got hot.

5 bits of newspaper twisted, not scrunched, 1-2 firefighters, shove on dry kindling, as many logs as I can fit on…

Dry kindling, a firelighter and air to get a fire going.

If you have these but the fire stull wont catch.. then i suspect its the draw of your chimney and/or the woodburner, which could be its needs sweeping, poor design (slow to heat up), no or a poor quality cowl.

If its a woodburner, try opening the door very slightly to start with.

Natural fireligh, flamers, kindling, dry logs, smallish ones to start. If it’s a woodburner make sure got damper open.

newspaper works if you roll and make into a tight ball.

I use a firelighter on top of kindling and then more kindling on top. Logs at the side. Sometimes doesn’t always catch light but usually does. I do it again if not

1/2 cardboard egg box.
Into each hole alternate pinecones and scrunched up kitchen roll that's been used to wipe out greasy pans.
Place more kindling on top, eg bone dry tiny twigs, dry orange peal, used matches, shreds of newspaper.
Build a teepee of finger thickness twigs over it, plus a couple of chunky sticks.
Light the oily kitchen roll, when it's going well, chuck on another couple of sticks, then you can start to add a small chunk of log.

My never fail fire build
Base of a couple of bits of store bought pine kindling criss crossed on a solid ash base
Loads of loosely scrunched newspaper
More Pine kindling in a cross crossed format
Few more bits of newspaper
Couple of bits of home seasoned kindling
One medium sized dry dry log

One it's going and 'fallen in' another medium sized log and a biggun

It's the newspaper and the store bought pine kindling that kicks it all off. If I'm frugal with the paper it all goes to smouldering blackened shit.

Never a firelighter. Yes it gets stuff going but Too much chemicals and petrol, wrecks the chimney and smells terrible

in a firelace....the upside down method:

small layer of ash to insulate the base,
in fire basket 2 medium logs, dry
build small square of newspaper twists with dry kindling in square with dry log over the top.
light newspaper in multiple places,
make sure that the fire is well ventillated from below.

this way the hot embers ignite the logs below and don't just fall down into the ashpan

outside this is too vulnerable and the wigwam method above is much better

Ditch the logs and use briquettes.

So, so much easier.

lipstickwoman

I never use newspaper. It burns away too fast and we hardly ever have it anyway. A wigwam if kindling and 2 firelight's.

We have a wood burner and were told not to use newspaper, but rather, firelighters. They advised a wigwam, or Jenga style, with plenty of kindling. I do 2 or 3 wigwams, I break the firelighters up, as halves are plenty to get it going. A few scraps of bark, or pallet wood on top, with a small log on top of that.

Open the vent fully, until the log is well alight, then another small log, with the vent half closed. 15 - 20 minutes later, a medium log, with the vent open slightly. When it's all going well, I shut the vent.

Woodburner or open fire?

If woodburner, at least 2 inches of ashes in grate, we use paper, then card then triangular wigwam of kindling, and one log in v shape either side of stove base so wide part of v is towards the door. Light and leave door an inch or so ajar until properly caught (5 minutes or so). Close door and turn airflow down to around half after 10 minutes..

Dry kindling and firelighter. Once it gets going dry logs with air.

Grate properly cleared out before you start so air can flow well.
Vents fully opened.
Base layer of coal/smokeless fuel if you use them.
2 flamers placed on top - good ones not the cheaper equivalents or the nasty white blocks.
Jenga tower with about 7-9 pieces of kindling
2 small logs placed on top (kiln dried wood, 20% moisture or less) with lots of air gaps.

Light.
After 10 minutes or so close the vents (assuming the fire is going well)
After another 5 minutes add a big log.

don’t swamp with lots of logs from the start.