Is a wood burning stove meant to have lots of flames?

[evertonmint]

That's it really. Lit a fire on our wood burner and not sure if in aiming for lots of flames or more the white heat of barbecue coals. It's the first time I've lit a fire since I was a guide 20 years ago and I have no clue!

You will hvae plenty of flames at first, but you are aiming for a glow - if you have too many flame most of the heat is going up the chimney. Its all about adjusting the air flow. To be honest, im rubbish at it, but DP and I install these things and he is the fire king :)

Thanks. I have 3 big logs on now and flames have died down but not convinced they're burning brilliantly yet. Should I just have faith for a while and let it do its thing? Might fiddle with air vents a bit too

If it's brand new stove then keep to small brief (< 1hour) fires for first 10 times or so, seasoning in the metal, so to speak.

(Don't break the glass, speaking from bitter experience).

Plenty of flames fine, otherwise. Too few flames could mean low temp which means more soot buildup, not ideal.

There is an excellent thread on MSE about best ways to use wood burning stoves, I use a stove thermometer (like this) to get and keep the temp at best numbers.

There is an art to it.

Some vents (usually bottom ones) rush the air thru (encourage more draft), so open only them to start the fire off with, and other vents (usually top) keep it ticking over (when you close the bottom ones & just adjust the top for right temp going up the flume).

Read more on MSE.

Also, make sure the wood is seasoned i.e. really dry. I find damp logs are fine once the fire is really established.
I use dried fir cones to get it going, then kindling, then bigger dried sticks. A big log should stay in all night once it gets going.
You will grow to love it.

So an hour in and not much heat coming out into the room. Hot immediately next to the fire but not 10ft away. Any tips?

Have you had roaring flames yet?
Put some dry kindling on & open the vents to get it going.

I get roaring flames with kindling but once that dies down the logs don't burn as fiercely - flames licking them rather than burning fiercely. Do I just need to keep chucking kindling on to get the heat up until the logs really catch?

Maybe the logs you're putting on after the kindling are too big or a bit damp? Try stick size IYKWIM, then gradually increase the size. I'm looking at my log burner now & there are gentle flames under 2 big logs, but it's definitely not roaring as it does with kindling.
DH's mantra is 'Feed the Fire'.

Yes the logs are much bigger than the kindling. Think I probably need to get a little axe and make them smaller. Am sure my next fire will be much better :)

So everything is much toastier now. Think it needed a couple of hours to get up to temp :)

It takes about 25-45 minutes to get my stove up to temp.