To best enjoy the charm of your wood fireplace, it is important to understand the burning process. These instructions are for your most basic wood burning system and can be adapted to suit whatever type of unit you own.

The burning process consists of three simultaneous phases. A freshly cut piece of wood is comprised of nearly 50% water, which after a proper seasoning is reduced to about 20%. As the wood is heated, its temperature rises, the water boils off, and smoke produces flames. After most of the gases and tars have vaporized, charcoal remains.

Tip#1 - Keep it dry!
The most important thing to remember is to always start with dry firewood. Wet wood will damper the fun before the flames even begin to flicker.

Tip#2 - Paper Trick!
Use a generous amount of crumpled newspaper and dry kindling to build a mound closest to where the air comes into your wood burning unit. Place a couple of small pieces of wood in a crisscross fashion on the kindling pile and light it at the base. The paper will catch on fire and trigger the kindling, which will lead to the small pieces of firewood. Soon you will have a nice bed of coals that will enable you to add un-split pieces of firewood.




Tip#3 - One Shot!
The goal to lighting a wood fire is to use only one match to achieve ignition. As the flames from the kindling load just begin to subside, add more wood. Carefully place new pieces on and behind the burning kindling to prevent smothering.

	Tip#4 - Keep it burning! Small pieces of firewood stacked loosely in a crisscross pattern tend to burn quickly because the combustion air can get to all pieces of wood.
	Larger pieces placed more compactly together burn more slowly for an extended fire because there are fewer spaces where the air can penetrate.

Always add more than one or two pieces of wood when replenishing your fire. Three or more pieces are needed in order to form a sheltered pocket of burning coals that reflect heat toward one another and sustain the fire.

http://www.woodheat.org/tips/technique.htm