Remember that this is not a fireplace, it is a wood-burning stove designed to the heat the house. The outside of the stove will also get very hot, please keep children away. There is NOT a flue, you can open and close the damper using the handle on the side to allow more or less oxygen.
- Separate four or five pieces of newspaper. Bunch and compress some newspapers, and lay them on the bed of the fire box just in front of the door.
- Lay a few 2-inch strips of cardboard on top of the newspaper, and place several pieces of small kindling wood or dry bark on top of the cardboard.
- Finally, place one or two small pieces kindling, either firewood split into thin pieces, or small branches on top of the pile. Light the newspaper at the bottom.
- After the kindling pieces have ignited and burned for several minutes, add one or two larger pieces of wood. It’s a good idea to turn and bunch the burning debris together before adding the larger pieces.
- Keep the door of the woodstove cracked for several minutes or until the larger pieces are well-ignited. Then shut and latch the door.