If you are looking to build an excellent wood fire, then you cannot ignore the role of kindling. If you are looking to build a fantastic burning wood fire, then you must not look past the role and importance of kindling in getting that fire going. In order for wood fires to burn well, they need some basic materials, including tinder, kindling and fuel, such as firewood. Let’s take a closer look at these 3 essential elements.
Tinder
The first material needed to start a wood fire is tinder. For a fire to start, you need material that will ignite quickly under heat, and this material must always be completely dry. Tider materials can include dry grasses, leaves, bark from thin wood, and even paper, which is great for easy ignition. When a material is relatively short in length, and dry, it can be considered effective for tinder. In essence, tinder kick starts a fire, leading to kindling’s role in the process.
Kindling
Now we are on to kindling, which is used once the fire has ignited from the tinder. To catch fire and light, kindling must be dry, just like tinder. Material used for kindling is generally larger than material used for tinder, which is because the kindling needs to keep the fire burning for long enough to ignite fuel. If you don’t have any kindling then things such as sticks, dead tree branches and twigs are good substitutes.
Kindling that is wet or damp will have difficulty igniting your fire or might even fail to do so. Kindling serves as the glue that holds a fire together. As far as fire safety is concerned, kindling ensures that your fire is stable as it burns, and creates the ideal environment for it to do so.
Fuel
As your fire begins to take shape and burns, you will need some sort of fuel to keep it burning for a long time. Kindling will not keep your fire burning forever; you must add fuel to keep it burning. For this purpose, dried logs are ideal. Logs that have been kiln dried and air dried are fantastic sources of energy, and are very popular for fires.
For great quality kiln-dried logs and kindling, check out our hardwood and softwoods bags available on our website. Bulk-bag purchases are available at discounted prices and they also come with a free bag of kindling! Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions.
