Stratford
Fireplace Installation and Operation Manual
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4.3.1
CONVENTIONAL FIRE STARTING
The conventional way to build a wood fire is to
bunch up 5 to 10 sheets of plain newspaper and
place them in the firebox. Next, place 10 or so
pieces of fine kindling on the newspaper. This
kindling should be very thin; less than 1” (25 mm).
Next, place some larger kindling pieces on the fine
kindling. Open the air control fully and light the
newspaper. If you have a tall, straight venting
system you should be able to close the door
immediately and the fire will ignite. Once the fire
has ignited, close the door and leave the air control
fully open.
A conventional kindling fire with paper
under finely split wood.
DO NOT LEAVE THE FIREPLACE UNATTENDED WHEN THE DOOR IS SLIGHTLY OPENED. ALWAYS CLOSE
AND LATCH THE DOOR AFTER THE FIRE IGNITES.
After the kindling fire has mostly burned, you can add standard firewood pieces until you have a fire of the
right size for the conditions.
CAUTION: PLACE THE WOOD LOGS FAR ENOUGH FROM THE GLASS TO ALLOW PROPER AIR FLOW
4.3.2
THE TOP DOWN FIRE
The top down fire method solves two problems with the conventional method: first, it does not collapse
and smother itself as it burns; and second, it is not necessary to build up the fire gradually because the
firebox is loaded before the fire is lit. A top down fire can provide up to two hours of heating or more. The
top down method only works properly if the wood is well-seasoned.
Start by placing three or four full-sized split pieces of dry firewood in the firebox. Next, place 4 or 5 more
finely split pieces of firewood (2” to 3” [50 mm to 75 mm] in dia.) on the base logs at right angles (log cabin
style). Now place about 10 pieces of finely split kindling on the second layer at right angles.
The fire is topped with about 5 sheets of newspaper. You can just bunch them up and stuff them in between
the kindling and the underside of the baffle. Or you can make newspaper knots by rolling up single sheets
corner to corner and tying a knot in them. The advantage of knots is that they don’t roll off the fire as they
burn. Light the newspaper and watch as the fire burns from top to bottom.
4.3.3
TWO PARALLEL LOGS
Place two spit logs in the firebox. Place a few sheets of twisted newspaper between the logs. Now place
some fine kindling across the two logs and some larger kindling across those, log cabin style. Light the
newspaper.
