I’m Andy with S&S Fire Pits, and I want to thank you for purchasing from us. We appreciate your business.
Today, we’re going to talk to you about how to make a proper fire and the ingredients that go along with that. Number one thing is firewood, where you get your wood. Make sure it’s dry or seasoned.
Do not try to burn fires with wet wood.
You’ll smoke everybody out. Nobody wants that. You want to be the rock star when you’re having a fire pit party. You want to be that guy that’s hosting the great experience. Kiln dried firewood. That’s what we like. It’s dry.
The kiln sucks all the moisture out of it. It burns hot. It burns with no black smoke.
You don’t want that black smoke.
Storing your firewood, secondly most important, store it inside if you can, in a garage, in a shed, in a bin with a lid. If you can’t do that, get a firewood rack that’s elevated and put a tarp on it.
Make sure you keep your wood dry. You’ll appreciate it in the long run.
All right. Start with a clean bowl. You want your fire pit clean.
Don’t keep building fires on top of old ash, wet ash, et cetera. That’s no good.
Use the shovel. Put it in a tin with a lid. When it’s cool, you can put it in your garden. You can disperse it.
It’ll turn into lye, which is great for your soil.
All right? We like to use what’s called fat lighter. Fat lighter is resonated pine strips that will burn great. Don’t use paper. Paper, when it gets dry, it’ll blow around and get all over your guests.
Once again, it’s all about having a good experience. Lay your fat lighter in here just like this. Make some little rows, nothing fancy. Next thing you want to do, start collecting kindling yard.
I like to use a rubber can with a lid, and every time I clean my yard, those sticks go in that can. They stay dry because it’s got a lid, and I’ve always got kindling.
So put your smallest stuff down on top of your fat lighter. Put some medium stuff down. Spread it out nice and even. That’s your kindling. Now, we’re going to talk to you the next move.
We like to make what’s called a Lincoln log fire. Lincoln log fires are different than a teepee. You’re literally making a square grid, and it’s going to allow you to get more wood in there. It’s going to burn hotter.
TeePees, I know people like them, but when they collapse on themselves, they suffocate your fire, ruining the experience.
All right, Got my kiln dried wood here. We’ll get four pieces.
I’m going to make a grid and go all the way around. Pretty simple here. All right. You’re going to build yourself a cabin. I like to go two or three high.
So we’re going to build this sucker up, and as you do this, you’re already seeing… Put that guy in there, seeing the gaps we’re creating which are going to allow for great airflow. All right.
So there you go. Get yourself one of these. Buy this at any big-box store. It’s a plumbers torch. It’ll keep you from having to stick your hands down in the fire. It’ll light quick. It’s very easy to use.
They’re not dangerous. Pull this. Lock it in, and go all the way down. Light the fat lighter. Make sure you light all the way around your fire. Get it on the back side. Get it nice and lit. There you go. All right. Now, it’s lit.
The fat lighter’s burning. Probably need about five minutes or so. We’re going to come back and show you guys what this rip-roaring fire looks like.
All right, guys. It’s been five minutes. We got a rip-roaring fire going. You can see our efforts are paying off here. Number one thing, let this die down. Get a good bed of coals in the bottom of this pit.
Those coals will keep the steel warm, which is going to radiate and keep your guests warm, and then everyone’s happy. When you go to add wood, don’t be that guy who just throws a piece in there and ruin what you’ve already built.
Lay a piece in. Keep that grid going. If you need to get your poker and straighten it up a little bit, do it. Lay your pieces in there. Keep building the grid system. You’re going to be happy.
Your guests are going to be happy.
You’re going to have a good experience, and you’re the rockstar.
