Chimineas are a great addition to any outside space, creating both a trendy dimension to your garden and a warming fire too. These hand-decorated terracotta fireplaces are only becoming more popular and have actually been part of garden fashion for centuries. If you’ve recently added a chiminea to your garden set-up, here’s a handy step-by-step guide to help you create the perfect outside fire.
1. Choose the right position
Picking the right position for your chiminea is a crucial step in the lighting process - especially if you want to create a powerful and long-lasting fire that everybody can enjoy. We suggest picking a permanent space, as chimineas can often be delicate and prone to cracking (as well as being pretty hefty). Putting your chiminea in a space that is accessible to everyone is therefore ideal and means all your guests get a bit of the heat.
2. Lay the foundations for a strong fire
The foundations of most fires are absolutely key for both endurance and power - chimineas aren’t any different. The first thing to do when laying foundations is to pour around 4 inches of gravel and sand into the base, in order to keep smoke blowing out at the top. After this, place some of your Kiln-Dried Logs onto the base. Our ultra-dry moisture levels ensure you’ll get high quality and long-lasting burn, in contrast to traditional logs.
3. Add tinder and kindling
When the logs have been placed inside the chiminea, it’s time to add your tinder and kindling. In the gaps between your logs, start pushing in your tinder and kindling so that it’s both safe to reach and easy to light. Our own sustainable Homefire Kindling & Twizler Firelighters are a brilliant foundation and can help you get your fire off to the best possible start.
4. Safely light the fire
With all the above in place, there’s nothing left but to light up your chiminea. We recommend using a long match to light your tinder and kindling safely, on top of ensuring no children or pets are close by. When you’ve lit the foundations, add some more logs almost immediately, as well as when the kindling has burnt away. From then on, keep an eye on the heat your chiminea is pumping out and add any more logs if necessary!
As you can see, lighting a chiminea is simple and quick, providing you with a comforting and warming fire for the back garden. If you’re in need of powerful, long-lasting fire fuel for your chiminea, you’re in the right place - take a look through our full collections online today.