A roaring fire in the fireplace is a warm place to cozy up to in the cold winter months. Fireplaces come in both wood burning, gas log and electric models. The wood burning model is the oldest form and uses chopped, seasoned wood for fuel. Although the process of building a fire may not seem complex to master, there is actually a right and wrong way to do it.
Gather up four to five pieces of kindling, which are small twigs, and bunch them together in the center of the fireplace grate.
Lay one piece of fireplace wood on top of one end of the kindling so that it is perpendicular to it and the end of the wood faces toward you. Repeat the process to place another piece of fireplace wood at the other side of the kindling.
Push the ends of each of the two pieces of wood back until they touch the back of the fireplace. Then push the back ends of the logs toward each other by two to three inches so they are slightly angled.
Pick up another piece of firewood and insert it on top of the current two pieces so that it rests on both of them. Slide this piece of wood as far back as you can. Insert another piece of wood directly in front of it, again pushing it back as far as possible.
Look up into the top of the fireplace and locate the bar or lever that opens the metal damper. Shift the knob or lever until the damper opens and you can see straight up the fireplace.
Twist two sheets of newspaper together tightly until they form a long strand. Light the end of the newspaper with a lighter and hold it just above the logs in the fireplace until you see the smoke flow upward instead of out toward you. Then lower the newspaper to the kindling at the bottom of the wood and hold it there until it lights. Drop the newspaper in the fireplace and close the doors or screen.