# How to build a campfire



## mailfire99

Ok eveyone, lets hear your campfire building strategies. I know everyone has their own whether it be using tinder, kindling, fuel :shocked:, fire starter log etc..

I generally go with the teepee method. I gather up some small branches or shave some slivers off my large wood, and if some nearby pine needles are available I will grab a couple of handfuls of that too. If not I will use some newspaper instead.

I make a pile of that, and then teepee style stack 3 or 4 good size split logs around it. Light it and watch it burn. If you have good seasoned wood, it works everytime.

How do you build yours?


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## happiestcamper

I cheat - a few matchvlight briquettes and wood stacked around.


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## terri01p

We have camped going on 26 years and it's a well known fact that my dh can't make a good campfire or grill good :icon_smile_bbq:.

There should be some sort of law against that after 26 years he can't even get a grill going hot and staying that way . He trys every year but fails. :bang:


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## l2l

I too use the Tee Pee method, works EVERY time.

Small branches that graduate into bigger ones and then at the outer edge your main wood.

The smaller wood lights first which graduates to the bigger stuff all the while the big logs are getting heated and lit.

Someone on here mentioned cutting up those logs you buy for your home fireplace and using that as a starter, I think I will be doing that myself this year as it safes me looking around for paper and cardboard!


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## ctfortner

terri01p said:


> We have camped going on 26 years and it's a well known fact that my dh can't make a good campfire or grill good :icon_smile_bbq:.
> 
> There should be some sort of law against that after 26 years he can't even get a grill going hot and staying that way . He trys every year but fails. :bang:


Hey, thats alright, you know he means well. My wife says the same thing, only about laundry. We have been together for 8 years and you cant wash clothes :shrug:. Heck no, why would I learn now?

I always build the teepee too. Never fails. I usually scrounge up some pine needles and branches as kindling, but lately I have been using this fire starter stuff, works pretty well. I forget the name of it, but it looks like little wood shavings and they have a wax texture to them. My guess is thats exactly what it is, wax on wood shavings.

Found them a wally world on clearance last year for a $1 a bag, so I bought about 6 of them.


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## antigua

I too use the tee pee method. It works well for me. I like to use a little dry cedar (Cedar fence board cut offs work great) to get it going quick and it smells so good too.


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## roadhouse

I use the log cabin design with some smaller split logs. In the middle use pine needles, bark, newspaper, whatever helps it start. After it gets going then I start throwing some larger logs in it.

I can't wait for a campfire:10001:


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## mikey

I have found the best approach is to sort your wood in various sizes to gradually build the fire. I always put the wood in a tee pee shape to allow for good airflow. Add increasingly larger sticks and then logs as the fire grows in strength, always leaving enough space between them for the fire to breathe.


The type of wood is also important. Evergreens for instance are not a good choice. So I always use hardwoods when for building the campfire.


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## glfortner

I like the idea of the log cabin style--something new to try. That is if my pyro husband will let me near the fire pit! My daughter and I built a fire when he wasn't at the campsite this weekend and we did a great job if I do say so myself!


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## mikey

glfortner said:


> I like the idea of the log cabin style--something new to try. That is if my pyro husband will let me near the fire pit! My daughter and I built a fire when he wasn't at the campsite this weekend and we did a great job if I do say so myself!


I kind of understand that pyro situation. I tend to enjoy the campfire too much sometimes too.


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## primitivecamper

mailfire99 said:


> I generally go with the teepee method.


+1 ^

1st never gather wood in direct contact with the ground.( It wicks moister from the ground even if it feels dry)
Teepee is they way to go. I start with tiny little twigs And build a teepee over tiny little pile of leaves or pine needles. Once started I build slightly bigger teepee over it, and continue to do this until desired size fire. I use a lighter of corse, but can do the stick method as well. Ceder works best.:thumbup1:


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## fred

The best fire starters are lint from dryers that you save in a zip-lock bag or steelwool as they both start very easy.


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## coolerinsulator

Tee Pee method all the way......but I use a torch to start :thumbup1:


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## dnk030851

I too have used the teepee method successfully. Be sure the kindling pine needles and small twigs inside the teepee are dead and not partially green. I use a Weber Grill for bbq and an electric starter to get the charcoal hot.


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## johnnymac

coolerinsulator said:


> Tee Pee method all the way......but I use a torch to start :thumbup1:


Kudos to that!


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## xisle

Building and starting the fire is big ceremony in my camp. It is akin to placing the angel on top of the Christmas tree. Since I am a bit of a survivalist, I pass on rudimentary methods to my boys, and I let one of them build the fire and start it. But even when I am alone, I never use a lighter or flame. We always use a dry grass bed, or a cotton ball, and a swiss striker or combustion blast match or magnesium starter. It keeps the skills honed, and striking a match is just too easy some how. I find the harder I work on something, the more I appreciate it. The teepee method is the most commonly used, as it allows the heavier sticks to collapse in on the fire as they are needed. Kind of like a self feeding fire. What I stress to my kids in the woods, is to only build and burn what you need. I always snicker at people with raging bon fires. I've literally seen people melt their own tents, they've gotten the fire so hot. lol. I like a small to medium sized fire that can be easily manipulated and stirred. I love to stoke the fire. X


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## kev

Gasoline and lots of it!!!!!!! <--- Not really



I'll either use some strike anywhere matches of my swiss army fire steel. Use a stick about 1/2 the size of my arm and build a ling to with smaller twigs.


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## jetpilot

*Starting a fire.*

:thumbup1:My Grandpa taught me to make a fire starter by mixing wood ashes and kerosene into a soupy paste. Keep it in a plastic jar with a tight fitting lid. A spoon full of this will burn for several minutes even in wet conditions. It beats any thing else I've used. I keep a jar of it in my camper. I've found that charcoal lighter mixed with cat litter works almost as well. I recently used some that I had mixed two years ago and it worked great. This is also good to use as a fireplace starter. Mix up a coffee can full and it will last all winter.


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## mark

One good method I've found is to save your dryer lint in a coffee can, squirt a little zippo type lighter fluid in when you add fresh lint every week. Before I head to the woods, I throw some in a zip-lock bag, I've used this to start fires with wet wood with great results.


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## bighabsfan11

I use a hybrid of the tipi/log cabin methods. For some reason, my sticks like to fall in on each other, and choke the fire right out. That's where the log cabin comes in, tipi to start, log cabin for the 2nd stage, tipi with 3rd stage wood. Works well!

Always use dry woods that haven't been on the ground - poplar works well. Birch. 

Another good starter is wood shavings (from a planer or the like) or sawdust, with a little bit of "firestarter" or lighter fluid like Ronsonol or whatever. Keeps in a coffee can for about a year. Burns incredibly hot...but quick. Gets the kindling going well.

Ahh, campfire. With any luck, I'll even have time to use the fire pit in my backyard this year, too.


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## demonslaer

If you have pine trees around. Find a old dead one cut it open all the sap will set up in the center or sometimes you can find it laying on the ground. some call it fat lighter.It's the best for starting fires & its free. A little hard to cut but it splits real easy. I split it in small pieces & it lights fast.All you need is 1 or 2 pieces . About 5 years ago I found a log about 10 feet long and 16 inches around .cut it with a chain saw 10 inch logs & split it up:thumbup1: give me about 80 or more 1 gal ziplock bags full. just starting to run low. Time to restock !


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## l2l

mark said:


> One good method I've found is to save your dryer lint in a coffee can, squirt a little zippo type lighter fluid in when you add fresh lint every week. Before I head to the woods, I throw some in a zip-lock bag, I've used this to start fires with wet wood with great results.


What an inovative idea thanks, think I will try that myself.. :thumbup1:


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## antigua

I'm going to try that too. I have an endless amout of lint at our house.


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## l2l

antigua said:


> I'm going to try that too. I have an endless amout of lint at our house.


:rotflmao1: me too, great way to get rid of it


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## antigua

You know what works good too? We have a paper shreader at home that we use to get rid of all kinds of old bills and stuff. We use it at the bottom, build the teepee and light r up


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## l2l

Eh that's a good idea too, keeps it out of the land fills too :thumbup1:


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## antigua

I tell people that I'm getting rid of the evidence.


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## roycedevon

I will be on the beach in the evening and want to impress my friends with a campfire where we can sit and relax after dark. There will only be sand and water....no rocks or fire pits.
I am bringing my own wood in. Any suggestions?


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## happiestcamper

First off, be sure you won't get arrested. Here they won't allow a fire on Isle of Palms at all. You can have one on Sullivan's Island if you get a permit ahead of time - guess since they had all those Revolutionary War battles there they figure the beach is used to fire :scratchhead:

The beach is probably going to be windy, so that's going to be your biggest obstacle. Dig a hole in the sand, and throw some matchlight charcoal in the bottom. Light it, cover with wood, and you should be good to go.

Be sure to fill in the hole before you leave.


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## fred

*fire starter*

If you have access to saw dust and chips & candle was or parafene wax you can soften the wax and mold it with chips and sawdust to make a great fire starter and is safer than lighter fluid or charcole lighter fluid.


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## cagemaja

fred said:


> If you have access to saw dust and chips & candle was or parafene wax you can soften the wax and mold it with chips and sawdust to make a great fire starter and is safer than lighter fluid or charcole lighter fluid.


This is similar to what my husband does. He starts with clean used tuna cans and packs them with 1" strips of cardboard in a circular pattern. He pulls the corner of the very inside piece of cardboard up just a little taller than the rest - like a wick - and pours melted parafin wax in filling to the top. We keep a supply of them with our other fire stuff - hatchett, etc. Of course these are for me to use so I can build a fire. :thumbup1: 

He has taught me the teepee style.


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## eanddrice

I like the Tee-Pee method, too. It always seems to work well.


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## racecple

Ok am on board as i use teepee method too.But i found a good use for that paper you have in your shredder.I put shedder paper in the middle and form wood around it.It starts fast and saves the land fill.I just put it in plastic bags and as i empty a bag i use it for garbage.Killing two birds with one fire.I use the strike anywhere matches to start the fire.We used a starter log cut up once but found it gave off a fuel smell as it burned.Also be carefull on re-lights.We bank the fire at night and leave a small hole in the center of the pit.A small amount of shedded paper and wood and a little wind(Hot air as the wife says) and it is raging again.


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## lildee

My significant other calls me the "fire starter"...without any additional help this is what i do and works everytime for me. I try to make sure that I have paper or pieces of cardboard that I crupple up (has to be cruppled up)and put this down first in the center of the fire pit, then I surround the cruppled up paper with twigs in a tippie fashion, then I put my pieces of wood surrounding the twigs in a tippie fashion as well. After that I light the paper in the center and this usually will ignite everything slowly and you will have a fire in no time. If its really windy, which we just experienced this weekend...I put up pieces of wood along side of the fire pit to make a barrier from the wind, and that worked well. Hope this helps...good luck.


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## The Postman

I do everything that Lildee does, but I cheat a bit. Once I have my crumpled paper and first layer of kindling and bits down, I douse it with liquid fire starter that I got from WalMart. I think it is little more than vegetable oil because it has no odor, but boy it sure gets that fire going. And, if all else fails you can use it on your salad.


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