Top Down Fire Lighting Method

Having read about top down fire method on several forums and in many books. I decided to give it a go on the latest lighting of the wood fired oven.

The top down method involves a quicker starting fire with more heat given off and less smoke.

Each layer preheats the layer below it as it burns. Causing no wasted combustible gases to be lost up the chimney before they are burnt.

You do need to think more about the transition between layers. But then again a good fire build will probably work just turn it upside down.

To start off the top down fire I used

1. mahogany wood shavings on the top layer. 
2. Very thin twigs on the next layer
3. Larger branches 
4. Some pallet planks
5. old roof batons 
6. Last layer was oak off cuts

Also either side of the fire I put some ash logs to preheat before ignition. 

The fire took off quickly with minimal smoke and seemed to produce more heat than usual. 

I will definitely be using this fire lighting method again in the future.