Wood burns best on an existing bed of ash, so unlike burning coal or smokers fuel there's no need to constantly clean out your stove. The general rule, is that once the ash starts falling over the lip of the door, to remove some of the existing wood ash and loosen it up. Some manufacturers suggest using paper as a fire starter, but in my experience, that's the worst thing to start a fire with. The idea is to get the flue hot as quickly as possible to create a draw - I'd recommend the use of traditional firelighters or eco firelighters.
5 Easy Steps to Lighting your Stove
1. Place the firelighters in the centre of the stove and build a jenga tower of kindling around them. Fully open all the air intakes, then light the firelighters, and close the door.
2. Once the kindling is well-lit, introduce the first log. The general rule is little and often - if you put too much wood on the stove, it'll take longer to get started. You'll kill the flames and have a smokey stove and chimney!
3. Once the first log is well-lit, if it is a multi-fuel stove, close the bottom air intake, and then regulate the burn rate with the top - all stoves do vary so refer to your manufacturer's instructions.
4. Introduce another log or two once the first log is well-lit - this will take trial and error as all stoves are different.
5. A constant flame will indicate good combustion and efficient use of the stove. Keep adding logs as necessary to maintain your fire - the same stove will perform differently in different houses, dependent upon the height and diameter of the chimney, the weather conditions, and the type of wood burnt.
Keep trialling different variations until you're happy with your fire - it may take time, but once you've gotten the hang of it, lighting your fire will take no time!