How to Make Homemade Pinecone Fire Starters

Pine cones used for fire starters need time in the oven to dry out sap.

Starting a fire from scratch can be a daunting task. While some campers or fireplace enthusiasts use dryer lint, another option is a pine cone fire starter. These durable forms of kindling are simple and relatively cheap to make. You make them with scented wax to add a special smell to the air around your campfire or fireplace, and they make excellent gifts during the holidays. You can collect your pine cones from nearby pine trees or from a variety of online retailers.

Things You'll Need

• Pine cones
• Aluminum foil
• Baking sheet
• Oven
• Newspaper
• Two shallow cardboard trays
• Fine sawdust
• Wax melting pot
• Unscented wax
• Tongs

Instructions

1. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and preheat your oven to 225 degrees. Place your pine cones on the sheet and leave them in the oven for approximately 20 minutes.

2. Turn off the oven and leave the pine cones inside for another two hours. These first few steps will completely dry out any sap within the cones, which is not characteristically very flammable.

3. Remove the pine cones from the oven and cover your workspace with several layers of old newspaper.

4. Fill a shallow cardboard tray with fine sawdust. Open a few windows or turn on a nearby fan to keep any of the fine dust from entering your nose or mouth.

5. Plug in your wax melting pot and heat several cups of unscented wax until melted.

6. Dip a pine cone into the melted wax several times to ensure a complete coat. Quickly roll the pine cone in the fine sawdust, and then place it upright in another shallow cardboard tray.

7. Repeat Step 6 for the remaining pine cones. Add more wax to the melting pot, if necessary.

Tips & Warnings

• Some pine cone fire starters are coated in specific chemicals before being covered in wax to create a flame of unnatural color. Check out the second link in the References section below to learn how.

• Take the proper safety precautions when working with hot wax and fire. Failure to do so can lead to severe burns.

• Use scented wax, such as cinnamon or pine, in place of unscented wax for your sensory enjoyment.

References

• Craft Elf: How to Make Fire Starters from Pine Cones

Resources

• Cascade Cones: How to Make Pine Cone Fire Starters (with chemicals)
• Amazon: Buy Pines from Several Different Vendors