How to Make Pinecone Starters for a Fireplace

Build a warm fire by starting it with pine cone fire starters.

Starting a fire in your fireplace or at your campfire isn't always easy. The wind can be a factor, as can wood that's not completely dry. Fire starters aid you with starting your fire by keeping the fire going long enough for your wood to start burning. You can find wax-based fire starters at hardware and general retail stores, or you can make your own fire starters instead. Pine cone fire starters provide you with an inexpensive way to start fires. They'll also add fragrance to your home before you use them.

Things You'll Need

• Double boiler
• 1 cup old candle remnants
• Pine cones
• Baking spray
• Muffin tin
• Ground cinnamon

Instructions

1. Melt 1 cup of old candle remnants in the top of a double boiler. Use wax from the craft store if you don't have leftover candle pieces.

2. Remove the top of the double boiler from the heat and allow it to cool for a couple minutes.

3. 

   The base of the pine cone is the widest part.

   Hold each pine cone at the base of the cone. Dip the top half of the pine cone in the melted wax to coat. Repeat with each pine cone.

4. Set each dipped pine cone in a muffin tin that's been sprayed with baking spray. The baking spray prevents the wax from sticking in the muffin tin.

5. 

   Cinnamon adds fragrance to your pine cone fire starters until you light them.

   Sprinkle ground cinnamon over the wax-covered portion of the pine cone to add fragrance.

6. Harden the wax-covered pine cone fire starters in your refrigerator. Store them in a basket away from heat sources.

Tips & Warnings

• Substitute crushed vanilla beans or another fragrance for cinnamon to scent your fire starters.

• In a pinch, use plain pine cones as fire starters when you're camping.

• The wax on the pine cones prolongs their ability to burn until larger pieces of wood begin to burn.