Did you know if you don't properly cure your new terracotta chimenea or fire pit, it could be at risk of cracking or breaking when you use it? It's important to follow a series of steps to properly prepare your new terracotta chimenea to ensure it remains usable for many winter nights.
How To Begin Curing Your Terracotta Fire Pit
To begin curing your terracotta fire pit or chimenea, start by adding some sand to the bottom. Next, you want to light a small fire using some light fuel like newspaper. After lighting, let the chimenea cool right down by itself. This rise and fall in temperature is what's going to protect your new purchase from breaking or cracking from the heat.
The idea is to progressively heat your terracotta chimenea to higher temperatures. Following your first fire, you'll want to start another similarly with a light fuel source like newspaper, but adding a couple of bits of kindling this time. This will reach a higher temperature than the first time around. Again, let this fire go out naturally and the chimenea cool down.
Repeat this, now adding three or four pieces of kindling on top of your light fuel source. Each time you do this, you're introducing the chimenea to a higher temperature. Again, let this fire die out and the chimenea cool down. Finally, we want to turn things up a notch. Add your light fuel source, a few bits of kindling, and a small log of wood to the chimenea. This will reach the hottest temperature yet. Once this fire has died out and the chimenea has cooled, you can consider it cured and ready for use.
Don't Pour Water On Your Terracotta Chimenea
Many people's first thought when putting out a fire is to use water. It's important when you have a terracotta chimenea not to do this. Whether you have cured your chimenea or not, using water to put out a fire in a terracotta chimenea or fire pit can cause it to crack and break. If you want to put your chimenea's fire out, then let it burn out naturally. Never introduce water.
Watch our video above for an illustration of how to cure your terracotta chimenea or fire pit. If you have questions, give us a call or visit your local Stratco store where one of our team members would be happy to help.