Make Colored Fire
Most fireplace fires or campfires produce yellow and orange flames because the wood used contains salts. By adding other chemicals, you can change the color of the flames to suit a special occasion or just to be entertained by the changing color patterns. You make a colored fire by sprinkling chemicals in the flames, making wax cakes containing chemicals or by soaking wood in a water and chemical solution.
Contents
Steps
Choosing the Chemicals
- Select the chemicals by the color they produce. Buy them in powdered form and don't substitute chlorates, nitrates, or permanganates. Some are common ingredients in household products and can be found in grocery, hardware and garden supply stores. Others can be purchased at fireworks suppliers, chemical supply stores, fireplace shops or online.
- Carmine (deeper red): lithium chloride
- Red: strontium chloride
- Orange: calcium chloride, found in household products used for absorbing moisture or dehumidifying.
- Yellow: sodium chloride, which is table salt
- Lime Green: boric acid, which can be found in the pharmacy sections of some stores for use as a disinfectant.
- Green: copper sulfate, found in products used for killing plant roots.
- Blue: copper chloride or butane, which can be found at your local hardware store
- Purple: potassium chloride, which is the main ingredient in non-sodium salt substitutes.
Coloring Fire by Sprinkling Chemicals
- Sprinkle a small amount of the chemical onto the fire. A pinch should suffice for a few minutes of colored flames.
- Add the chemicals individually or blend several to produce multi-colored flames.
Coloring Fire with Wax Cakes
- Melt wax or paraffin in a coffee can sitting in a pan of boiling water.
- Add about 2 tbsp. (30 ml) of chemical to the melted wax. Increase the amount if you want more intense color.
- You can make wax cakes with 1 chemical, or blend a few to produce cakes that make multi-colored flames.
- Stir until the mixture starts to cool.
- Pour the liquefied mixture into paper baking cups. Let them cool and solidify.
- Add 1 or more of the cakes to the fire to create long-lasting colored flames.
Coloring Fire by Soaking Wood
- Collect lightweight woods such as lumber scraps, chips, pine cones, and kindling. You can also use rolled-up newspapers.
- Dissolve 1/2 lb. (227g) of chemical per gallon (3.78 liter) of water. Use a glass or plastic container outdoors while wearing safety glasses and rubber gloves.
- For best results, use only 1 chemical per container of water with this method.
- Place the wood in a mesh bag and submerge it into the water and chemical mixture. Use a brick or other heavy object to hold it down.
- Let the wood soak for a day or more.
- Remove the mesh bag from the mixture. Set the soaked wood on newspapers to dry.
- Burn the treated wood in your fire. Add 1 or 2 pieces at a time.
Tips
- Some woods will produce colored flames without chemical enhancement. Driftwood from oceans makes purple and blue fire. If aged at least 4 years, applewood produces multi-colored flames.
- Make sure you have protection on before you do this.
Warnings
- If adding chemicals for a fireplace, make sure it is producing a good draft first so your house doesn't fill with chemical-laden smoke.
- Handle all chemicals carefully according to the package directions. Even seemingly harmless chemicals such as sodium chloride can cause skin irritation or burns in large amounts.
- Keep hazardous chemicals stored in airtight containers made of plastic or glass. Don't allow children and pets near these chemicals.
- Fire is not a toy and should never be treated as such. It goes without saying that fire is dangerous and can get out of hand quickly. Always have an ample supply of water near by.
Things You'll Need
- Chemicals
- Wax or paraffin
- Coffee can
- Cooking pan
- Water
- Paper wrappers for muffins or cup cakes
- Wood, pine cones, newspapers
- Glass or plastic container
- Safety glasses
- Rubber gloves
- Mesh bag
- Brick or stone
