Wood stove in garage/shop?

[DeadheadNM]

Anyone use a wood burning stove in their shop or garage? Bad idea? The thought has crossed my mind ahead of breaking ground here for a detached garage but as a supplement not primary heat source.

[Dead Parrot]

Check your local regulations. Some places are getting pretty negative toward wood burning anything.

Do you have a source of free/low cost firewood?
Do you have the tools and equipment to turn trees into firewood?
Do you have a place to store the wood?
Are you willing to spend the time dealing with firewood?

I have a wood stove in my house that I use when the temps get below freezing for an extended time. It puts out too much heat for use in warmer temps. Don't know that for occasional use, it would be worth the space in the shop for a wood stove. There is a significant lag between lighting the fire and the stove getting warm enough to start heating the place. My house came with the wood stove so I use it.

Current thinking on my shop is installing a combo heat/AC unit that uses propane for the heat. I did add extra insulation to the shop first. I like the idea of when I want to do shop stuff of being able to walk out to the shop, flip a switch and come back 15~30 minutes later and the shop is well on the way to being warm or cool depending on season.

[DeadheadNM]

Thanks. More wood here than I can shake a stick at. I wouldn’t make use of a wood stove as a primary heat source though. More so to enjoy while tinkering on projects or just kicking back.

[68panelman]

I would go for it, a woodstove will make quick work at knocking out the chill in a detached garage, then make it toasty...miss having my woodstove in the house, I did bring it with me to my new house that has propane heat, but with these insane fuel prices I may be doing an install soon...

[Ironhorse]

I have wood heat in my detached 35x50 shop and altho don't use it regularly it does a good job for heating. No gas lines near the shop and electric heat or propane is just too pricey. Takes a bit to warm up true but after I get it started in late fall or winter weather I generally go back in the house for another cup of coffee. Actually is a barrel stove made from two 55 gallon barrels, one stacked on the other for added heat collection. Use an oscillating pedestal fan to move the heated air thru the shop. Have two acres with a lot of trees that always need trimming. Also burn scrap lumber when does not have any paint or oil on it. Always a source of wood fuel so cost was minimal except for initial barrel stove kit and flue pipe.

[DeadheadNM]

Thanks guys I’ll look at placing a flue outlet at least.

[karlbenz]

I had one. Was too much trouble for me. Took up too much space

[biketopia]

I'd do it, with the availability of wood you have it would be worth it. I like your idea of just having it for tinkering and hanging out, I love me a wood fire, especially on those cold days where you just want piddle and watch the snow with an adult beverage. Installing a flue is definitely a must, if you don't do wood maybe look into a DIY waste oil heater. We have propane heat as the primary in our house and good lord was that pricey this winter. There is a flue that needs relining in the basement and I think that's going to be on the docket this summer to fix up and run wood this winter and use propane to supplement instead of primary.

[midniteblues]

Just be careful with any open flame, nobody ever plans on leakin/spilling fuel on the floor but it'll happen sooner or later and it spreads quickly.

[NJ68stepside]

Wood stoves are great. Just be careful what you store in the garage. Maybe get a small shed for the winter to put your gas cans and other crap in that is flammable.

Also. Put the stove up on a platform. At least 12” flammable gasses are heavier than air.

[DeadheadNM]

Thanks for the helpful input guys.

[kwmech]

If your garage is sealed like mine then it would be a big NO. Personally I have too many flammables in my shop. Gas, Brake clean, carb cleaner, solvent tank..you get the idea. I do however have an overhead propane heater

[Rickysnickers]

Originally Posted by kwmech

I do however have an overhead propane heater

And how do you like it? What size is your shop? How much propane/how big of a propane tank do you have? I want to get something for later this year when winter rolls around so that I can go out there and mess around. My shop is 60'x40'. Also, this may sound like a stupid question, I thought i read where propane heaters can cause things to rust. Is this true, or just bogus info?

[DeadheadNM]

Will use a ceiling mounted propane Reznor unit to heat the garage and a 8’ diameter 220v ceiling fan to circulate the air. Floor heat would be great but too costly.

[rharris]

I use a coal stoker stove and love it. I have a thermostat on it and keeps it within 4 degrees. Not bad for 2400 sq ft. I assume your wood stove will be just as nice. Insurance company said they were ok with it, but not wood.

The coal stove has much better constant heat and much cheaper to run than my Modine Hot Dawg.

[rharris]

Originally Posted by Rickysnickers

And how do you like it? What size is your shop? How much propane/how big of a propane tank do you have? I want to get something for later this year when winter rolls around so that I can go out there and mess around. My shop is 60'x40'. Also, this may sound like a stupid question, I thought i read where propane heaters can cause things to rust. Is this true, or just bogus info?

My propane tank is 120 gallon. When I maintained 55 degrees in my spray foamed 60x40 shop I used about 65 gallons in a week. That was when propane was $2.19/gallon. It is up to $4.59/gallon. I’m sure glad I put the coal stove in.

[kwmech]

Originally Posted by Rickysnickers

And how do you like it? What size is your shop? How much propane/how big of a propane tank do you have? I want to get something for later this year when winter rolls around so that I can go out there and mess around. My shop is 60'x40'. Also, this may sound like a stupid question, I thought i read where propane heaters can cause things to rust. Is this true, or just bogus info?

My current shop is 26x24, just a small 2 car garage. With the open rafters and the gable end vents it is enough to take off the chill when it gets under 50. I really don't know the propane usage, but it will work with a separate 7 gallon tank on the outside of the garage without icing up

[towjamin]

my licensed commercial repair garage has had secondary heat wood stove for 50+ years, I have painted our wreckers in the shop with the stove going with no problems, (not totally recommended) but common sense is key with flammables,

[DeadheadNM]

Good details. Thanks for posting.

[Richard]

Any gas heating appliance without a sealed combustion chamber is no different than using the wood burning stove. Only difference is wood is the fuel instead of gas. The flame or combustion process is still using the space for combustion air and the flame is exposed to the space being used.

[cadillac_al]

Everybody has a wood stove in the shop up here in Maine. If I were richer I would prefer an oil furnace.

[72c20customcamper]

I used a pellet stove at my garage at my rental. I put it on a metal dolly to move it around . I cut a 4 inch hole with a hole saw into the steel overhead door . Wheel the stove over to the door stick the flue out and let her rip . At shutdown it runs till it's cold and I would move it back to where I stored it. My daughter is using the stove now in her house