Wood stove for pole barn

[Amelia Farms]

I am finishing up building a 40x60x14 pole barn and have started looking for a wood stove to get a little heat in the building. The building has a metal roof and walls, and at least for this winter, will have no insulation, just not in the budget right now. Anyhow, I am looking for recommendations for a stove to knock the chill off while I am working in the barn. I have 25 acres of wooded land, so fuel for the stove is no problem. I will be looking for a used stove if I can find a suitable one.

So what should I be looking for? Cast iron? Welded? Size? Brand.

Thanks all.

 

[farm guy]

Hello,

Just my two cents, I just put up a 20 x 50 x 14 barn last year and I put in a small wood stove. I got it at Lowe's for about $200. It does a good job keeping the chill at bay. Near the stove I got it to 50 while it was low 20s with the wind blowing. I am able to work in there in a lite jacket. For your size building I would go up to a bigger one they have it is about $260. It has a lot bigger fire box. One suggestion I would get you is have a stove temp gauge to keep an eye on the burn in the stove.

Farm guy

 

[BIG DOOLEY]

I have a large Dutchwest (by Vermont Casting) inside our house that around 12 years old.
It is a double wall cast iron stove.
Cast iron radiates heat well and will continue to give off heat longer when the fire goes out.
In my garage I have a 1/4" steel plate stove my in-laws gave to me. It gives off nice heat also but it will cool down faster even though i lined it with fire brick.
Buy whatever you can find for a resonable price.
What is important is an air-tight stove. you will go thru alot less wood and that means alot less work.
A small box fan to circulate the air in the barn will help the air move past the stove more.
The longer the stack run the more heat into the barn also.
I have seen some people use a tee above the stove with 2 stacks and then convert back into one before exiting the building.

 

[RoyJackson]

I have a large Dutchwest (by Vermont Casting) inside our house that around 12 years old.

Can't beat those Vermont Castings' woodstoves!!

 

[dave1949]

It's very difficult to accumulate any heat in a building without an insulated ceiling. You need something that blows hot air toward your work area. There are wood-fired forced air furnaces. You don't need anything too fancy, just a basic fire chamber, plenum and blower with some minimal duct work to get the heat to where you want it.

You could also try a kerosene fueled salamander, or a propane fueled construction heater. For smaller areas, there are radiant heaters that attach to a 20 lb propane tank. These are designed and suited for un-insulated, unsealed buildings.

 

[Clint S]

I have a 32x 32 and a decent size, but older wood stove I got for free. With no insulation It does very little unless you are right next to it. I usually just run my 85k salamander and point it at the area I am working in and it is OK. On the coldest days I run both and If am lucky I can get it to 50 if it is in the 20's outside. The only time I really have to work in there is when I work on the tractor. Any other work I do is in the attached 24 x24 which is insulated. I run the salamander for 10 minutes and then I have an old gas grill and run that in there and I can keep it in the 60's even in the coldest weather.
First thing to insulate is the ceiling, you would be amazed at what just a reflective 1 inch foam insulation board does to keep in heat in a large pole building.

 

[tcreeley]

A summer fan about 4' from the stove and level with the top of the stove or a bit higher- oscilating will distribute the hot air coming off the stove and keep it from heading straight up. A bullet fan works well too. Both are inexpensive approaches until you figure out your insulation situation.

 

[BIG DOOLEY]

I have a 32x 32 and a decent size, but older wood stove I got for free. With no insulation It does very little unless you are right next to it. I usually just run my 85k salamander and point it at the area I am working in and it is OK. On the coldest days I run both and If am lucky I can get it to 50 if it is in the 20's outside. The only time I really have to work in there is when I work on the tractor. Any other work I do is in the attached 24 x24 which is insulated. I run the salamander for 10 minutes and then I have an old gas grill and run that in there and I can keep it in the 60's even in the coldest weather.
First thing to insulate is the ceiling, you would be amazed at what just a reflective 1 inch foam insulation board does to keep in heat in a large pole building.

I had a friend put thin plastic sheeting (Visgueen) on his ceiling for a couple of years till he got the money to insulate and drywall.
It sure helped for a temporary fix.

 

[Bob77064]

Vermont Castings, job security for Roy!

 

[RoyJackson]

Vermont Castings, job security for Roy!

You bet...it was a shameless plug!