Stove in the garage, need suggestions

By most codes it's not allowable at all to put a wood stove in a garage....

https://www.hearth.com/talk/wiki/stoves-in-residential-garages/

Yes, the AHJ (Authority having jurisdiction) can make such decisions when it is detached, etc....

So, in that case, you are probably on the right track with raising it above the ground on some cinderblocks.

For a use such as that, one of those inexpensive hot-air furnaces may be a decent choice. This way things can be closer to it and you can also pipe some of the air toward where you hang out , etc.

http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/store/united-states-stove-hot-blast-warm-air-furnace-1900-sq-ft
http://www.ruralking.com/indoor-wood-coal-burning-furnace-87598.html

If you have a bit more to spend, you can go for a cleaner burning unit - maybe the Englander
http://www.englanderstoves.com/28-3500.html

To get full EPA clean burn in a furnace, you have to stet up to something like:
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200612191_200612191

If you are looking for a good stove at a decent price, lots of folks here have the Englander NC-30...which can sometimes be found at bargain prices (under $900) if you dig around.

I installed a stove (Drolet Compak) in my garage last month. Had planned on building some sort of platform to attain the 18" height requirements but just happened to have 4 cinder blocks available so I used them instead. Worked out great, nothing fancy but still does the job. My stove is relatively light but it pretty stable on the blocks.

Still, even when it is allowed I would be careful with storing flammable liquids etc. in there. There is a reason it violates code in most states.

How often do you need heat in there? How well is it insulated? The payback stove (+chimney etc.) versus an electric heater may be much longer than you think.

Very nice, stove would go good in there.

Wow, that's nice.

I finally insulated my attached 2 car garage a year ago. I couldn't believe the difference.

Since I don't spend huge amounts of time in my garage (and the fact that it was plumbed with natural gas), I went with one of these:


I keep my garage at 50 when I'm not there, but if I want to do some work out there, I can have it up to a comfortable temp in a few minutes.....

I could see the joy of having a wood stove out there if you were going to spend the day on a project, though.

Enjoy that awesome garage!

Just yesterday I received final approval for my permitted installation of an NC30 woodstove on a stack of cinderblocks in my detached garage. Wood furnaces are illegal here.

If I had natural gas available I might have chosen a hanging unit heater as shown above by reznor, modine, or mr heater.

I made a whole thread about it. Let me know if you can't find it by clicking on my profile to search for threads by me.

Yes, the county was fine with the garage stove but state farm, my insurance company, refuses to allow it. Instead there are several other national insurance chains that do accept it. Be warned that your insurance company may not agree with the county (AHJ) and you need to play by their rules if you want insurance to pay for a claim.

I went back on forth on building a wooden platform, a steel platform, dry stacked CMU, or mortared CMU and ended up with dry stacked CMU blocks. I picked the large ones, 8x8x16 and went two rows tall plus a cap of 2" thick pavers. Really the 18" height is to the firebox bottom but I really recommend getting the base 18" tall, it's great for loading and the heat is up higher at eye level when you're in a chair. Garage stoves aren't used the same way as house stoves. A little extra height can only be safer anyway.

I was just now enjoying installing some wall insulation while being warmed by the garage stove burning punky, oversized, alder firewood from way too long ago. The NC30 seems to enjoy running at 650 or so with a belly full of coals.