Heating a 100 year barn.

creosite build up .I have stone house 1700's with chimney have to use liner to protect against fire ,and your able to block off opening to keep heat from being sucked up the chimney

Your best bet would be to put it on the floor that you want heated, in this case, the main floor. No you wont be putting it on those old oak boards, at least not directly. You will have to build a hearth to meet the R requirements of whatever stove you get. Typically this is some quantity of durock cement board, and tile or stone. As long as you keep the require distance to combustibles and follow the manufacturers specs for install you will be fine. As far as a liner goes, you need one for optimal draft and performance. As to why, it is really just for safety, and its easier to clean. You have to have a flue in perfect condition with no cracked,missing etc clay tiles to even consider using it as is. Just a guess that that 100 year old chimney isnt in perfect condition. Many places i believe require liners with new installs nows to adhere to code compliance.

If you put the stove in the basement, very little heat will pass through the wood flooring.

Cement & stone floors will suck all of your heat. Also agree that I would put it on the main floor until you get the basement finished.

That thing is a tinder box, I would be hesitant to heat with wood in there.
The basement will be a lesson in futility. All that stone and concrete will negate the heat from the stove.

I like woodstoves. But I like old barns more. If it were me, it would be hydronics.

Yeah, it's probably fine. I watched one burn at night when I was a kid. It has stuck with me. I'd go with a boiler - wood fired or not in the basement with radiant heat in the areas you want heated. Or even fan coils. But then again I don't even know what you're using this barn for! And I'm a Steamfitter so, hydronic heating is always an option!

vender said:

Crap. But I agree it is a tinder box. Basement is out... Stove might be as well. Looks like Kerosene. I know it would have to get extremely hot but its just bare wood everywhere. I could build a durock enclosure? Is anyone heating an old barn? and how?

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One big issue is not only a wooden barn, but that 100 year old wood would go up like a match head.
My folks have a grist mill from the 1700's I think, and there ain't even any cigarette smoking in there.
Not saying it can't be done, but I would heed BG's advise and go triple overkill.
Ins. co. might never be satisfied. Kero may be a no go with the ins. co. also.
Maybe an OWB with hot water or forced air heat exchanger. At least the ignition source would be outside.

Something like this would work. http://shop.brutespeed.com/Hopsco-O...ood-Burning-Furnaces-Hopsco-ODF1500-V1500.htm -- http://www.highpointlake.com/htmls/Bryan/HPLA-Bryan-Models.htm

An exterior wood furnace sounds like it would be much safer and you'll probably need all the heat you can get.

I had the same dilemma as the OP. I wanted a heated work area in my 1885 barn. I built 2x4 walls in the haymow, insulated them, and installed a direct vent LP heater on the wall. Sure, I spend ~$175-200/yr on LP; but I'm toasty warm now when I want to be, and I can spend my quality time working on things. The other benefit is that I have a room with locking doors where I can securely store my tools.