Wood Stove For Warmth in the Backyard?

[pawleys]

I’d like to set up an area for wood heating in my backyard and wondering how to go about it.

Perhaps an old wood stove or barrel stove kit using a 55 gallon drum that I can set on brick or build something around. Want to avoid building an official "structure" that would have to conform to zoning/building code, although a roof covering of some kind would help to protect from rain and rust. Might get away with a lean-to, as long as it's not enclosed on all sides.

I also like the idea of getting the smoke up high and out of your face.

Heat retention I'm not sure how, but wouldn't a wood stove be warmer than an open fire?

 

[RNLA]

I'm sure a big stove, free standing, not insert or retrofit insert by making legs, would be able to go through the wood. I think we all have seen open fires in structures like the one you have displayed. Chimney and big fire box where you could put in 3 foot splits. I really like that set up but I wonder how the stove would do? that is why I say the biggest one you could get... A good friend of mine has a little camp stove in a makeshift shed/garage. It works great; just a smoker though, non certified.

 

[John_M]

Pawleys, An outdoor wood stove sounds appealing. A supply of tinder, kindling and good wood should not be an issue. Three potential issues come immediately to mind: 1) Getting the exhaust outside the structure; 2) Starting a draft in a short chimney at about freezing temperatures; 3) The effect on glass door of sudden change in temperature from freezing to 600°F.

Did a lot of overnight winter hunting/camping in my younger days. I recall a small pot bellied stove in a shelter somewhere in Alaska (Tyone River, the Kenai, Resurrection Pass, Skilak Lake ?) and that old Franklin was true pleasure after a day of hiking or hunting. A smallish sliding draft door allowed us to see a little of the fire.

Let us know how it works if you try it.

John_M

 

[jharkin]

Interesting idea. They have one of those clay chimineas at my Mom's place on the cape.. Its very nice to sit outside around that fire on a cool fall day. Its basically an open fire so it drafts very well even with the 3ft chimney. But you can get smoked out when the wind shifts.

Maybe you can find somebody that wants to get rid of an old pre-epa stove cheap, or a open fireplace since I'm guessing that the ambiance of the fire is at least as important as the heat value in this case.

3) The effect on glass door of sudden change in temperature from freezing to 600°F.

I think that may not be much of an issue. Warming up from room temp the glass would go from 70 to 500 (430F change). From freezing the change would be 470F. Not a huge difference in that perspective.

 

[krex1010]

Honestly i think you will be better of with an open fire pit or chiminea. A woodstove is likely going to rust and end up being a Mouse house. Plus I don't think a woodstove will heat any outdoor area effectively. Woodstove are great inside because they allow us to have a small, safe, controllable fire indoors where we can store the heat generated. Outdoors you are not storing any heat, so the only heat you feel from a fire is the direct waves of radiant heat. The walls of a stove significantly dissipate that radiation. So essentially unless you are sitting on top of even a large stove you really will feel very little heat if that stove is outside. An open fire pit allows you to build a bigger fire, where you cam burn larger fuel, where you can feel more waves of radiant heat from all sides. Yes you will burn a ton more wood but are talking about heating an outdoor area so nothing could be less efficient than that lol.

 

[Flatbedford]

We moved our old Franklin smoke dragon onto the deck when we bought the Fireview.

It takes the chill away on a cool night. The six feet or so of stack helps to keep the smoke out of our eyes. I moved it to the yard for a BBQ party last summer.

We had a birthday party for my wife in April this year. The stove was just what we needed to keep the party outside after the sun went down and it started to get cooler outside. I keep a separate pile of outside junk wood for it. It's nice to have an open fire to poke at too. Mt nieces roasted marshmellows on it on Christmas last year.
It rusts a bit, but I just wire wheel it and spray some high heat paint on it. I figure that it will take a long time for it to rust through. If it does, it should be easy enough to find another like it for cheap or free. The plan is to build a nice, stone outdoor fireplace some time, but for now the old smoke dragon is fine.

 

[drumlace]

Hey firestarter,

I have a barrel stove just like the one in your photo set up in my woodshed for maple sugaring. I cut the top off and welded angle iron on which my 1/2 pint evaporator sits on. You can also put a removable piece of plate steel on top for cooking and stuff. Me and the kids spend alot of time hanging out there in the spring when the temps in the 30-40's. There's alot of info on them on mapletrader.com if you decide to go that route.

 

[pawleys]

Flatbedford,

That just looks like so much fun. Your wife is a lucky woman.

Thank you for the photographs, that inspires me.

It doesn't appear that you brace the 6' stovepipe in any way.
I like how you have the stove elevated from the chairs.

Very economical. Takes the chill off. Ambiance of the fire.
Smoke out of your eyes. This is giving me hope.

 

[Flatbedford]

No brace for the chimney. It just sits on top. I can just lift it off when I move the stove with my appliance truck. The top has a 90° elbow so that I can direct the smoke away. It has to be pretty cool out or the fire has to be pretty hot for a good draft, but it helps. About 8 more feet of pipe would be better, but I don't want to spend the money.