Help Selecting a Wood Stove for a Small Cabin

[stanreader]

Hi, I have a tiny settler's cabin on my property that is about 300 sq. ft. It is two stories, with one room on each story, no water or bathroom and is currently heated by two small radiant heaters installed on the main level. They do just fine. The upstairs is accessed via a stairway in the corner and that is the only opening. The upstairs gets plenty of heat from the current radiant heaters. The cabin has lots of windows and a glass paned older door. It has a crawlspace that is well insulated and the roof and upstairs walls are insulated with blown in foam but the main level is just the logs and chining (logs are about 16-18 inches in diameter).

We want a wood stove for emergencies but it needs to be UL listed to be approved for homeowner's insurance. The stove would be on the main level against the west wall. Our local stove dealer has recommended the Jotul 100F, but he says the tile base needs to be 37x40", which is way too big for that cabin as it would stick out into the room too much. I can't seem to find any smaller stoves that are UL listed or that could exist with a smaller tile base. My wife thins we need to find a small masonry heater somewhere but I can't find anything this small.

Any recommendations?

 

[DAKSY]

You're gonna have issues with a hearthpad, not matter what model you choose.
That F100 is a pretty small unit, and it doesn't have a heat exchanger &
a two-story stack of connector pipe & Class A chimney will put more
heat OUTSIDE than INSIDE. The F300 Allagash Might be a better selection
& the hearth pad is roughly the same size. If you want to minimize the
floor space loss due to the hearthpad, you might want to consider
locating your stove in a corner, AND putting up Wall shields
The hearthpad will probably be a bit smaller,
and it won't be as much of a tripping obstacle...

 

[Nigel459]

The f100 is pretty small already. The pacific energy true north-10 also comes to mind. I’ve put in a couple of them and they are well built. Cheaper than the Jotul too.

I can also add that if you’re worried about the hearth size, consider making it flush with the floor so it is not a trip hazard and blends in visually. The tn-10 only needs ember protection (Not sure about the Jotul.) which could be a slim sheet of metal. We have a slate hearth flush with wood floors and were so glad we did that as we walk around/over it all the time where it is situated.

 

[Geoff C]

How about Vermont castings Aspen

 

[begreen]

How about Vermont castings Aspen

I would go for a Jotul F602CB or a Morso 2B instead. The Aspen wasn't a great stove.

 

[xman23]

Stoves do take a lot of floor space, no matter what the room size is. I suggest a corner installation. It worked well for me. Typical corner's are not used. It worked well for me. The stove can be seen from everywhere in my open floor plan room.

Another real space saver is the hearth requirement / design. Many stoves require "R" value of the material under the stove. Which typically extends 18 inches in front of the stove. To do this many find they need to build a elevated platform with R value materials. But some stoves, like mine require only ember protection. That is any fire proof material. If you can, get the hearth as level with the existing floor.

One more space saver is the manufactures stoves rear heat shields. I have one on the stove and the single wall chimney pipe. They look good, work well and let the stove move as far back into the corner as possible

Have you looked at the Morso stoves. Small classic looking stoves. So before you settle on the stove, get the installation manual and work out the installation.

 

[rwh63]

i would suggest a small propane stove with thermostat. space is so small.

 

[RockCastile]

I heat my 240 sq. ft. cabin (one room, decently insulated, 3 thermal pane windows) with a Jotul 602. The easiest thing to do with the stove is overheat the room, took me a while to figure out how to run it low enough to avoid this. You have 60 additional sq. ft., lots of windows, older glass door. Only guessing, but if I imagine those differences compared to my cabin, I could totally see a 602, running up much closer to capacity than I run mine, heating your place nicely.

 

[byQ]

Well insulated and 300 sq feet. What about one of those dreaded mini-meat stoves? The ones that cost a bit and aren't that efficient. But they sound like they are the right size.

Also there was a guy on here, hierony, who had a small masonry heater professionally designed to go in a yurt. Probably still too much heat, though.