Help with understanding stove installation in small shed (noob)

[lreuteri]

I'm thinking of installing a Drolet Hunter stove into my 8x6 shed (which I'm converting into a sauna).
I'm spinning my wheels on understanding what the ventilation parts and installation look like.
Like if there were a kit with all the things I need from the hole in the top of the stove to the very tip of the chimney, along with instructions, then I would buy it.
But there isn't, so I need experts to just tell me how I vent a stove and whether I need to frame out a hole in the roof of the shed for the chimney to pass through.
Where does one learn this?
TY!

 

[begreen]

The 2.0 cu ft Drolet Hunter is not a good choice for this small space. It's too big and super radiant due to the thin metal sides. It's clearance requirement are 48" in all directions. Look for a smaller stove with about a 3.5-4kW output like the CB-1210 GRIZZLY Cubic Mini Wood Stove that has a shielding system to reduce clearances substantially.

 

[lreuteri]

The 2.0 cu ft Drolet Hunter is not a good choice for this small space. It's too big and super radiant due to the thin metal sides. It's clearance requirement are 48" in all directions. Look for a smaller stove with about a 3.5-4kW output like the CB-1210 GRIZZLY Cubic Mini Wood Stove that has a shielding system to reduce clearances substantially.

View attachment 327120

If I add fireproof material to the corner where the stove would be placed, then the Drolet Hunter would be okay, no?
The structure I'm converting into a sauna is an ice hut. And the manual for the Drolet Hunter specifies ice huts as one of the main applications of the stove...

 

[stoveliker]

No, you'd still have combustible material within the 48"...

 

[begreen]

I noted that it is marketed for ice huts, etc. but then provides no guidance for safe installation other than the clearance requirements. No, a simple fireproof barrier is insufficient but a properly ventilated wall shield could reduce the clearances by 66% or down to 16". That said, there is a big difference in heating an ice shed at 10º outside and a sauna in mild weather.

 

[lreuteri]

I noted that it is marketed for ice huts, etc. but then provides no guidance for safe installation other than the clearance requirements. No, a simple fireproof barrier is insufficient but a properly ventilated wall shield could reduce the clearances by 66% or down to 16". That said, there is a big difference in heating an ice shed at 10º outside and a sauna in mild weather.

Aiming for 140 F sauna. I assume in mild weather it would simply reach target temp faster?
I'd love a few more ideas on safe stoves for my application...ideally would like to be able to insert "regular sized split wood" into it. . . ~15"

 

[lreuteri]

Harvia M3 with shield and fireboard on walls?

 

[stoveliker]

With the protective sheets the clearances of that one are really low, see page 14 of the manual.
The ceiling does need to be at minimum 1.915 m above where the stove stands.

 

[begreen]

Much safer, especially with the matching flue kit as long as the instructions for installation are followed. They make a secondary close shielding kit for it too if the bench is close to the stove.

 

[hearthon]

I installed a wood stove in my 12x16 shed by myself and it was a little tough. Now if I had to do it over again I could do it in 1/4 of the time. Keep watching videos online and find out about all the parts you need. Like everyone said, make sure your clearances are met and start buying stuff slowly.

Remember too the piping is expensive, I think my pipes were more money than my stove. Once you have everything it all goes together fairly easily, try and get a friend to help.

I bought a drolet escape 1200.

 

[hearthon]

With my setup I have a telescoping pipe going to my ceiling support box, from there it goes a double wall pipe, 2 pipes to a cap. So 1 telescoping pipe, 1 ceiling support kit 2 double wall pipes a cap and a roof support thing (I forget what it's called but it's two poles that hold the chimney) I also have a secondary piece of metal behind my singel wall stove pipe inside the shed so that I could put my stove closer to the wall.

This setup is for a stove going through only the ceiling with no attic.

The most confusing thing to me was the ceiling support kit, but I watched tons of videos on it then cut a hole in my roof. My roof ended up leaking 3 times but ended up fixing that too.

Absolutely obsessed with the stove and dont regret a thing.

 

[xman23]

Interesting issue, how much stove to get the shed to 140 summer and winter. Mostly how much wood is burning will control the heat output.
The stove install is not that hard, but requires carpenter skills. And then assembly of the chimney. Most of the stove and chimney manuals explain this well. Check there web sites and download the manuals. Use all the same brand chimney parts.

 

[stoveliker]

The Harvia has a 16.5 kW output - that's 56,000 BTU/hr...
I presume that' running at max output, but still. That is a *lot* for a small space.
However, 8x6 ft (and 8 ft high) is 10.9 cubic meter, consistent with but on the low end of the recommended 8-22 cubic meter, though.

Moreover, if the walls and ceiling are uninsulated, the manual says that for every square meter of that, one should add about 1.2 cubic meter of space to calculate the effective total space. That would add 9.2 cubic meter, leading to about 20 cubic meter effectively.

So, an important question is: will the sauna be insulated?

I would not dump the gases in the masonry flue as drawn in the manual in figure 10, but use a stainless insulated chimney. It will most likely be easiest to buy the flue kit from them - it's already insulated too.

 

[lreuteri]

The Harvia has a 16.5 kW output - that's 56,000 BTU/hr...
I presume that' running at max output, but still. That is a *lot* for a small space.
However, 8x6 ft (and 8 ft high) is 10.9 cubic meter, consistent with but on the low end of the recommended 8-22 cubic meter, though.

Moreover, if the walls and ceiling are uninsulated, the manual says that for every square meter of that, one should add about 1.2 cubic meter of space to calculate the effective total space. That would add 9.2 cubic meter, leading to about 20 cubic meter effectively.

So, an important question is: will the sauna be insulated?

I would not dump the gases in the masonry flue as drawn in the manual in figure 10, but use a stainless insulated chimney. It will most likely be easiest to buy the flue kit from them - it's already insulated too.

The ice-hut to be converted to sauna is "sort of" insulated: its layers are, from outside to inside:
tin, tyvec, cedar frame, 1.75" silverboard xs .....................that's right: no plywood/osb.
I will be adding: foil, air gap, cedar shiplap.

Found a good deal on the Harvia M3 with shield and pipes included.
Still interested in alternatives though!

 

[lreuteri]

. . .I read somewhere that a Fisher Baby Bear would be a good stove for an 8x6 sauna. Any thoughts on that?

 

[stoveliker]

I'd take the harvia over a fisher