How to make a stove-stove for a garage with your own hands. Chimney for a potbelly stove: the process of making and installing a chimney with your own hands Rules for installing a potbelly stove in a change house

There is an Evergreen 147 stove, a cast iron potbelly stove of small dimensions (width 43 cm, depth 40 cm, height with legs 58 cm), the power according to the passport is 7 kW, the size of the firewood used is up to 30 cm. The country of manufacture of the stove is China. In appearance, the casting of the structure is very similar to the Invicta oven, door, glass with seals, there are air distribution adjustments.

The chimney was purchased from the BaltVent brand, 150/250 mm, the inner pipe is acid-resistant stainless steel, 1 mm thick, steel 316, insulation is 50 mm, the outer pipe is stainless steel, 0.5 mm thick, steel 304, the first 1.5 meters from the stove are a black single-layer steel chimney 2 meters.

The photographs immediately show what exactly happened - the result of the installation.

Immediately after the entire installation of the structure, two small logs were thrown inside the firebox to check how it burned and in which direction the smoke spread. The temperature was +34 degrees in the shade. As a result, the temperature remains 33-39 degrees throughout the day. There is simply no need to heat it harder and at full power.

Start of installation: screen, wall protection

The wall near which the stove will be placed is made of wood, with foam inside and plasterboard outside. Therefore, in order to protect the wall from the high temperatures of the heated device and single-layer pipe, it was decided to construct additional insulation for the wall. As a result, profiles for plasterboard 75 mm wide were installed, fire protection was laid inside - “Paroc” with a 40 mm foil gasket and an air gap between the insulation and the wall. Each seam was taped with aluminum tape and a glass-magnesium sheet 8 mm thick was sewn on top.

In one of the photographs you can see that only the lower part is sealed; if it gets cool in the room, then the part on top will also need to be sealed. Clinker tiles under the brick will be laid on a glass-magnesium sheet using a special heat-resistant tile adhesive. The resulting distance from the tile to the stove will be 25 cm.
A sheet of drywall will be laid under the stove, and tiles will be placed on it using the same heat-resistant adhesive. There will be a varnished wooden plinth around the entire structure.

About the chimney for the stove

The chimney was originally planned to have a straight shape in a certain place, but there was a wooden beam going through it, so it was decided to choose a different place. An additional two 45 degree angles were ordered, one of them has a clearing. The sweep could first be opened, allowing the chimney to be viewed and the inside of the chimney to also be thoroughly cleaned.

Black pipes and corners from the Polish company Kominus. I didn’t really like the quality of this brand, as the paint is peeling and the corners are poorly finished. The sellers recommended pipes made in Austria.
Another difficulty was during installation, when connecting the black corner with the insulated sandwich adapter. All the black pipes were connected only by smoke, the sandwich was connected by water and the adapter did not fit into the corner, so the corner had to be cut as a result.

All black pipes were placed on a high-quality and aesthetic black heat-resistant sealant - the temperature was up to 1500 degrees, and the first pipe from the stove was placed on an asbestos cord, it was lubricated with the same sealant, there was a large gap.

Firebox of the new furnace

In the morning after installing the stove, it was decided to check its capacity. The entire firebox was not filled with firewood, only small ¼ was added. The logs were made of birch and aspen. After the wood was in the firebox and was set on fire, smoke began to emerge - probably the paint was burning through. During the entire burning period, work was carried out at maximum capacity; later I wanted to ventilate the room. The entire incomplete stack burned out in 30 minutes.

What we have:

1. The floor under the stove was quite hot after burning for half an hour, but you could hold your hand.
2. The wall behind the stove also became warm.

The valves were also carefully checked. When fully tightened, the combustion will stop, and when opened, the coals will turn red.

After there were a few red coals left in the stove, it was decided to add another portion of firewood. The floor under the stove became very hot, you can touch it, but you cannot hold it with your hand. The wall behind the stove, opposite the stove, is hot, but you can hold your hand for a couple of seconds.

Sandwich too - you can hold it for a few seconds. Then, for an hour and a half, the firebox continued in the long-burning mode.

After the first fire, the temperature in the room was +22 degrees, after the second - +25.

After the first fire, it was possible to say that the stove worked well and I really liked it, the power adjustments were simple, but at first it was not clear how the glass blowing worked.

The glass remained clean after operation of the firebox. After finishing the fire, two hours later the stove was quite warm. I won’t argue about the heat capacity comparable to brick stoves; one must demand from each heating device what it can give, and receive from it what it is designed for.
We can conclude that Chinese-made cast iron stoves are very functional in operation and give impressive results.

Insulating the house to improve the operation of the stove

A week later, the opening, which is located above the stairs leading to the 2nd floor, was insulated. The frame was made of bars and insulated with foam plastic. Plastic panels were attached to the frame. On the left, near the window, the entire structure is attached to hinges. In general, the entire structure rests on aluminum corners 20x20 mm. All that remains is to fix a couple of blocks at the top right, stretch the cable and make this entire structure rise up. Standing below, I pulled the cable - the door opened, and the cable was secured. I released the cable and lowered the door down. It turned out that the heat remains in the house, but the street remains unheated; now the stove heats even better.

A fan was also installed to improve heating capabilities. From the room where the stove is located, a hole was cut in the wall under the ceiling and a fan with a diameter of 100 mm and a capacity of up to 80 cubic meters was installed. meters of air per hour. A ventilation grille was installed on the back side of the wall. The fan turns on when the stove is lit. The noise is practically inaudible, but warm air enters the next room much faster and all rooms are heated more evenly.

Ceiling passage

To allow the sandwich to pass through the ceiling, a rectangular hole was cut to the size of the stainless ceiling cutout. An SML slab 8 mm thick and 60x60 cm in size was laid for cutting. This entire structure was screwed with self-tapping screws to the bars in the ceiling between the floors.
In the ceiling around the pipe, insulation with foil two layers thick was laid, the foil was laid towards the sandwich. I taped all the seams with aluminum self-adhesive tape and covered the top with the same LSU sheet measuring 60x60 cm. The roof passage has not yet been laid in any way, because it is planned to redo the roof next year. Masterflash was placed on top and sealed with sealant.

The potbelly stove is very popular for heating small spaces. It is an excellent option for a summer residence, and is very economical and easy to use. The appearance of this stove is a small rectangular box on four legs; it has a door and a compartment for storing fuel, as well as an ash box, which must be cleaned regularly. Each stove has a pipe onto which an exhaust pipe is installed; its length must be at least 5 meters. The longer the pipe, the better the traction and, accordingly, the power of the stove. This type of heating device can be made of cast iron or steel.

Potbelly stoves were very popular in the second half of the 19th and first half of the 20th centuries; they appeared in Russia. At that time, this device was considered an excellent solution for heating small houses and even city apartments. The stove consumes wood as fuel, but produces enough heat to heat a room of up to 60-70 square meters. Now such stoves are used for secondary heating, for example, in a country house. In such a room there is no need to create a heating system with an expensive boiler, which is why people actively use potbelly stove. It allows you to warm the room at the right time, and does not require any financial costs. To operate such a stove, you only need firewood, a chimney and good ventilation in the room.

Functional parameters of a potbelly stove

Nowadays, these stoves are created in various styles, so they can not only heat the room, but also decorate it. The potbelly stove can operate on wood, no more than 25 cm long, and other solid fuels, its main functions:

  • Heating of the room;
  • Possibility of cooking;
  • Interior element, decoration.

A potbelly stove heating stove competes with fireplaces or brick stoves, but it has an advantage over them - very small dimensions. The potbelly stove is easy to connect, assemble and move to another place, take it outside for cooking in the fresh air, and so on.

If there is a need to constantly transport the stove, then an excellent solution would be collapsible potbelly stove. It provides for the removal of the top cover, which can be a hob, collapsible legs and a chimney; it can also be divided into several sections. Thus, the potbelly stove does not take up much space, is a very mobile stove and is easy to transport. The use of this heating device eliminates the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning, since it all comes out through the chimney. The main thing is to implement correct installation, this will allow the stove to operate at full capacity, which directly depends on the draft.

For such ovens it is recommended to use dry firewood and logs. To light a potbelly stove, you need to open the firebox door, load in the required amount of fuel and set it on fire. After the fuel has ignited, its power can be adjusted by opening the ash drawer. The unit can be cleaned of ash only in a cold state; the ash drawer is removed and all its contents are poured into the trash. When the stove is lit for the first time, there may be a smell of burning paint, but this will not happen again with subsequent uses.

What must be observed for safe operation potbelly stoves:

  • The stove must be installed on non-flammable base;
  • All objects and flammable surfaces must be no closer than 70−80 cm from the stove;
  • You shouldn’t put it in the potbelly stove at once more than three kilograms of fuel;
  • The firebox door should always be closed, except when loading firewood;
  • It is prohibited to operate the oven when problems with the exhaust pipe;
  • Do not leave the oven running unattended for a long time or in the presence of small children;
  • It is forbidden to touch the oven body while it is running or immediately after the flame in it has gone out, the entire surface heats up to a very high temperature;
  • Do not leave or keep flammable objects or materials near a working stove.

If all the rules are followed, the potbelly stove will heat the room for a long time.

Advantages and disadvantages of a potbelly stove

A potbelly stove has a lot of advantages, the most important of which is efficiency, no need for fuel costs. The stove works great with any wood, sawdust, or wood chips, as long as they are dry enough to catch fire. This unit can be easily transported and food can be cooked on it without any problems if the potbelly stove model includes a hob on the top surface. This a great option for a summer residence, which does not need to be heated every day, this unit can also be found at construction sites, garages and other small spaces.

If you choose a stove in any style, it will also become a wonderful decoration and interior detail. A potbelly stove made of stainless steel quickly heats up and cools down after use, this allows clear it of ash as soon as possible after extinguishing the fire. This stove is durable and reliable; the materials from which it is made can easily withstand high temperatures and are not subject to destruction.

The disadvantages of this stove include the fact that it can provide a favorable environment only in a small room. Using it in a cottage or large building will not bring good results. A cast iron unit tends to cool down for a long time after operation. During operation of the stove, the room remains natural smell of burning wood. It is necessary to constantly monitor the operation of the stove and after it, until the potbelly stove has completely cooled down.

Installing a stove in a country house

Before starting installation, you need to choose a suitable location for the stove. It must be remembered that it must be kept away from all foreign surfaces and objects. At the same time, her work must always be monitored, which means she must be in sight.

The legs of the potbelly stove are also made of metal and, accordingly, heat up to a high temperature. The oven must be installed non-flammable base, such as: concrete, ceramic tiles, brickwork, tin covering. You cannot place a potbelly stove on linoleum, laminate, soft coverings, plank floors, parquet, or plastic.

Chimney pipes must be installed without connections within the same room. If such work cannot be carried out, then the connection should be as tight as possible, the lower part of the pipe should “fit” into the upper. If pipes require passage through walls, then it is necessary to equip ceramic or brick thermal barrier. The fuel storage location should be at a safe distance from the stove.

Combined potbelly stoves

People often use such stoves not only for heating their homes; a potbelly stove with a cast-iron stove can also be used for cooking. Stoves with a water tank, which in appearance resemble a samovar, are very popular. Cast iron potbelly stove with one burner can great replacement for gas stove, if it is used by one or two people. Ovens with a continuous cooking surface or several burners are also provided; there can be no more than four of them.

The potbelly stove has a low price, and no costs are required during operation, therefore it is the cheapest option heating a country house or other small premises.

Owners of country houses have a need for seasonal heating and cooking. In this case, building a bulky furnace is very expensive, given the short operating cycle. Also, for the construction of any stove structure you will need a considerable amount of space, which is very difficult to allocate if the area of ​​the dacha is small.

In such situations, potbelly stoves come to the rescue. Their design allows you to quickly heat a small room with minimal fuel consumption. There is also the possibility of cooking lunch and boiling water.

History of origin

The potbelly stove came to us from the 19th century. History remembers this period with devastation and poverty. In those days, only in rural areas there were no problems with heating houses. And in cities, only wealthy people could heat their apartments.

The stove got its name, which is comparative to the bourgeoisie, due to its high fuel consumption and low heat output. The walls, made of metal, had no thermal capacity and maintained the temperature only during the combustion process.

Modernization process

Potbelly stoves went through a long stage of development before the modern version of the stove turned out. A huge number of modifications are produced, from miniature decorative designs to heating units.


Summer cottage stoves serve as an addition to the existing heating system. There is also the possibility of connecting them to boilers, which will provide residents with hot water. Stove units for cooking are equipped with hobs and ovens. They become a worthy replacement for a kitchen stove. Compact miniature analogues are indispensable assistants on a trip.

Improvement methods

Modern models are highly efficient heating devices.

In the process of developing the potbelly stove, design improvements were made that make it possible to heat fairly large rooms with an area of ​​50 m².

The appearance of the familiar potbelly stove has undergone minor changes. The main unit of the furnace, the firebox, was subject to modernization. The following changes have been made:


  • window made of glass;
  • a slow combustion process has been introduced;
  • heat-resistant lining added;
  • The gas re-burning system is turned on.

Design features and operating principle

A classic potbelly stove for a summer residence is a metal cylinder or a rectangular box on legs. It consists of main components:

  • firebox;
  • grate;
  • ash pan;
  • chimney pipe.

Furnace and ash pan arrangement

The lowest part is the ash pan, and above it there is a grate, which serves as the basis for storing fuel. When wood burns, ash is formed, which spills through the holes into the bottom drawer. The design of the ash pit is made retractable so that combustion waste can be removed.


The ash pan and firebox have doors that prevent smoke from entering the room. To regulate the intensity of air passage, air intake holes are made in the doors. They are equipped with valves that help regulate the air flow.

Chimney structure

It consists of two components:

  • heat exchange;
  • excreting.

The heat exchange section is located inside the housing. Its shape depends on the type of oven. The pipe can be made in the form of a knee chimney or a “bag”.


An exhaust pipe is inserted into the heat exchange chimney. It can be connected to an existing chimney duct or taken outside the room. A damper is installed at the beginning of the pipe, which must be closed after the combustion process is completed.

Homemade stoves

Manufacturers offer a huge range of potbelly stoves. Cast iron structures or kitchen units are expensive. In search of a cheap type of heating, craftsmen manage to make a potbelly stove from improvised materials. Let's look at the most common options.

A pipe or barrel can be used as a base. The diameter can be chosen at your discretion. A potbelly stove is a straight section of pipe, closed on both sides by circles of sheet metal. Two holes are cut in the side for the ash pan and the firebox, which are closed with doors. All structural elements are connected by welding.


The design can be either vertical or horizontal. Depending on its position, a chimney pipe is welded to the upper part. The grate can also be made by welding from reinforcement.

Such a potbelly stove is bulky, and it is advisable to place it in large rooms.

The upper plane can be used to heat water and cook food.

This option is the most compact of all and is suitable for any size cottage. The rectangular oven body will fit into any space. The simplest design consists of an ash pan, a firebox and a chimney.


Sheet metal can be used for the walls of the potbelly stove. To prevent the body from deforming from high temperatures, the thickness of the sheet should be at least 3–4 mm. For convenience, the firebox door can be made to span the entire width of the stove. A pipe can be used as a chimney. The structure is assembled by welding and installed on legs made from a metal angle.

Using a cylinder or can

Very often, improvised means are used to make potbelly stoves. Unusable containers are used for this purpose.

For example, a gas cylinder is shaped like a finished oven. It is installed in a horizontal or vertical position on legs. Holes are cut for the firebox and ash pan, and a pipe is welded. Before work, the upper part of the cylinder with the tap must be cut off and closed with a plug.


A can can be used to make a portable version of a potbelly stove. By placing it in a horizontal position, you will get a finished firebox cover. Handles can be welded on the sides for carrying. To increase the thermal capacity of the structure, a reflector can be installed at the top of the can.

Requirements for homemade potbelly stoves

The following requirements are presented:

  • the side parts of heating equipment must be protected by screens to protect people from hot surfaces;
  • when using firewood as fuel, the chimney diameter should be in the range of 80-150 mm;
  • Do not place the heat source near flammable objects;
  • For the stove to function well, it is necessary to use only high-quality material.

Kindling rules

Owners of private houses with stove heating may not have any difficulties with the operation of a potbelly stove. But if this is your first time encountering such a design, then you need to follow the sequence:

  • for kindling you will need paper, wood chips, logs and solid fuel;
  • paper is placed on the grate;
  • chips and several small logs are poured on top of it;
  • open the blower halfway and set fire to the paper;
  • the combustion process must be monitored, and as soon as the logs are well lit, you can start adding fuel.

If coal is used to heat the dacha, then you cannot do without firewood. Coal combustion requires a high temperature, which wood chips and paper cannot provide. Potbelly stoves are compact devices that do not require a solid foundation. The design is quickly assembled and provides the necessary heat in a short period of time.

Both in the past and today, a potbelly stove for a summer residence is the main means of heating and cooking. Furnaces of this type are quite compact, economical and easy to maintain. To install a stove, you do not need to obtain a permit or carry out expensive work with gas communications and electricity. For heating small houses and dachas where people do not live permanently, there is simply no better option for a stove.

A potbelly stove consists of a body, a combustion chamber, grates, a door and a chimney. These multifunctional devices are made of steel or cast iron.

A modern potbelly stove is a durable and reliable metal product that can be made in a variety of styles and perform several tasks.

So, there are such functions that potbelly stoves can perform:

  • heating small rooms;
  • room decoration;
  • cooking food;
  • water heating;
  • drying clothes;
  • stove-heater in portable and folding baths.

While losing to brick structures and fireplaces in terms of presentation and performance, potbelly stoves have a number of significant advantages, which makes them a desirable purchase for owners of summer cottages.

The advantages of these devices are:


Cast iron products heat up slowly, but the temperature is maintained for several hours. The steel quickly turns red from the heat, but cools quickly. Modern models provide the ability to adjust the volume of air entering the blower. In long-burning potbelly stoves, air is supplied to the firebox from above. The quality and safety of the furnace directly depends on the correct installation and operation.

Rules for installing potbelly stoves

Potbelly stoves for a summer residence can be installed both on the first and second floors. If necessary, these products can be used to equip auxiliary premises, such as closed gazebos, garages, sheds, summer kitchens and barns.

The basic rules and sequence of installation of potbelly stoves are as follows:

  1. The presence of a durable and non-flammable base. For this you can use sheet steel, brick, paving slabs or natural stone. When burning, coals quite often fall out of the stove. The fireproof coating will prevent a fire from occurring. It is advisable that the legs of the heating device be secured to the base. This will prevent the stove from tipping over due to accidental mechanical impact.
  2. Housing assembly. This is done in cases where a collapsible model is purchased. You should pay attention to the tightness of the connections and the completeness of the kit. The slightest gap can lead to the fact that during fuel combustion the entire room can be filled with acrid and suffocating smoke.
  3. Chimney installation. It is advisable to make the elbow that goes from the top of the stove to the roof or wall in one piece. This will eliminate the slightest possibility of smoke etching at the joints. If this is not possible, then the knee joints must be carefully insulated. Since the pipes become very hot during the combustion process, it is necessary to install a thermal barrier at the point where the chimney exits to the outside. To do this, you can use steel washers, refractory clay or brickwork.
  4. Control firebox. To avoid trouble, this event should be carried out at a time when there are no people at home. During the combustion process, the tightness of all connections and the degree of heating of the points of contact between the elements of the stove and the house are checked. The test should be carried out in the most extreme mode for several hours.

If the device works normally, then it can be safely used in the future.

Safety precautions when using ovens

The best fuel options are dried firewood and small logs. You can light them with paper or dry branches.

When using and servicing the potbelly stove, the following safety precautions must be observed:

  1. Do not use flammable liquids such as gasoline or acetone to light wood. This may cause a large explosion.
  2. Do not open the vent completely for a long time. Due to the high temperature, the housing may become deformed or the chimney may burn out.
  3. It is not recommended to use coal as a fuel. Its heat can melt the grates and pan.
  4. All interior elements and the fuel box cannot be located closer than 1 m from the stove.
  5. The fuel compartment door must be kept closed at all times.
  6. If the exhaust pipe is clogged, the potbelly stove must not be used.
  7. Do not leave the operating product unattended for a long period of time.

If operating rules and safety measures are followed, potbelly stoves can last for decades.

Avid summer residents who spend not only the summer on their property, but also part of the spring, as well as deep autumn, need to take care of heating their country house. As a rule, holiday villages are not connected to a gas supply; at the same time, building a brick stove or fireplace is quite difficult and expensive. Therefore, the best option is solid fuel stoves, which are the subject of this article.

General information

When you hear the word potbelly stove, many people imagine crudely welded, unattractive steel structures in the form of a metal box on legs, with a door and a chimney. Until recently, these ovens were just that. They had low efficiency, so it was quite difficult to heat large rooms with their help.

This heating option also has a right to exist. However, recently modern potbelly stoves, which look quite nice and can be an addition to a country house interior, have become increasingly popular.

Their main advantage is higher operating efficiency, although the price of these products is also much higher. Next, we will take a closer look at the features of such furnaces.

Features of modern potbelly stoves

Design Features

Modern potbelly stoves are an improved design of a metal stove. They are capable of heating a room with a volume of up to 100 cubic meters and retaining heat for a long time.

Among the features of their design, the following points can be highlighted:

Sealed doors Glass doors framed by a metal frame fit tightly, which prevents smoke from entering the room.
The presence of valves on the doors and air intakes of the ash pit Valves allow you to regulate the air supply, which determines the intensity of combustion.
Heat-resistant lining of internal walls Allows you to protect the metal from overheating and retain heat for a long time.
Availability of re-burning Afterburning ensures complete combustion of residual flue gases and thereby increases the efficiency of the furnace.
Dividing the chimney into exhaust and heat exchange This design allows you to retain heat longer. The heat exchanger is a “smoke bag” that is located inside the structure. The metal pipe that goes outside has valves that also help retain heat.

Advantages

Modern potbelly stoves, thanks to improved design, can be used as the main or additional source of heat in a country house.

They have a number of advantages over traditional brick kilns, among which the following points can be highlighted:

  • A potbelly stove for a summer house with a hob, which many modern models have, makes it possible to cook food.
  • Does not require complex maintenance, unlike brick structures.
  • Installing a potbelly stove in a country house with your own hands does not cause any problems even in a built house, since it does not require the construction of a foundation. This is due to the low weight of the structure. (See also article.)
  • Low cost compared to brick structures.
  • Possibility to fire with several types of fuel– peat, firewood and wood briquettes.
  • These designs are fireproof. The only thing is that when using them you must follow basic safety rules.
  • If necessary, the oven can be moved to another room, in which it is possible to bring the chimney to the street.

Advice!
In order for heating to be more efficient, it is necessary to take care of the thermal insulation of the house and eliminate all cracks in doors and windows.

In the photo - a version of a modern potbelly stove

Election Features

To ensure that the purchase is not in vain and works as efficiently as possible, when choosing a product you need to pay attention to the following points:

  • The dimensions and volume of the stove depend on the size of the room that is planned to be heated. You can find out what heating area the product is designed for from the instructions that come with it.
  • If the house is built from a “cold” material, such as concrete, then the power of the product should be greater than for buildings made of wood or, for example, aerated concrete.
  • The choice of model largely depends on the fuel with which you plan to heat the stove.
  • It is advisable to give preference to models with a hob. This will allow you to cook food in the event of a power outage.
  • One of the most important parameters of the product is safety. Therefore, it is better to purchase a potbelly stove in stores rather than from individuals.
  • Modern designs can have a variety of designs. Therefore, when choosing a product, you should pay attention to its appearance so that it fits into the interior design of the room.

Note!
Cast iron can withstand higher temperatures than steel, and this material is more durable.

If you take all these points into account when choosing, your purchase will be able to heat your country house for many years.

Installation of a potbelly stove

As mentioned above, every summer resident can install such a stove with his own hands.

This operation is performed as follows:

  • Before installing a potbelly stove in your dacha, you should choose a place for it. The structure should be located most advantageously from the point of view of heating the surrounding space.
  • Next you need to make a chimney for the potbelly stove in the country. To do this you will need a metal pipe of suitable diameter.
    The simplest option is to bring the pipe out the window. If the stove is constantly located in the same place, then the chimney can be brought outside through the roof.
  • Then, in the place where the potbelly stove will stand, you need to lay fire-resistant material. Of course, the floor must be absolutely flat so that the stove stands stable.
  • Next, the structure is installed and connected to the chimney.

Note!
The chimney connections must be sealed.
Asbestos cord can be used to seal the connections.