Heat a 12x20 shop with wood?

[Bill Jobe]

Does a wood burning stove make sense in a 12'x20' shop.
Any recomendations?

[Zach Dillinger]

It might but be sure to let your insurance man know what you're thinking. If you put in a solid fuel stove in an outbuilding without letting them know and giving them permission to inspect it, they may cancel your policy and deny any claims that you might have related to that building.

[Jim Becker]

Assuming it's a permitted use, you'd need a pretty tiny one for that small space!

[John K Jordan]

Assuming it's a permitted use, you'd need a pretty tiny one for that small space!

That's what I was thinking! I have a relatively small cast iron wood stove and it's enough to heat the house in the coldest weather.

JKJ

[Bill Jobe]

Well perhaps I'll choose another fuel.
On the insurance thing, thank you Zach. I am keeping the building inspector up to date.
I've been to the accessor's office and they will come out after it passes inspections.
I need to remember to contact my insurance co. as soon as that's done.

[Bill Jobe]

As for a wood stove, I did some price shopping and some are rated for down close to100 sq.ft.. The shop should be about 200-220.

[Bill Dufour]

What climate? My shop never gets below 45 in winter with no heat. Of course it gets to about 90-95 in summer. It has insulation in the walls and most of the ceiling.
Bill D

[Bill Jobe]

I got my decimal points off by one. It would take a tiny wood stove to heat it.
Where I live I've seen everything from 105° way down to -30°.
It currently has no insulation but I plan on R9 on the walls and I don't know yet how I will insulate the metal roof.
Since it sits on skids I haven't figured out how to insulate the floor. It sits on a slab. I'm open to suggestions on both floor and ceiling.
I'm beginning to wish I'd had it built on sight directly on the slab.

Would radiant heat work in my situation?

[Jim Becker]

Radiant heat warms "things" rather than the air...I'm assuming you mean electric radiant units like I used to use in my shop. (Radiant in the floor would have to have been installed during the slab pour and would have been pretty expensive, especially for such a small space) But in a small shop, it could work nicely for you because initially, it will warm "you" and the tools and "you" and the tools will subsequently warm the air. It would be safer than a wood stove, too. The alternative is something like a small version of the Farenheat electric forced air unit that I used prior to putting in my MiniSplit. Very good heat. Not super cheap to run, but it will get the space up to temp quickly and you can then turn it off. Generally requires 240v, however, for most of them.

[Jack Frederick]

No, it makes no sense. Even if you have a small stove, by the time you buy the close clearance smoke pipe (Selkirk DS or Dura-Vent DVL), All fuel chimney and make the wall non-combustible you have serious dough in this. I have seen so many places where folks look at a wood stove and say they have plenty of room for the stove. By the time you do the clearance for the smoke pipe 18” (6” with DS/DVL), the body of the stove and then front clearances and every time you walk through the space you are doing a do-see-do with a wood stove.

[Bill Dufour]

R9 is not much insulation. My Dad's friedn grew up in North Dakota during the depression. Her father piled manure against the house up to the windowsills for winter. block the wind and acts as insulation. No smell when frozen.
Bill D

[John K Jordan]

No, it makes no sense. Even if you have a small stove, by the time you buy the close clearance smoke pipe (Selkirk DS or Dura-Vent DVL), All fuel chimney and make the wall non-combustible you have serious dough in this. I have seen so many places where folks look at a wood stove and say they have plenty of room for the stove. By the time you do the clearance for the smoke pipe 18” (6” with DS/DVL), the body of the stove and then front clearances and every time you walk through the space you are doing a do-see-do with a wood stove.

I agree. The otherwise unusable space around the relatively small wood stove in my house is about 5'x8', the wall behind is brick. And I don't have flying chips and sawdust in the house.

For a small shop I think I'd mount something electric. I have a 10x20 building for my beekeeping stuff. My plan is to cut a hole in the wall and use a window heat pump for heat and cooling. This is appropriate for the climate here, I don't know about the subject location.

[Jim Becker]

Yup...overhead electric radiant or forced air units don't take up any floor space and that's nice for a small shop situation.

[Peter Kelly]

Either the Farenheat or Reznor overhead electric heaters are good. I installed a 7,500 watt one at the 14' x 20' shop in PA and it's more than adequate.

Also, no open flame.

[Bill Jobe]

Thanks for all the suggestions. Wood heat is out.