A wood stove crackling with burning logs is charming, but it's also functional. Equipped with a catalytic converter, a modern wood stove is more efficient and cleaner burning than an open fire.
Wood stoves are ideal for extreme cold conditions and for long periods. Learn how to install a wood stove in your home to stay warm while remaining off the grid.
Tip
The best wood stoves incorporate a combustion chamber for a cleaner, more efficient burn.
Permits and Regulations
Wood stove installation is highly regulated. Check with your county or state ecology or clean air department. The type of wood stove that you buy must be certified as meeting both state and federal emissions performance standards.
Before purchasing a wood stove, consult the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's EPA-Certified Wood Stove Database to learn about wood stoves certified by the EPA.
Wood stove installation will likely require a mechanical permit from your county or city permitting authority.
Wood Stove Materials
- Wood stove: Choose a wood stove certified for your area that is properly sized for the room that it will be heating. An open 1,300-square-foot space can be heated by a 42,000 BTU-rated wood stove. An open 2,000-square-foot space can be heated by a 60,000 BTU-rated stove. Wood stoves cost between $850 and $1,800.
- Ceiling support kit: A ceiling support kit includes all parts required to hold the stove pipe in place within the ceiling. Around $300 to $500, the ceiling support kit typically is not included with the wood stove.
- Stove pipe: A stove pipe, or chimney, usually not included with the wood stove, extends from the wood stove to above the roofline, passing through the ceiling support box. Stove pipes range from $50 to $100 for single-wall pipes to $100 to $240 for double-wall pipes, depending on local requirements.
- Floor protector: The wood stove must be mounted on a non-combustible hearth pad unless the floor itself is non-combustible (solid concrete or solid masonry). Pre-made hearth pads that are designed to be code-compliant cost from $150 to $800.
Safety Considerations
Installing a wood stove requires working on the roof and possibly in the attic. Work on the roof tethered to a roof safety harness. In the attic, avoid stepping through the ceiling drywall. Wear a particulate mask when working in the attic.
What You'll Need
Equipment / Tools
- Reciprocating saw
- Drill
- Laser level or plumb bob
- Caulking gun
- Tape measure
Materials
- Wood stove
- Ceiling support kit
- Stove pipe
- Floor protector (hearth pad)
- Attic insulation shield
- Fire-grade silicone sealant
Instructions
How to Install a Wood Stove
Choose the Room for the Wood Stove
Choose a room for the wood stove that is best for distributing the heat to other areas. Spacious rooms utilize the heat most efficiently. Wood stoves are essentially space heaters. They mainly heat one room, not the entire home, but some heat will pass into other areas.
Find a Location for the Wood Stove
Within the room, find a suitable location for the wood stove in the home. Keep clearances in mind. Some municipalities may allow you to reduce some clearance by adding certain fire-retardant materials, plus extra clearance for air space. Consider the stove pipe's exit location. So, avoid locating the pipe directly below rafters, wires, or other obstructions in the attic.
Wood Stove Clearances
Code relating to wood-burning stoves likely will differ from one municipality to another. Sample code clearances:
- Side of the stove to a side or back wall: 20 inches minimum
- Stove pipe to any wall: 26-3/4 inches minimum
- Room height: 84 inches minimum
- Floor protector length, front: 18 inches, minimum
- Floor protector length, sides: 8 inches, minimum
- Top of chimney, above roof: 36 inches minimum
Obtain Permits
Obtain a building permit to install the wood stove from the local building department. A building or fire inspector will inspect the work after completion and either approve the permit or ask for changes.
Install the Floor Protector Pad
Install the floor protector hearth pad so that the wood stove is centered on the pad and complies with side clearance requirements.
Create a Roof Opening for the Stove Pipe
- Mark the center of the stove pipe cut spot on the ceiling with a laser-level plumb bob function or a string plumb bob.
- Cut the stove pipe opening with a reciprocating saw or a manual drywall jab saw.
- Pull out insulation.
- Run a screw upward through the roof deck at the center of the hole until the end pieces through the shingles.
- On the roof, lay the roof flashing down, with the screw from below centered in the flashing. Reach in and draw a hole for the ceiling support box.
- Cut through the shingles and the roof deck plywood or OSB.
Warning
Always check for ceiling joists and rafters. Make sure proper clearances for stove pipe can be obtained before locating the stove's position.
Add the Ceiling Support Box
From the roof, fit the ceiling support box into place. Tuck the top flaps of the ceiling support box under the surrounding shingles.
Add the Wall Protection and Spacing (Optional)
Install wall protection if the wood stove is to be located close to combustible walls, but only if permitted by local authorities. In many cases, the wall protector may be 24-gauge sheet metal, 1/2-inch non-combustible insulating board, or a brick wall. Space all materials except for sheet metal 1/2-inch from the combustible wall. Space the sheet metal 1-inch from the wall.
Install Roof Flashing
On the roof, cut the roofing nails adjacent to the ceiling support box. Slide the flashing under the shingles on the top section (the side facing the roof ridge), with the flashing over the shingles on the lower section. Apply exterior-grade silicone caulking under the flashing.
Add the Storm Collar to the Stove Pipe
Install the top sections of the chimney stove pipe in a telescoping fashion until it is 36 inches or higher above the roof. Slide the protective storm collar over the top of the stove pipe and caulk it to the stove pipe with a generous bead of fire-grade silicone sealant.
Tip
Steeply-pitched roofs will require higher stove pipes. Add a horizontal metal stand-off (brace) at least every eight vertical feet.
Add the Stove Pipe Cap
Add the stove pipe cap to the top of the stove pipe to finish off the roof-level work.
Add the Attic Insulation Shield (Optional)
Add the attic insulation shield around the ceiling support box in the attic if items in the attic may come into contact with the box.
Install the Wood Stove
Position the wood stove on the hearth, with its outlet directly below the ceiling support box.
Finish the Stove Pipe
Building the telescoping stove pipe sections from the wood stove's outlet to the bottom of the ceiling support box. Attach it to the upper section of stove pipe.
Tip
Off-set stove pipe bends are available if the wood stove and stove pipe aren't perfectly aligned. Even so, a wood stove draws most freely if the stove pipe is in a straight vertical line.
Add the Fire Bricks
Place the included fire bricks in the wood stove. The fire bricks should line the sides and the bottom of the wood stove.
Light a Test Fire
Check all connections, then light a small test fire. Observe the top of the stove pipe from outside, as well as the stove from inside the house.
When to Call a Professional
Installing a wood stove is a complex project, so it's usually best to have a professional help you navigate the code requirements and to do the entire job. If you want to install the wood stove by yourself but need some help, a roofer or general contractor can help with installing the ceiling support box and stove pipe in the roof. This is a weather-dependent job that should be completed within a day.
FAQ
Can I install a wood stove myself?
You can install a wood stove by yourself. Local, state, and federal regulations can be complex, though, so it's usually best to have a professional install the wood stove for you.
How far does a wood stove need to be away from a wall?
A wood stove needs to be as far away from a wall or more, as permitted by local authorities. Wood stove wall clearance requirements vary. In some areas, the wood stove needs to be 20 inches away from the wall, while in other areas 24-inch clearance is required.
How do I fireproof a wall behind a wood stove?
Fireproof a wall behind a wood stove with 24-gauge sheet metal, 1/2-inch non-combustible insulating board, or a brick wall. Add a 1/2-inch air space behind the insulating board or the brick. Add a 1-inch space behind the sheet metal. Check with local requirements for fireproofing a wall behind a wood stove.
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