Potbelly stove for the garage: do it yourself

Advantages and disadvantages

A potbelly stove, like any device, not just a heating one, has its own undeniable advantages, but also the same kind of disadvantages.

Positive qualities include:

1. Inexpensive material for the firebox. Anything that can burn will do, from propane fuel, firewood and peat to any waste. In this case, no modifications are required to switch to another fuel.
2. A DIY potbelly stove will be inexpensive compared to more expensive stoves.
3. The compact size of the potbelly stove allows you to eliminate the need for a foundation and a major chimney.

The disadvantages of a potbelly stove are due to its advantages:

1. Effective ventilation of the heated room is necessary.
2. The design of the unit does not provide for heat accumulation, so as soon as the supply of fuel stops, the stove instantly cools down.
3. High fuel consumption.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=9bm6rwog-EU

Potbelly stove with water circuit

By upgrading an ordinary potbelly stove, you can get an original, effective source of heat in case of emergency, which will not interfere with any home.

This can be done in two ways:

1. Place the water jacket on the burner pipe
2. Loop several copper pipes around the outer body of the potbelly stove, thus forming a coil.

The turns of the coil tubes should be located at a distance of 5 cm from the perforated stove body and connected to the main heating system. Place a screen outside the coil to reflect the heat. It is made of tin, aluminum, galvanized steel.

Water jacket - a tank located on the top of the furnace, the body of which contains fittings (2 - water is supplied/discharged). The result is a structure similar to a samovar.

It is also advisable to install a thermometer.

How to increase draft in a potbelly stove using a chimney

The design of a high-efficiency potbelly stove chimney should have the following features:

• The chimney should be made high enough. So, the optimal distance from the furnace itself to the top of the pipe is about 5-6 m.
• There should be no horizontal or inclined sections of less than 45 degrees in the pipe shape, or their number should be kept to a minimum.

An increase in the efficiency of a potbelly stove will also be facilitated by the creation of thermal insulation on the pipe, which will significantly reduce the damage from the formation of condensation.

• When establishing the cross-section of the chimney, you need to choose the optimal size. If at the time of establishing the efficiency of the potbelly stove there is already a too narrow chimney, you can put a deflector on top, which will protect the structure from precipitation and increase draft.
• The height of the pipe should also be affected by the level of the ridge. If the chimney is lower than it, you need to extend the pipe.

Tip: The draft force in the stove is determined by the color of the flame: if there is not enough air, it is red with dark stripes, if there is too much air, it is bright white, and the chimney often makes a hum. If the color of the flame is golden-orange, then the potbelly stove’s draft is normal.

Advantages of potbelly stoves and their disadvantages

Disadvantages inherent in such ovens:

• It is necessary to prevent combustion products (coals, sparks) from falling out of the firebox.
• To avoid burns (from very hot stove walls), children’s access to it should be limited.
• Heating requires a large amount of combustible materials - it is more advisable to create a stove for short-term use.

Pros of using potbelly stoves:

• The choice of solid fuel is unlimited: you can buy peat or coal, prepare firewood for it or use sawdust and wood chips, briquettes and pellets are suitable, some use machine oil (recycled) as fuel.
• It can be created with your own hands and from easily accessible raw materials.
• It has a low cost.
• It is compact - it can fit even in a cramped room, for example, you can design a potbelly stove for a garage.
• It is mobile, even when made from thick sheets of metal.
• Heating of the room when it is ignited occurs quickly.

Simple chimney maintenance for a potbelly stove

To increase the service life of the unit and ensure its proper operation, you need to perform simple work every year before the start of the season:

• Inspect the chimney for defects caused by rust or other reasons.
• If necessary, clean the inside of the chimney from soot twice a year. Mechanical cleaning with a brush and a weight is not very suitable for such a chimney, so it is better to use special chemicals that are burned along with the fuel and help remove soot.

Video: installation and installation of a chimney for a potbelly stove

By following all the rules during the construction and use of a potbelly stove chimney, you can get a complete heating system that can safely heat both a garage and an entire house.

The removal of combustion products from simple iron stoves used for heating cottages, garages and residential premises has some peculiarities. We will discuss them in this publication, and at the same time consider how to properly make a chimney for a potbelly stove in various ways.

Stove "dropper"

This stove is ideal for a small garage that does not have heating or electricity. Such an effective design can be assembled with your own hands.

It has the following advantages:

• saves fuel;
• easily moves to a new place;
• easy to use;
• It is also used for cooking.

To assemble such a unit, you will need the following materials and elements:

• metal in sheets;
• copper pipe;
• pipe branch;
• rubber hose;
• gas cylinder;
• screws;
• burner.

When constructing such a model, the following tools will be needed:

• welding machine;
• drill;
• clamp.

Work on the manufacture of this model will be safe if you place the structure in a place without drafts, away from flammable objects.

Features and principle of operation of a potbelly stove

Unlike a classic stove, a potbelly stove does not require a foundation, a complex chimney, or a platform. You can heat with wood, sawdust, wood chips, peat, coal, and used machine oil. Simple design and installation are available for DIY by people with basic metal working knowledge. Due to its small dimensions and weight, a homemade potbelly stove can easily be placed even in a small garage.

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Compared to a brick stove, a potbelly stove cools down quickly. Therefore, to maintain a comfortable temperature, you will have to heat it the entire time you are in the garage. The metal becomes very hot, which can cause burns if accidentally touched.

The principle of operation of a potbelly stove is the same as that of a classic stove:

• the air necessary for fuel combustion enters the firebox through the ash pan;
• the heat generated heats the walls;
• combustion products are removed through the chimney due to natural draft;
• The rate of fuel combustion is regulated by the position of the ash door.

The principle of operation of a potbelly stove

On wood or waste oil

Depending on the size, a potbelly stove can be used to heat not only small, but also large rooms. In addition to machine oil, you can use other types of oil and diesel fuel.

The advantages of the stove during testing include:

• no need to be distracted by adding firewood, one filling lasts for a long time;
• due to 2-stage combustion, the efficiency is higher than that of its wood-burning counterpart;
• The potbelly stove does not smoke during production in any weather.

Disadvantages include:

• noise;
• when burned, the waste emits a specific odor, so ventilation is required;
• the need for frequent cleaning of the combustion chamber and chimney;
• the difficulty of removing the coked layer formed during oil combustion from the lower chamber.

The main advantage of a wood-burning stove is the ability to use any solid fuel. Disadvantages to consider:

• The efficiency is low, since a significant part of the heat flies out into the pipe;
• the need to regularly add firewood, break firebrands, and ensure that coals do not jump out of the firebox;
• time spent on fuel preparation;
• small range of regulation of the combustion process.

The characteristics of the stove during testing are better, but according to fire safety rules, the room for its installation must be equipped with supply and exhaust ventilation. Fulfilling this requirement is difficult for private owners, so they make a potbelly stove for the garage with their own hands using wood.

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How to heat a garage

Garage heating systems can be very different. The choice depends on the location of the garage.

It could be:

• A separate building . In this case, the development of an individual heating system is required.
• Extension to a residential building . It is mainly heated, like a house, in a common heating system.

There are several types of garage heating, which differ in the principle of operation of the heat source:

• Heating with gas. It is organized on the basis of a gas boiler, it has a high generator efficiency, as well as a low fuel price. The big disadvantage is that there is not always access to centralized gas supply.
• Heating with solid fuel. In this case, stoves are installed, including homemade potbelly stoves for the garage. Such heating is considered the most effective and cheapest way to heat a room. The following can be used as fuel:

1. pallets;
2. firewood;
3. coal.

• Electric. For heating, a mobile heat source is installed in the room, which operates from the electrical network. It is possible to choose a device of any power and type, but the cost of heating a garage can be quite high.
• Heating by working out. Used engine oil is used as an alternative fuel. For this purpose, special thermal installations, manufactured in factories or home-made, are used.

Tip: The most effective, economical, easy to maintain and popular heating method is to use a potbelly stove in the garage.

When using such a stove, special safety requirements must be observed:

• Potbelly stoves can only be installed in rooms where there is good exhaust and supply ventilation.
• Wood, fuels and lubricants and objects that can easily ignite should not be placed near the stove.

Step-by-step instructions for making a stove

Step 1. In our example, we use a simple 250-liter barrel with thick walls - ideal for making a stove. Cut off the top of the barrel, but do not throw it away.

The top of the barrel has been cut off

Step 2. Make a kind of lid from the top - a “pancake” for oxygen supply. Adjust it to the size of the barrel - as a result, when installed, there should be 2 mm between it and the walls around the entire circumference. Weld the neck of the lid. In its center, make a hole to install a pipe through which air will be supplied. Also weld 4 channels, as in the photo below.

“Pancake” for air supplyAnother photo of the element

Step 3. Stepping back a little from the top edge, cut another hole in the barrel wall for installing a chimney. In our example, the chimney will be a pipe with a diameter of 140 mm.

Hole for chimney installation

Step 4. Start making the lid. Make it from sheet metal 4 mm thick, and weld a sealing ring at the bottom corresponding to the diameter of the barrel. In the center of the lid, make a hole for the pipe that was welded to the “pancake”.

Cover for the ovenIn the middle of the cover there is a hole for the air duct from the “pancake”

Step 5. Make simple legs at the bottom of the barrel to make the structure stable. The legs must be metal, as well as all other elements.

Making legs for the stoveThe legs must be metal

Step 6. Install the stove in the desired location and begin creating the chimney. In our example, it is of a prefabricated type. First of all, make a clamp with which the chimney will be attached to the body.

A clamp that will allow you to attach the chimney to the stove

Step 7. Make guides in the chimney, thanks to which it can be easily fixed to the body.

Guides in the chimney

Step 8. Join the barrel with the pipe, making sure to lay all the joints with asbestos fabric. Place a clamp over the fabric and tighten it.

Asbestos fabricTightening the clamp over the fabricThe finished joint between the pipe and the barrel

Step 9. That's it, the structure is assembled, you can check its functionality. Load sawdust or firewood inside.

The stove is loaded with fuel

Step 10: Add used oil to the fuel, then install the cap. As for the “pancake”, don’t use it yet. After the fuel ignites, remove the lid and place the “pancake”. To fully warm up such a structure, it takes about 10 minutes; in the future, the firewood will burn for a long time. Although exactly how long the combustion will last largely depends on the quality of the fuel.

Photo of the finished stove for the garage

Video - Homemade potbelly stove for the garage

If you wish, you can modify the design described above, although it will already cope with its functions perfectly. For example, to increase efficiency, you can increase the surface area and thereby improve heat transfer. For this purpose, weld metal plates on the sides of the body.

In addition, you can make a grate with an ash pan: cut a circle from a sheet of metal along the inner diameter of the body, drill holes with a diameter of 60-80 cm and install from below. After this, the ash will be poured down through the holes - to where the ash pan is equipped. It is believed that this will cause the fuel to burn faster, remember this point and make sure that the ash pan is sealed as much as possible.

Making a potbelly stove with your own hands

When making a stove for your dacha yourself, you practically cannot do without:

• electric or gas welding machine;
• an angle grinder (“grinder”) with cutting and grinding wheels;
• a set of manual plumbing materials (calipers, ruler, hammer, drill, pliers, metal scissors, chisel, etc.).

The following materials are used to make a potbelly stove with your own hands:

• sheet metal with a thickness of at least 3 mm (because thinner metal will warp due to high temperature, or it will quickly burn out);
• housings of household gas cylinders (namely household ones, because industrial cylinders are too narrow for this purpose);
• metal barrels for fuels and lubricants (100 l, 200 l);
• metal rod (for the grate, all kinds of handles);

Pipes and elbows for potbelly stoves are usually made of tin. It is advisable to order their production from a master tinsmith, or purchase industrially manufactured ones at a hardware store.

The potbelly stove set consists of:

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• from the stove itself;
• composite chimney;
• from a set of pipes and elbows;
• damper (damper assembly for the chimney);
• cutting (the junction of the chimney through the window of the room or the awning of the tent);
• a metal scoop, a poker, a metal sheet and a box for solid fuel, which are necessary for servicing the stove.

Potbelly stove from a gas cylinder

Horizontal potbelly stove made from a gas cylinder

Installing a potbelly stove in a garage using a container with thicker metal walls. They are less fire hazardous and retain heat much better. The gas cylinder fully meets these requirements. Before starting work, you need to make sure that there are no explosive residues in the container. The absence of odor does not guarantee safety, so it is worth filling it with water and leaving it overnight. Before cutting, do not pour out the water. In order to remove the cylinder neck (outlet valve with tap), the following precautions should be followed:

• Place the cylinder on a hard surface and fasten it securely;
• Mark the cutting area;
• Cut with a grinder at low speed until a through hole appears;
• Wait until the water drops below the cut level;
• Continue sawing;
• After finishing, the water can be completely drained - the cylinder is safe.

Vertical potbelly stove made from a gas cylinder

A potbelly stove for a garage as a cylinder has many variations. It can be performed in both vertical and horizontal profiles. Most often it is used in a horizontal position. First, a place for the door is cut out; it can be made from a cut piece or bought ready-made at a hardware store. Next, on the lower side of the future potbelly stove we cut a hole the size of the cast-iron grate, as well as on the upper side a hole for installing a ventilation pipe. The cylinder is a ready-made combustion chamber; the ash pan is made of sheet metal and welded under the grate. For convenience, the potbelly stove should be placed at least 50 cm above the ground. The legs are made from small diameter pipes or angles.

The vertical version of the potbelly stove takes up much less space, so it is ideal for small garage spaces. With this placement, the cylinder is not divided into two chambers, but is also equipped with two doors. One, the larger one, is located above, fuel is loaded here, and the lower one, smaller, serves as a blower. The top part is cut off because it is convex. A sheet of metal is welded here, so the potbelly stove is equipped with a hob. In another case, you can select a cauldron that exactly fits the diameter of the resulting hole. You can boil water or cook food in it. At the bottom of the potbelly stove you need to install a homemade grate, which is made of iron rods. Ash will collect under the rods. To remove gaseous combustion products, a hole is made in the upper part for a pipe onto which the pipe is installed. You can choose for yourself how to install this type of stove.

Option #1 - reliable and efficient brick

Brick ovens are not often found in garages, since this option is quite labor-intensive. Such a device occupies a small area, approximately 2x2.5 bricks. For masonry, refractory bricks are taken, and a solution of sand, refractory clay and fireclay powder is mixed.

When making a brick oven for a garage, a special fireclay brick is used, and when mixing the solution, it is recommended to add fireclay powder

For the combustion chamber, fireclay bricks are used at the level of the second, third and fourth rows of brickwork. The height of such a brick kiln is usually nine bricks. To remove furnace gases, a brick chimney is installed into which a stainless steel sleeve is inserted. The chimney is usually brought out through the roof.

Beginning builders who decide to build a brick stove in the garage should discuss the nuances of the project with an experienced stove maker - after all, this is a whole science worthy of its own profession. If significant flaws are made during the work, the masonry will have to be destroyed and completely redone.

Types and materials for manufacturing

To build furnaces of this type yourself, there is no need to purchase specialized parts or manufacture individual particles. Sometimes even improvised materials are suitable for work, which can be bought at a very low cost or even received for free. But some requirements for metals and brick products used for the construction of the structure are absolutely justified.

Let's take a closer look at all the types of designs and the intricacies of manufacturing certain models.

Potbelly stove

Perhaps the most common option for a garage stove is a potbelly stove. Such models were popular at the beginning of the 20th century and, being easy to use and very practical, were able to practically replace fireplaces. Potbelly stoves were popular in houses and apartments until the advent of central heating, and after that they began to be used only when necessary.

A potbelly stove is a very economical product, since its production does not require any large expenses. For manufacturing, you can use, for example, propane cylinders or large iron pipes with dense walls, which must have considerable strength.

Iron barrels are also quite suitable, but their choice should be given special attention. The barrel should not be too large, since a stove with too large dimensions will be bulky and not entirely practical, but it should have fairly thick walls - from 2 to 5 mm

There are types of potbelly stoves with a water circuit, which are slightly different from the classic models. Heating of this structure is carried out by increasing the temperature of the water, as well as the evaporation of a certain amount of it, so the walls remain hot longer and radiate heat for a much longer time, heating the room.

The duration of heat distribution is the main advantage of this model, since the distribution and maintenance of heat can be enough even to heat a small country house. As for a small garage space, for those who spend most of their time working on the car, this is an excellent heating design option.

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Brick structures

In addition to compact and easy-to-use potbelly stoves, there is also a variant of brick structures, which has a number of both advantages and disadvantages.

This model retains heat much longer because it needs a longer time to cool down. This heat capacity is ensured both due to the thermoregulatory properties of the brick and due to the rather large weight of the structure as a whole.

For a brick model, it is necessary to have a damper, which is also called a blower, thanks to which you can regulate the temperature in the room. The main thing is to learn how to use such functions of this model, since improper use of the damper can even harm your health.

When making a brick oven yourself, you can save a lot of money, since the material is quite inexpensive, and the process is not so labor-intensive as to involve third-party labor. The main thing is to calculate the required amount of brick and cement, as well as purchase the necessary cast iron parts.

The heating power directly depends on the size of the firebox, therefore, depending on the functional features of the room itself, you can make a suitable size heating structure with the appropriate power.

But, unfortunately, this product also has some disadvantages that can slightly overshadow the process of using the stove.

This design takes a long time to cool down, but it also heats up for quite a long time, so some problems may arise with quickly warming up the room. In addition, in order to maintain a certain temperature in the room, it is necessary to light the stove daily.

Stages of installation of a stove-stove

Before installing a potbelly stove, you should decide whether to purchase a ready-made stove or make it yourself. For self-production, you will need a design diagram. How to install a potbelly stove?

When choosing a finished metal stove, it is important to evaluate whether the power of the device indicated in the documentation will be sufficient to heat the room. Modern models occupying 1 sq. m of room area, can heat a room of 35 square meters. m.

Another factor that you should pay attention to when choosing is the presence of cold bridges in the room. If cold penetrates the room, then all the efforts of a small stove will be in vain. Therefore, before installing a potbelly stove, you will need to assess the condition of the room, carry out minor repairs and prepare a special place where the potbelly stove will be installed. If you plan to purchase a potbelly stove for a cottage, then you should buy a two-tier potbelly stove.

You can buy a ready-made oven in a specialized store. This is a suitable choice for those who do not have the necessary knowledge or time to make a stove themselves. For others, a homemade potbelly stove would be a more preferable option. It’s easy to make, just collect all the materials and prepare a diagram.

The simplest option is a cylindrical stove, the diameter of which is 30 or 45 cm, and the height reaches 80 cm. The main disadvantage of such designs is the almost complete absence of draft control.

To make such a stove, any unused pipe of the appropriate size, an unused gas cylinder or an old barrel will be suitable. The grate is made of metal and installed by welding. You can make two holes on the stove body (for the firebox and the blower).

To ensure that the potbelly stove retains heat well, you can make brick screens. Any brick, even broken or split, is suitable for this purpose. But only in cases where a potbelly stove is installed as a temporary replacement for fireplaces or central heating. Otherwise, it is better to use higher quality material.

Operation technology

When using a potbelly stove, you should follow important rules:

• maintain a safe distance between the stove and the walls;
• the chimney should only be taken outside;
• the place where the pipe goes outside is covered with solutions;
• It is recommended to place a box of sand and hang a fire extinguisher next to the device.

These recommendations will extend the life of the stove and improve safety.

Safe installation of the heating device

It is extremely important to follow fire safety rules when installing a potbelly stove. The best place is the far corner of the room, opposite the gate

The chimney is led only to the street.

If the garage walls are made of wood, then the stove is installed at some distance. The wall itself near the device is covered with a metal sheet or concreted. It would be correct to attach a metal sheet at the base of the stove.

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Preparation of heating material

A popular fuel for potbelly stoves is wood. They need to be thoroughly dried and sawn. The size of the firewood should be approximately 25 cm. Store the firewood in a dry, ventilated area, protected from precipitation. Oak, birch, apple, and cherry warm up the room well. Do not use spruce or pine. They produce little heat and produce a lot of soot during combustion.

Cleaning the oven

The stove should be cleaned periodically to prevent dirt and soot from accumulating in the chimney. For the work, purchase a special chimney brush. But you can make the device yourself. A brush with stiff bristles is attached to the end of the stick:

• Before starting work, cover the opening in the firebox with a rag.
• Initially, make several movements in the chimney.
• Then they take out all the accumulated garbage.

All actions are carried out carefully so as not to damage the surface of the structure.

How to improve draft in a potbelly stove using fuel

Only an oven that is not filled to the brim can ensure sufficient air circulation. Determining the sufficient amount of fuel can be done as follows:

• Prepare a standard size bucket and put fuel in it.
• Place a small portion in the firebox and light it.
• Continue adding fuel until the beginning of the hog - a horizontal chimney for removing gases - takes on a cherry tint. This volume will be minimal.
• Add fuel and watch the far part of the hog - 1/5 of it should remain dark. This figure will be the maximum.

Video: instructions for increasing the efficiency of a potbelly stove

Thus, with fairly simple actions that do not require costs, you can increase the efficiency of the potbelly stove and extend the service life of its individual parts.