Woodstove user tips

[Scooby074]

Here are some pictures of my three ton soapstone stove. From left to right, the front, the bake oven on the back side (I was working on the floor tile), and the chimney (flue exits at floor level, goes under the bench and up the chimney).

It is a Tulikivi brand, if you go to their web site, you can see a lot of models and info.
Fireplaces, bakeovens, sauna, natural stone, dishware | Tulikivi

This is the web site of Steve Busch, the guy who installed/built ours. Steve is a trustworthy, straight-up person.
Maine Masonry Stove Company

There are other masonry stoves, of course. If you have the space, very large and elaborate custom brick units with multiple bake ovens and such are possible that are integral to the floor plan. You can pretty much design your own exterior shape--within limits of course.

The cost is high. Our stove installed was $18,600, plus another ~$2K for the chimney. You could probably find less expensive types, or build your own. Building your own requires some experience/knowledge with heat expansion, high-temp mortars, flue design and so forth, I believe.

Masonry heaters are a good fit as area heaters in tight and well-insulated houses. They radiate a very gentle heat for hours and hours. You can touch ours anywhere except the glass door and there is no danger of burning your hand. You should be able to hold your hand on the stone and count to five before having to pull away. And that is at the hottest place on the stove at the end of a burn. That gives you an idea of the surface temp and heat produced. They are not a good heat source fit for houses that need lots of btu's.

Absolutely a beautiful stove, Dave!

I drooled over a small Tulikivi at a home show... but alas, it was far too expensive for my budget.

 

[cartod]

How long do you all season your wood? We won't burn anything less than 4 years. Maybe a rare occasion 3 years if the tree was on the ground to start with. We clean the stack regularly but never really have a buildup.

Wow!.....

 

[vtsnowedin]

You can get a stack thermometer from Bascoms maple. Maple Supplies and Equipment - Bascom Maple Farms - Home for$41.95 . It ranges from 200 to 1000 Deg. F and has a five inch stem. Made for stainless steel sugar arch stacks but would work on any stove pipe.

 

[dave1949]

Absolutely a beautiful stove, Dave!

I drooled over a small Tulikivi at a home show... but alas, it was far too expensive for my budget.

Ha Ha, mine too. The wife fell in love with a Tulikivi. Somewhere in that stone, my ATV is hiding. :laughing: