A barrel stove is an economical and effective way to keep warm in the winter. DIY enthusiasts love these stoves because they can be assembled with just a few hours’ work and some common, inexpensive materials, and they’re built to last thanks to their simple design.
Considering a barrel stove for your next DIY project? Check out this easy-to-use guide from Air Sea Containers. We’ll tell you what you need to know before starting a barrel stove project and show you how to assemble your barrel stove safely so that you can create a high-quality heating device for your outdoor and semi-enclosed spaces.
What is a Barrel Stove?
First, let’s establish what you’ll be building and how it works. A barrel stove is a simple type of wood-burning stove made from a steel shipping barrel. You’ll cut a hole in this barrel and install a door, a flue to allow the smoke to flow outside, a damper to regulate air flow, and legs to support the stove.
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Barrel stoves are an extremely durable and practical source of heat. They burn wood, which is a relatively inexpensive fuel that can be collected from the natural world, and they are fairly simple to operate.
Before you start this project, be aware of these facts:
- Barrel stoves are not safe for heating the interior of your home. However, they can make a great heating solution for outdoor or semi-outdoor structures such as a garage or workshop, so long as proper safety precautions are taken.
- Barrel stoves may not be legal for use in your enclosed structure, depending on your jurisdiction. Do some research first—start with the EPA’s regulations for wood-burning appliances site, then check with local housing code authorities to learn about whether barrel stoves are legal in your area.
- Barrel stoves used inside any kind of structure need to be properly vented using a flue pipe and chimney.
Equipment for Building a Barrel Stove
To build your barrel stove, you’ll need the following:
- One 55 gallon closed-head steel shipping drum
- Barrel stove kit
- Barrel stove grate
- Jigsaw with blades for metal cutting
- Drill with bit for metal drilling
- Heavy-duty marker
- High temperature paint (optional)
- Safety goggles
- ¾” metal bung cap
- 2” metal bung plug
- Face mask
If you’re using your stove in an enclosed structure, you’ll also need the following materials for venting it:
- Flue pipe
- Class A double-walled chimney pipe
- Chimney thimble
- ½” sheet metal screws
1. Get your materials together.
First, you’ll need a clean and structurally sound closed-head steel shipping drum. (Don’t use anything that’s rusty or otherwise less than perfect structurally.) Air Sea Containers offers low prices on used steel barrels for sale that are ideal for barrel stove projects. Our steel barrels for sale are professionally reconditioned, so you can jump right into building your stove without worrying about leftover chemical residue on the drum.
You’ll also need to purchase a barrel stove kit. These are available from most home improvement retailers, as well as through online retailers like Amazon. A barrel stove kit will include all of the key components for your barrel stove, including a door assembly, legs, flue, and damper.
Finally, you’ll need a jigsaw and a drill with blades and bits that are rated for cutting and drilling sheet metal, as well as some safety goggles to protect your eyes while cutting. Assemble all of your tools in an outdoor space, garage, or workshop, and you’re ready to get started.
2. Attach the door and plug the bungs.
Set your barrel on end with the bung end facing up and place the door assembly on top of the barrel. This will be the front end of your stove where you’ll install a door and load wood into the stove. Use a marker to trace the outline of the stove door on the end surface of the barrel.
Take your drill and drill a hole in one corner of the outline. Then, using a jigsaw with a metal-cutting blade attached, cut out the rest of the shape. Remember to wear safety glasses and a face mask to prevent potential injuries from metal fragments.
When the hole is done, make sure the door fits over it. Using the bolt holes on the door as a guide, drill holes for the bolts that will attach the door. Then, use the nuts and bolts provided to attach it.
At this point, you should also take your removable metal bung cap and bung plug and use them to seal the bungs on your barrel. This will prevent smoke from escaping from the bungs, but it will also allow you to use them to adjust air flow as needed.
3. Attach the legs.
Next, you’ll need to attach two sets of legs to the barrel. Take the legs provided in your barrel stove kit and set each pair up in a standing position. Place the barrel lengthwise on top of the legs, with one set at the front (near the stove’s door) and the other one at the back. Make sure the drum is stable and the door is straight, then mark where the bolt holes for the legs will go.
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Then, take your drill and make holes for the bolts that will attach the legs. Attach each set using the included nuts and bolts, and now you’ve got the basic structure of your stove assembled.
4. Install the damper collar assembly.
The damper collar assembly is the final piece of your barrel stove kit. It forms a key component of your barrel stove that holds the flue pipe in place and allows the barrel stove’s user to control the flow of air. Your kit should come with a damper collar assembly that looks like a ring-shaped flange with a small metal rod attached.
With the stove set up in its horizontal position, place the damper collar assembly on top of the cylindrical part of the barrel, at the opposite end from the door. Mark the locations of all of the screws, then use the metal rod to flip the damper open. Trace the inside of the damper collar.
Now, you’ll use your drill and jigsaw to cut holes for mounting the damper assembly, much as you did with the door. Attach the damper collar using the included screws when you’ve finished the cuts.
5. Install a grate.
It’s a good idea to add a grate to your barrel stove to hold your firewood and protect the bottom of the stove. Amazon and other online retailers offer slide-in cast iron grates that can be easily installed inside a barrel stove without using tools. It’s also possible to DIY a grate from metal pipes and chicken wire. Just make sure that anything you use is fire safe and not coated with substances that will burn off in a fire.
6. Paint the stove (optional).
Shipping barrels from Air Sea Containers come pre-painted, but if you want your stove to be a certain color, you can paint it with high temperature paint. Barbecue grill paint is a popular choice and can give your barrel stove an attractive glossy finish. If your piping isn’t already painted, you may want to paint it as well.
7. Decide how to vent your stove.
If you’re using your stove in any enclosed space such as a workshop, you’ll need to attach a flue pipe to your stove and vent it somewhere outside if you want to direct the smoke that will come out of the damper hole. This is a critical step to avoid being choked by smoke whenever you build a fire and to prevent hazardous conditions.
First, you’ll need a vent pipe that fits your damper collar. Measure the size of the collar and find a pipe at your local home improvement store that fits it. Remove the damper rod and damper cover, then attach the flue pipe by driving ½” sheet metal screws through the screw holes in the damper collar.
The best venting strategy for small structures like garages and workshops is typically to run your vent pipe straight up to a chimney that goes through the roof of the structure. You’ll need Class A double-walled chimney pipe and a chimney thimble, and you’ll need to install it properly to avoid leaks and fire hazards. Do not run your vent pipe directly through the roof, a wall, or a window.
Safety Notes: We recommend strictly using your barrel stove outside to avoid any possible injuries or damage. If not properly set up or installed, improperly maintained flame can quickly get out of hand and become hazardous.
Unless you’re using your stove outside, venting will be the most challenging part of building your barrel stove, so read up on methods of venting a wood stove. Whatever you do, don’t get impatient and start using your stove before it’s safe to do so.
8. Enjoy your stove.
Your stove is now ready to go! Before you fire it up, read the following tips to make sure you can enjoy your stove safely and minimize fire hazards.
Barrel Stove Safety
Before you start using your barrel stove, you should be aware of these key safety considerations:
- Once again, a barrel stove is not suitable for indoor residential use. Using one indoors will almost certainly violate your local residential fire code.
- Clean your stove regularly to prevent buildup of combustion products like creosote, which can cause fires.
- Barrel stoves get very hot and have a relatively large footprint, so they need to have a minimum of three feet of clearance from walls, furniture, and anything else combustible in every direction. Don’t put your barrel stove somewhere where it will be easy to touch by accident, and don’t put it in any area where small children might be around it.
- Use a pair of fireplace gloves any time you touch your stove while it’s hot.
Air Sea Containers’ selection of shipping and packaging materials is perfect for DIY enthusiasts, and our affordable prices on items like metal barrels for sale make it easy to get the components you need. Want to check out some other interesting projects you can create with shipping barrels? You might like our guide to making a floating dock with 55 gallon drums.
