Can you put a wood burner in a garage?

Wood burning stoves suitable for a garage

Suitable for heating a wide variety of different living spaces, wood burning stoves (also known as wood burners) are incredibly popular. Not only do they provide an efficient and carbon neutral form of heating, they also convey an enormous sense of wellbeing, a phenomenon which was explored by American scientist Professor Edward O Wilson in his 1984 publication of the biophilia hypothesis which suggested that human beings have deep intrinsic connections with the natural world, including fire.

One of the most efficient ways to heat a property, a wood burning stove or wood burner is capable of heating just a room or even an entire home, while helping to keep your energy bills low. Functional and aesthetically pleasing, a wood burning stove or wood burner also provides an attractive focal point in any living area.

Why you might want to install a wood burning stove in a garage

Garages are no longer places where the car is kept. During the COVID lockdowns we came to appreciate all the living space we have available and we have been involved in several projects where garages have been converted into gymns, workshops and even cinema rooms. Installing a wood burning stove can be an attractive option for heating a garage during the colder months. With rising energy costs, a wood burner in a garage provides an efficient and cost-effective way to warm this usually uninsulated part of your home. However, there are some important factors to consider before installing a wood burner in a garage.

Building Regulations

The first thing to check is whether you need planning permission or need to comply with any building regulations. You generally do not need planning permission to install a stove in an existing garage. However, building regulations may apply regarding the structural integrity of the floor and ventilation requirements. Your local authority building control department can advise if you need to apply for approval.

Location and Clearances

When siting your stove, it’s crucial to ensure it has adequate clearances from any combustible materials. Most stoves require at least 300 mm clearance at the sides and 300-500 mm at the rear. There should also be at least 1200 mm clearance above the stove to combustible materials like the garage roof. The stove needs an adequately sized non-combustible hearth beneath it too.

Insulation and Ventilation

Garages generally have poor insulation compared to the main house. Installing a stove will generate a lot of heat. So, you need to ensure the room can cope with the temperatures and has ventilation to prevent it overheating when the stove is alight. 

Chimney or Flue Requirements

Wood burning stoves require a suitable chimney or flue system. There are a few options for installing a flue in a garage. If you have a masonry wall adjoining the garage, the flue can pass through this before extending above roof height. 

Alternatively, some stoves can be fitted with an insulated twin-walled flue pipe. This can rise vertically to exit through the garage roof. The flue terminal needs to extend at least 1.2m above the roof apex to ensure adequate draw and smoke dispersal, depending on the make of the stove.

Balanced flues, however, can work with reduced heights as they are no sensitive to local variations in wind pressure.

A qualified HETAS approved installer will be able to advise you on the best flue options.

Other Factors – Choice of wood fuel, logs or pellets?

Unless you own your own forest or are happy to pay premium prices for buying a single bag of wood fuel at a time, then you will need to allocate some storage space so that you can buy wood-fuel in bulk which is the most cost-effective way. For the same energy content then you will need approximately twice as much room for storing logs compared with pellets. For a typical 5 kW stove then you will probably use up to a tonne of wood pellets (or 2 tonnes of logs) over a winter. This much wood-pellet fuel will take up storage space for a “euro-pallet’s” worth of wood pellets, typically delivered in 10 kg or 15 kg bags and stacked on a pallet with a footprint of 800 mm x 1200mm. An out-building is the ideal space for storing this. The storage space required for logs depends largely on how neatly stacked they are!

There are a few other considerations when installing a stove in a garage:

• Choose an efficient and controllable model, like one of our pellet stoves – this will prevent the space overheating.
• Opt for a stove with a wide glass window to enjoy the flickering flames.
• Ensure you have adequate home insurance cover for installing a stove.

With careful planning and preparation, installing a wood burner in your garage can provide an effective way to enjoy cosy warmth in this once unheatable space. Talk to us to ensure it is done safely and legally.

Further Information

Island Pellet Stoves Ltd has been installing wood pellet stoves anywhere in England or Wales since 2015.

Our website has a range of resources and frequently asked questions to help you plan your project and to get the best from your wood burning stove or wood burner. Follow the link below for more information or give us a call on – 0330 111 4747