Potbelly stove fireplace with photo: how to choose, firebox with stove and stove decor

Modern long-burning cast iron stoves with a power of 10 to 13 kW are especially popular among consumers. Thanks to this structure, it is possible to maintain a constant temperature in the living room. In addition, this type of heater has many positive qualities: low cost, easy installation, stylish design.

The only drawback of this design is its heavy weight. A 10 kW model weighs about 100 kg. As a result of this, it is equated to a conventional furnace structure.

Cast iron wood stoves can heat two small rooms. Interesting design allows you to choose the right model. Specialized stores offer many varieties of such heaters.

Zoning

Designers do not advise giving in to fashion trends and copying design ideas without taking into account dimensions, location and other nuances. Before planning and arranging furniture, every detail is thought through.

There are several simple rules that experts advise you to follow:

Let the room have natural light. To do this, remove excess walls (except for load-bearing ones).
If the rooms in the apartment are small (12 sq. m or 16 sq. m), the layout of the kitchen combined with the dining room will be the right solution.
If the ventilation system is not designed correctly, the smell of food will spread throughout the apartment.

Partitions

The interior of the kitchen and living room begins to be thought out from the junction of the two zones.

installation of a bar counter;
kitchen island;
big table;
installation of a low partition.

Designers advise installing a wide counter, since you can sit at it like at a regular table, and high chairs are quite suitable for the whole family.

However, in small rooms (16 sq m), narrow counters are installed. Kitchen islands are convenient to use, but are only suitable for large kitchen-dining rooms (25 sq m or 30 sq m). Capital low partitions are installed only if it has been decided in advance what they will be used for (for example, as a TV stand).

Advantages and disadvantages of using potbelly stoves

By analogy with any other heating devices, potbelly stoves also have certain pros and cons in their operation.

Among the positive properties, the following can be noted:

use of an unlimited range of solid fuels - firewood, sawdust, coal, wood chips, briquettes, pellets, peat, etc. In some cases, even recycled motor oil is used as fuel;
the ability to make a potbelly stove with your own hands (see drawings below) practically from scrap materials;
compact size of the oven, which allows it to be placed even in a small room;
there is no need to install a chimney, foundation and platform.

Negative characteristics include:

the need to protect against combustion objects falling out of the firebox - embers, sparks, etc.;
strong and rapid heating of the oven walls, which increases the risk of injury to others;
high fuel consumption - it is rational to use such a stove only for short-term heating.

We recommend reading: DIY garage heating

Finishing

If the kitchen combined with the living room has the same floor covering, then there are no special rules for carrying out the work. When combining different materials, take into account in advance where they will be joined.

For example, laminate flooring creates unsightly joints with tiles. The main thing is that the floor is flat without curved joints, as they will be noticeable.

Kitchen cabinets that are mounted on the walls should reach the ceilings. In some cases, craftsmen “lower” the ceiling with plasterboard.

The process of making a potbelly stove

When all the materials have been collected and a suitable scheme has been found, then it’s time to start collecting. The process consists of several stages.

The combustion chamber occupies the largest area of the structure (250x250 mm), since this is where firewood is loaded. The larger the bottom area, the more convenient it will be to stack firewood.

Ash pan - not all models have it. Air supply can also be provided by making holes in the door. Ash can be removed directly from the firebox, and if an ash pan is installed, there is no need to weld it, just screw it in.

Grate – separates the combustion chamber and the ash pan. The distance between the bars of the grill should not be 1 cm. It is installed on the corners.

Furniture items

A few examples of furnishing a kitchen combined with a living room:

1. Sofa. It becomes an object that zones space. The sofa is placed with its back facing the place where food is prepared. In small rooms (less than 20 sq m) a corner is placed, which is placed against a wall installed perpendicular or parallel to the kitchen.
2. Set. According to designers, minimalist models without elaborate details look modern. The service, vases or glasses are placed on an open shelf. You can buy a fashionable display case for them. Furniture is placed near the wall. If the space is large (20 sq. m, 25 sq. m or 30 sq. m), then in the central part you can install an island, which also has sections for kitchen appliances.
3. Furniture set. The style should be combined with the design of both rooms. In small rooms, a compact table and chairs made of transparent material or painted in light colors look good. You can add a table with a round top to your living room interior. In spacious rooms, the kit is installed near the wall or in the central part. An elongated rectangular dining table would look good here.

How to do it yourself?

Manufacturing options:

Rectangular oven

It is a metal box; you can independently weld the structure from steel sheets. For a rectangular potbelly stove, an old car tank or box will do just fine.

Typically, this form is chosen when it is necessary to cook food on the stove.

On the spacious platform you can place 2 large pans or containers for heating water at once.

The manufacturing principle is simple: doors are built to cover the ashpit and combustion chamber, a hole is made for the chimney, combustion products must leave the room in a timely manner, otherwise you can inhale carbon monoxide.

From a gas cylinder

The most common type of potbelly stove. The cylinders have thick walls, making the stove durable, mobile, and fireproof.

First, a drawing is drawn and markings are made. The combustion chamber door will be located in the center of the cylinder. The blower is in the same plane, only 10–12 cm lower.

Instructions:

We take a grinder , cut out both doors, and draw a closed line between them.
We cut the cylinder into 2 parts along the line
at the bottom - a vent.
We install the grille and weld both parts again.
For the valve we make a hole with a radius of 10 cm.
To extract , we insert a hole into the pipe and weld the objects together by welding.
A simple stove from a cylinder is ready, you can use it, add fuel and check its operation.

For cooking on the top of the stove, the design is slightly different:

is cut off .
Rods are inserted and welded inside
A hole for the pipe is cut out at the top side You can heat and cook food at the same time.
The hole is welded , the valve is screwed in, and a comfortable handle is adjusted.
You can also make a stove from a pipe The barrel or pipe must be selected according to its diameter.
At the bottom of the pipe barrel , cut 2 holes for the firebox and ash pan.
Make the doors.
Frame holes with metal strips.
Under the combustion door, at a distance of 10 - 12 cm inside the barrel, weld brackets in the corners, the grate will rest on them, pre-weld it from any fittings.

When making a stove from a pipe, weld the bottom, as well as the part on top:

Weld 4 legs to the bottom
on the surface , weld a pipe to it, this will be a chimney.
Weld the hinges to the previously cut holes and install the doors. Also, mark and attach a hook so that the doors lock tightly.
For the aesthetics of the structure, treat all welding seams, clean them 10. Paint the outside of the device with heat-resistant paint. Whatever the factory product, you can sell it or successfully use it yourself.

Working furnace

The option is distinguished by a specific odor that oil waste will emit during fuel combustion, even in the presence of an exhaust hood.

Instructions:

To make this model , select sheet material with a thickness of at least 4 mm, a chimney pipe, and individual small structural elements.
Make precise markings of all elements on the sheet, having previously drawn a drawing.
Cut all the elements with a grinder and clean the edges of the parts. Drill round holes in the pipe.
At the top of the tank , cut a hole for the pipe, offset from the center to the left.
Offset to the right on the circle, drill a hole for the connecting pipe.
You get 2 circles , weld them to the pipe; the thickness of the upper tank will depend on its length.
Similarly, decorate the part of the stove from below , but now cut a hole right in the center of the marked circle.
Cut a second hole nearby and attach the sliding cover to it.
Weld 4 legs to the bottom plane.
Clean the seams after welding , paint the surface with paint that is resistant to high temperatures.
Connect the chimney to the stove. The waste will be poured into the lower part of the tank; after the paper is ignited, the sliding lid closes and the waste begins to burn. Oxygen will penetrate through the holes, and the waste will burn intensely.

Multi-level floor

To zone the space, craftsmen install floors at different levels. They advise installing a podium to separate the kitchen and dining room. This option is considered one of the most practical because, among other things, the owners have additional free space where they can hide something.

It is convenient to use boxes or crates for this. Wicker baskets will look good. But such space can remain free.

For podiums, reliable materials are selected that can withstand heavy loads. Usually builders make wooden or metal podiums.

However, such a design should not be made if there are small children in the family, since the podium can become an obstacle for him. In addition, various floor coverings can be used.

They will zone the space between the living room and the kitchen and protect the podium from damage. For example, tiles are laid in the kitchen area, and laminate flooring in the dining room. The main thing is to choose colors and textures and combine the finishes correctly.

Model No. 3 – potbelly stove made from a gas cylinder

The gas cylinder has an almost ideal, ready-made shape for the stove structure. A potbelly stove made from a cylinder is well suited for heating garages and country houses.

Let's look at how you can build a stove from a cylinder:

Let's start by cutting off the top part of the cylinder where the tap was located and welding a plug here.
Next, cut a square opening at the bottom of the cylinder. This will be the entrance to the firebox. We will not throw away the cut off part, as we will make a door out of it. You just need to scald this part, bringing it to the desired size.
We weld the hinges, install the door, and attach the handle-lock to it.
We make holes on the side of the cylinder that will become the bottom of the structure. They will take on the function of the grate.
We prepare the box, making it from metal of a smaller thickness, and secure it under the holes - with a grate. The box will play the role of an ash pan, into which the remains of combustion products fall, and at the same time acting as an ash pit. You need to attach a door to the ash pan.
All that remains to do for the stove structure is to make the legs. To do this, we will use a pipe or a metal corner. Using welding, we attach them to the bottom of the fuel tank.
In the upper part, on the opposite side of the firebox, we cut an opening in the ash pan and weld the chimney pipe.
If desired, you can build a cooking panel on the top surface of the stove. This is done simply - a frame made of steel reinforcement is welded. This panel turns out to be quite roomy; you can place two items at the same time.

Styles

There are many current trends and design ideas. The kitchen-living room in a modern style looks simple and minimalistic.

At the same time, it is not necessary to strictly adhere to any style; you can take its main idea as a basis and cleverly play with it with accessories and other details.

How can you improve your potbelly stove?

An ordinary potbelly stove has a lot of positive qualities, but also has many significant disadvantages. It is unable to accumulate heat and heats the room while the fire is burning. Requires continuous fuel supply, on average every 30-40 minutes.

In addition, a large amount of heat escapes through the chimney into the atmosphere, bringing no benefit. That is why work on improving the potbelly stove is ongoing.

The standard design of a potbelly stove has many modernized designs that allow:

save fuel;
increase the efficiency of the stove;
increase heat capacity;
reduce the frequency of fuel filling.

The most common methods for increasing the efficiency of a potbelly stove are creating a slow burning mode, a gas afterburning system, and installing heat-resistant lining of the internal walls.

You can also improve the quality performance of the stove by increasing the heat transfer area using welded pipes and an installed fan that will drive air flows through them.

The industrial model of such a potbelly stove is called “Buleryan”, but besides it, there are many different designs made by handicraft. We recommend watching a detailed master class on making a homemade Buleryan stove.

You can increase the heat transfer time if you line the stove with brickwork. Such a potbelly stove will heat up more slowly, but will also give off heat longer, maintaining the temperature in the room for some time after the fire has died down.

Are you interested in brickwork? On our website we have a detailed guide to laying a stove with your own hands with diagrams and drawings.

Option #1 – stove with increased fuel load

This model is designed to increase efficiency and continuous burning time. The basis is taken as a horizontal rectangular potbelly stove on massive, stable legs and complemented with a cassette made of a blind sealed cylinder. Such design additions significantly increase its efficiency.

Scandinavian

This style came into fashion several years ago, but still does not lose its relevance. Its practicality and European elegance are well suited for a living room in a city apartment or house. You can add bright accents, for example, textiles of different shades.

The basis for the Scandinavian style is white and gray finishing, wooden details. To decorate the space, pink, blue or ocher elements are suitable.

Loft

This year the style remains in demand. It is often used to equip kitchens combined with a living room. This combination gives more free space, which will only emphasize all the details of the loft.

Today, such a definition as “classic style” is used less and less by designers. Loft - any interior design in which various technical elements are not hidden, but emphasized.

For example, stylists play with brickwork, wires or concrete walls. The photographs clearly show how successful it can look like a living room that is combined with a kitchen.

For loft, rough and heterogeneous surfaces and rough materials are selected. In apartments decorated in this style, wall lamps are installed. In this case, the light is directed along the walls.

Due to this, shadows fall so that uneven surfaces look three-dimensional. At first, loft was viewed with caution, but it quickly became popular. Designers do not hide finishing materials and even fake them. To imitate a concrete surface and smudges, decorative plaster is used.

Neoclassical

Even popular music has echoes of ancient motifs. The same can be said about the design, in which classic details are framed in a fashionable design.

This style is characterized by symmetrical lines, framed mirrors, arched openings, and antique accents. All this is complemented by fashionable finishing materials and accessories. Neoclassicism combines sleek modern details with traditional combinations.

Provence

The name of this destination comes from a region in the south of France. Even a small kitchen-living room, the decor of which was inspired by French aesthetics, will be filled with warmth and comfort.

The main thing is that it has a lot of daylight, textiles with romantic prints, and floral patterns. The dining room in the Provence style is designed in pastel shades. Furniture items can be vintage or artificially aged. Plain walls will contrast with large checkered curtains.

The door in the kitchen area set is sometimes replaced with curtains made from the same material as the tablecloth. A good addition would be vases and figurines, clay pots, forged metal parts and ribbons.

Types of fireplace stoves

A heating stove-fireplace is a ready-made device that only needs to be installed in the preferred location. It can be made of cast iron or steel:

Decorative patterns can be formed on cast iron castings, which give the stove a stylish look that matches traditional interiors. Cast iron stoves usually have slightly better thermal properties than steel ones. Not only because their walls are inherently thicker, but also because cast iron has a higher heat capacity than steel.
Simple block steel fireplace stoves are often chosen for modern interiors. The metal body can also be finished with ceramic or enamel. This colorful design will definitely be an impressive decoration for your living room. More modestly shaped stoves in the living room can be decorated with an interesting façade finish using color or a non-flammable finish.

Advice! Under the fireplace stove and 60 cm in front of the stove, the floor should be made of non-combustible materials, for example, tiles, bricks, stone or iron sheets. The heating stove cannot be placed directly against the wall, and flammable objects such as furniture, RTV equipment or curtains should not be closer than 80 cm from it.

Color combinations

Stylists advise taking into account the following nuances:

direction in the interior;
combination of shades;
illumination

It is much easier to choose a palette if the style for the kitchen and living room has already been selected. For example, neoclassicism and Provence have their own combinations. In a classic interior, designers combine pastel colors, pale colors, which are slightly diluted with dark shades.

In French country houses you can often see soft blue, pink, and pistachio colors. Art Deco designers make up objects and finishing materials in black and white, sometimes beige and brown or silver and black. The main thing is to choose a shade for the walls. White will become universal, it will expand the space, and later you can paint them with any paint.

However, in the cooking area, white ceases to look fresh. Beige or gray shades would be more practical. This background will highlight the other colors. In a monochrome interior, designers recommend gluing wallpaper in an unusual color or with a photo print.

Waterproof surfaces are easy to clean, so washable wallpaper is recommended. The colors of the furniture echo the details and accessories, be it cushions for the sofa, curtains or other items.
Heating and cooking stove
Metal furnaces
Water heated oven

Advantages and disadvantages of potbelly stoves

A potbelly stove for a summer house is an ideal option. If only because you don’t need to spend money on an expensive fireplace, gas boiler and other heating equipment. Let's look at the main advantages of this stove:

Fireclay lining allows you to significantly increase the heat capacity of the furnace. However, you will have to pay for this by losing your aesthetic appearance.

Affordable price. Buying an inexpensive potbelly stove for your summer house is more than possible. Prices on the market start at 5,000 rubles. You can find out how much this or that model costs in specialized stores. But the simplest samples are very cheap;
The high heat capacity of cast iron allows you to accumulate and evenly release heat into heated rooms;
Wood-burning cast iron stoves for summer cottages are presented in a huge variety of models for every taste and color. For example, there are rectangular and barrel-shaped ovens on sale, simple and well designed, with a solid door or with a glass door;
Possibility of cooking - for this you need a mini potbelly stove with a hob;
Availability of long-burning models - they allow you to reduce the number of approaches for laying the next portion of logs;
Simple design – provides exceptional ease of operation. If you follow all the rules of use, a potbelly stove type stove will last for decades;
Ease of installation and dismantling - longer fiddling with the chimney pipe;
Decent thermal power - cast iron stoves can produce up to 10 kW of heat, which allows you to heat large rooms;
Cast iron stoves are not capricious - the simplicity of their design affects them. Therefore, your dacha will always be warm and comfortable.

There are also some disadvantages:

Solid weight - cast iron stoves are very heavy, which is due to the large weight of cast iron. In addition, some models contain fireclay bricks, which further increases the weight;
You cannot heat more than one room. Of course, there are also very powerful cast iron stoves, but the heat will not be able to effectively spread throughout all the rooms of your dacha;
Not the highest efficiency - it is about 70%. The problem is partially solved with the help of pyrolysis combustion schemes, but even in this case the maximum efficiency indicator is unlikely to rise above 80-85%.