I am building a house with a fireplace, and next to the fireplace I am putting in a firewood storage “closet”. There will be an exterior door to load the firewood, which can then be lifted off and burned as needed.
Looking for ideas on pre-built doors for the exterior, or on making one myself. Approximate size would be 24″x48″.
Listeners write in about fireplaces affecting family harmony and bionic suits, before asking questions about brick steps, ground-source heat pumps, and building a dome greenhouse in Maritime Canada.
"I have learned so much thanks to the searchable articles on the FHB website. I can confidently say that I expect to be a life-long subscriber." - M.K.
Dig into cutting-edge approaches and decades of proven solutions with total access to our experts and tradespeople.
Start Free Trial NowGet instant access to the latest developments in green building, research, and reports from the field.
Start Free Trial Now
Replies
I might peruse Entry Door companies and see what they can do for you $
Maybe look at or contact Bilco the basement access door company. They've got roof hatches, access doors etc that might work (with thought).
http://www.bilco.com/
A Great Place for Information, Comraderie, and a Sucker Punch.
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
http://www.quittintime.com/
What ever you use make darn sure it can be securely locked from the inside. Locking hinge pins if an outswing door.
I know of a half dozen houses here that were burglarized through small firewood doors.
Thanks for the input.
If your wood storage is going to be covered, and over the door, an unbored and non mortised insulated fiberglass slab is easy to work. Local lumberyard should be able to get a sill/threshold, and weatherstripping. The jambs are pretty easy to make.http://www.tvwsolar.com
I went down to the lobby
To make a small call out.
A pretty dancing girl was there,
And she began to shout,
"Go on back to see the gypsy.
He can move you from the rear,
Drive you from your fear,
Bring you through the mirror.
He did it in Las Vegas,
And he can do it here."
The door is in a 2x6 chase that is going to be sided. On the inside, the chase contains a zero-clearance fireplace, and the wood storage. The door I install will also be sided so it blends with the wall of the chase. The bottom of the door is about 3 feet above grade.Wood fed through the basement sounds great.
Is the fireplace just for occasional recreational use, or serious heating?
If serious heating, go with a full size 36" wide door. (been there, done that)
The size is more or less defined by what is going on inside - I could add a few inches though. Intent is serious heating, though I have a feeling it will end up being somewhere in between recreational and serious.
We burned near 10 cords a year heating 5300 sq ft for close to 35 years.
Only thing I can add for you on door size is I was tempted at times to install double 40 inch doors so I could fit the backhoe bucket into the front room. When DW got to be over 60 YO, she started to rebel about 'feeding the fire'.
My neighbor spends 5 days a week in his uninsulated garage and heats it with wood. Drives his small Kubota backhoe right up the stove.
If your interior floor plan precludes a full size door, consider a thru the wall conveyor belt arrangement?? No idea right off how to weatherseal that well though.
OK, everyone else says it's OK. I, from experience, wish to let you know this is a VERY, VERY STUPID idea.
This wood you wish to burn, it is FULL of tiny hibernating insects. Some, not so tiny. Others, big fat spiders.
As soon as you bring that wood in the house, the existing warmth will wake them up and they'll head for your wife. No one else, only your wife.
Now you tell me? Would you rather have your wife refusing to sleep in the bug infested place? Or some storage system that is still easy to access, yet outside your heating envelope?
I found a spot right outside my the garage door.
My thought too, Pete. I've seen at least a dozen termite infestations resulting from storing firewood in contact with a house, deck, or garage.
HUH, Only the wife you say... I think I just found a new project for the house! Let you know how it turns out!
>>>only your wife.
LOL.
I knew there was a reason that I park one of these:
View Image
outside on the deck, full of wood. We put the stove right beside the door.
Scott.
Edited 3/27/2009 1:04 pm by Scott
saw a large house that had several fireplaces all fed from the basement
each had a mini elevator that was loaded in the basement & came up in a wood box next to the fireplace , different !
My daughters used to use the firewood box for house access when they forgot their keys. Also had a squirrel get in that way once.
i get pallet cut offs from a local pallet factory for my fireplace and as their is no bark i get no bugs and very little ashes
I only take the hard wood cutoffs < cherry ,oak ,maple etc about 5 cords a year