Wood Stoves for Tiny Houses

The hearth is the heart of the home

A wood stove doesn't just provide cheap and reliable radiant heat, but the ambiance of a beautiful flickering fire, and the security of an abundant heat source that's easy to find and store.

But not every stove is appropriate for tiny spaces.  Most household sized wood stoves are simply too large to use in a tiny home without overheating the space.  And some small stoves are just too tiny to be practical for serious heating.  Take the time to find the perfect stove for your space and lifestyle, and you'll spend countless evenings enjoying the warm glow of a real wood fire in your tiny home.

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What is the best wood stove for my tiny home?

Choosing the right size wood stove for your tiny home is the first step to enjoying years of cozy evenings by the fire.

Traditional household stoves are simply too large for most tiny homes.  If your stove is too large, it will be difficult to use it without making your home uncomfortably hot.  Choking down a too-large stove can also produce dangerous amounts of creosote, which can cause a chimney fire if not properly managed.

On the other hand, some mini stoves are just too small for serious heating.  A properly sized stove can provide longer overnight burns, plenty of heat for even the coldest Winter days, and can even help manage the humidity in your home.

Our wood stove BTU Calculator for tiny homes is a great place to start.  To choose the right stove for your needs, consider how you plan to use your stove, and what features and accessories are important to you.

Will your stove be your primary or sole heat source, or will you just use it for supplemental heat and ambiance?  Do you want the option to use your stove for cooking as well as heating?  Do you want a large fire viewing window, efficient airtight controls, or a direct air kit?  Do you want options to customize the look of your stove, like an enamel door or wood storage stand?

The Dwarf 3kW

Our smallest stove, the Dwarf 3kW, is a great option for smaller tiny homes and milder climates where less heat is required.  The compact size is perfect for fitting in tight spaces.  The tall firebox, airtight controls, and secondary burn technology give the Dwarf 3kW stove the longest burn time in the 3kW size.  Enjoy cozy nights at home, watching the fire through the large window while you warm a kettle on the cooktop.

The Dwarf 3kW Standard is a full-featured stove designed for serious heating.  We've packed in all the same features and options as our larger stoves, just in a smaller package.  For mobile tiny homes where weight is a concern, our Dwarf 3kW LITE offers a simpler set of features in a lightweight package.  Compare the Dwarf 3kW Standard vs. LITE.

The Dwarf 4kW

The Dwarf 4kW is our medium sized small stove, and it's our most popular model for tiny home builds.  The 4kW size is a perfect fit for medium sized tiny homes in mild climates, and smaller tiny homes in colder climates.  With more features and options than many full-sized stoves, the Dwarf 4kW is a great choice for serious heating in a small space, unmatched ambiance, and lots of options to customize the look of your stove.

The Dwarf 5kW

Our largest small stove, the Dwarf 5kW cranks out plenty of heat and provides longer burn times for larger tiny homes and very cold climates.  With all the features you need in a wood stove, and tons of options available to customize the look and functionality of your stove, the Dwarf 5kW can turn long, cold winters into cozy evenings by the fire.

For even more functionality, add the oven accessory to make the Dwarf Cookstove Combo.

How to install a wood stove in a tiny house

The flue system is the "engine" of the wood stove.  Without the flue creating draft, a wood stove will not burn properly.  Consult our flue design resources for detailed information on good flue design principles.

Proper materials are critical for a safe wood stove installation.  Only use solid fuel rated stovepipe and chimney pipe for installing a wood stove.  Pellet pipe and B-vent are not rated to withstand the high temperatures produced by a wood stove.

Start with one of our installation kits, then add extra pipe as needed to fit your space.  Run your space through our flue system builder for a complete list of parts for your project, or contact us for help from a human.

Roof exits generally draft best, and are cheaper to install than wall exits.  If a roof exit is not an option, though, wall exits can be used for 4" or larger stoves.  Be sure to review the installation instructions for your roof exit or wall exit kit before you complete your install.

If your tiny house will be mobile, especially if the height is near the 13.5 - 14.5 foot legal highway towing maximum height, you may want to plan for a detachable chimney.

Installing Your Stove

Your wood stove will generally need to sit on a fireproof hearth that protects the floor below from heat radiating from the stove, and from embers falling out of the door.  A hearth is usually made of some combination of tile, stone, metal, or cement board.  Consult the Dwarf Manual for specific requirements on hearth design.

Wood stoves get very hot during operation, so they require a significant amount of air space between the stove and surrounding combustible materials.  Most tiny home installations use heat shields to reduce the required clearances by up to 2/3.

Consider elevating your stove off the floor with a wood storage stand, or installing it on top of a custom cabinet or counter.  Raising the firebox off the ground can make stoking and viewing the fire more comfortable, and often looks more visually appealing.

If your home is relatively airtight, consider adding a dedicated fresh air supply with the direct air kit.  Feeding your stove with outside air will ensure there is plenty of air available for combustion, and will prevent the stove from creating cold drafts through leaky window and door seals.

Why work with Tiny Wood Stove?

Tiny Living Community

We're tiny living people like you, working to live intentionally and to support others doing the same.  We care about your journey, and can relate to the challenges you're running into along the way.  Read more about us.

Personal Support

Building a tiny house is not an easy project!  But you're not alone.  Whether you're using our products or not, we'll offer whatever help we can to help make your tiny living dreams a reality.  Contact us to chat about your project, email us at support@tinywoodstove.com, or call at 208-352-3417.

The Right Materials

We carry wood stoves and solid fuel rated flue parts that are specifically designed for tiny homes.  We're familiar with the unique challenges of building tiny, and we carry specialized parts to support compact and mobile installs.

If you need something we don't carry, we'll tell you where to find it.  And if you need help with an unusual or creative design, we're here to help with that, too.

OUR STOVES INSTALLED IN TINY HOUSES
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Vince's stunning Airstream renovation

"It’s honestly one of my favorite things we’ve done to our Airstream"

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Megan's Tiny House in North Carolina

"I love my stove! Its so incredibly cozy. I get so excited to use it when the weather starts to turn."

Read More

Ben’s Tiny House

"We lived in a 3300 sq ft home during the winter we were paying up to $500 a month to heat our home now I can heat my home with sticks my dog leaves lying around!"

Read More

Skoolie living in Montana

"Quality product and real person customer service."

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Gary’s Yurt in Colorado

"The stove itself is very high quality as are all the flue pipe components. Customer service was really great too!"

Read More

Jill's Tiny House Homestead

"We have had a great time enjoying our wood stove. The stove does work very well even in the high winds that we get on a weekly basis. "

Read More

A Writing Cabin in the Woods – Timberhomes VT

"It is a beautiful, efficient stove, and the 'work' of keeping the fire going with its small logs is a mindful, lovely, satisfying task."

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Traveling with kids in a vintage trailer

"There are so many reasons we enjoy the stove, from keeping us warm in incredibly cold climates, to drying all our snow gear in a matter of half an hour to re-heating my coffee on cold mornings and cuddling to a fire at night."

Read More@roaming.nomads

Oli’s Yurt

"The tiny wood stoves are attractive, compact and functional."

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Vintage Airstream life with four kids

" We love the ability to move our home to new locations in ideal temperatures, and the closeness it has cultivated for our family is the greatest part"

Read More@weelittlenomads

Jay’s Off-Grid Tiny House Writers Retreat

"The Dwarf Stove works like a charm and heats my tiny home quickly and efficiently."

Read More@jstallz

Michaels Japanese inspired Tiny House

"Setting up the stove with a friend was a piece of angel food cake"

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The one-of-a-kind adventure rig

"I loved the practicality of the stove. It's small, robust and easy to use."

Read More@basillynch

Francesca and Nicholas and three dogs - Skoolie life

"We love the idea of being able to pick up our home and move wherever we want or need to go."

Read More@happyhomebodies

The Kerr Family – Airstream living

"Anyone who came into our Airstream commented on how it felt like a home with the wood stove."

Read More@demibrooke

Jay and Abby's Off-Grid Adventure Van

"There is a sense of home that comes with having a wood stove in your living space."

Read More@imaginalbud

Brent and Lindsey's Shuttle Bus Escape

"The ability to have a warm flickering fire makes our space feel like home no matter where we are parked."

Read More@shuttle_and_crew

Steve's minimalistic cargo trailer

"It's functional, attractive, easy to install with great product support."

Read More

Brett and Natasha's Cozy Tiny Homestead

"We have a craving for beauty and adventure and freedom—and if you're not loaded, you have to find creative ways of pulling that off."

Read More@sugarhousehomestead

Ben and Meag's Debt-Free Happy Bus

"We wanted our next step to be something of our own, unattached to any one location or schedule ..."

Read More@wilddrivelife

Master Wood Worker's Exquisite Custom Tiny House

"We live in a very expensive part of the world, and this lifestyle has afforded us financial freedom—the ability to live debt free."

Read More@bjmacwoodwork
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