You really liked the look of the new wood stove you placed in your house 20 years ago, or like me 40 years ago, but it’s not looking so great today. After many years of heating the stove up to 600 degrees F. and cooling to room temperature, the surface can lose its “new stove” look. Scratches, chips, peeling paint, and even rust, can form on the surface of the stove.
So now what? I have this eyesore in the house, and it’s time to do something to restore it back to a pleasant, warm, inviting, good looking wood stove.
Can an old stove be cleaned up and be returned to that new look? Can you paint your wood burning stove? Yes, you can paint your wood burning stove. Here are the tips I have learned from building and operating a wood stove for almost 40 years
Paint or Buy a New Stove?
If you are not happy with the look of your wood burning stove, there are three options.
First, you can try cleaning your stove. There are several options for stove cleaning products. Try a stove polish if you want a simple fix. It does bring out the classic black metal (if you have a black stove) look of a stove.
The rust can be removed and covered by the polish. It will take an hour or two, depending on the size of the stove. Just follow the directions on the paste container, and it will improve the look of the stove.
If this does not restore the wood burner to the “look” you desire, then there are two options left. Buy a new stove or paint your existing one. A new stove is going to set you back between $1,800.00 and $3,500.00 depending on the size, brand, and model.
Or, for around $125.00 you can spend a few hours cleaning, sanding, and painting. It’s a fun project and will provide a sense of achievement when completed. So if you are up to a challenge, here is what needs to be done to paint your own wood burning stove.
How to Paint Your Stove
Step 1 – Disconnect Stove
Painting a stove requires you to move the stove out of the home. The fumes from painting and the initial burn off of the paint are not healthy to breathe. The stove needs to be moved out to be painted and for the first burn.
So the stove should be disconnected from the chimney. I would recommend a complete chimney cleaning first. This will eliminate the dirt and dust that will fall out when removing the chimney from the stove.
Remove the vertical or horizontal chimney pipe from the stove. Plug the hole with a cap if you have one or a rag if you do not. Tape the cap or rag in place. Disconnect any accessories such as gas for electronic starters, air for input air or power for blowers.
Remove doors, firebrick, and accessories. Any excess weight that can be removed should be. Clean out the stove and remove the ash pan.
A wood burning stove can weigh as much as 700 lbs. If a piece or parts can be safely removed, do it.
Wood stove inserts will need painting also and should also be removed. Inserts are typically heavier than freestanding stoves. Although, the pieces around the stove that butt up to the fireplace surface can be removed. Take them off. You may need to paint them also or not since they are not exposed to direct heat. Only the exposed portions of an insert will require preparation and painting.
Find a place to paint your wood burner. It can be a garage, or you may want a professional to paint your stove.
If you decide to have a professional paint your stove, most small auto body shops will take the work if you ask. They will probably be willing to do it in-between auto repairs. You may just have to leave it until they have time.
If you decide to paint yourself, find a clean space with very low air movement. Follow the instructions on the paint for ambient air temperature for painting. It will make a difference whether the paint adheres to the metal surface properly.
Moving the stove will require some muscle and manpower. A minimum of four strong backs and a moving cart with large pneumatic (air) wheels would be recommended.
Also, verify every door you must pass through beforehand. Nothing can grind a move to a halt quicker than a doorway smaller than the width of the object that must pass through it.
Drop cloths on any hardwood or tile floor will also save a gouge or cracked surface. Prepare for the worst case and hope for the best.
Step 2 – Select Paint
Stove paint is available from many different manufacturers. It is also available in a multitude of colors. I would highly recommend re-painting in the same color as the original. There is a reason most stoves are painted flat black. The steel is naturally dark in color so the black blends with this background color. Burning wood is not the cleanest fuel, and there is a residue in the form of soot, creosote, and ashes. These will leave dark lines around the doors that also blend well with the black paint.
Whatever color you choose, make sure the peak temperature is compatible with your peak burn temperature. My high burn temperature is 600 degrees F, so I choose a 1200 degree F paint. This gives some headroom for a burn off of creosote.
High-temperature spray paint is available from Rust-O-Oleum, Krylon, and Stove-Bright. Other brands also carry stove paint. Just verify that the product you use is suitable for indoor use on a stove. You do not want a toxic smell from a paint designed for mufflers inside your home!
Step 3 – Remove the Old Paint
The existing paint does not have to be completely removed. Chips and flakes of paint should be sanded until smooth. I would recommend a 220 grit emery type paper for this. A wire brush may be used to remove rust spots. The wire brush will leave marks that require sanding to leave a smooth surface for painting.
The paint from a spray can is extremely thin and will not “fill in” scratches or rough edges. If you want the stove to have a “new” look, it will have to be smooth before painting! Again, if you are not comfortable attempting this, think about calling a professional painter to complete this task.
In preparation for painting, any glass should be removed along with any brass or other color trim. Any trim or parts that are not removable should be covered by tape and/or paper.
Step 4 – Safety
The mist from the spray paint gets into and onto everything. It is so fine you will not realize it until some time has passed. A fine coat of paint dust will be covering things up to 20 feet away from the area where you were spraying!
Gloves should be worn to protect your skin. Tight fitting latex gloves will do the job and allow the grip necessary to complete the task.
Eye protection should also be worn to save your eyesight from overspray.
A simple disposable dust mask to filter out the particles in the air will suffice when only painting a single wood stove.
Step 5 – Painting
The actual painting is not difficult, but it takes practice. If using cans of spray paint shake the can as directed, more is better. You cannot over shake spray paint.
Keep the can moving. When pushing the button always be moving left to right, back and forth, over and over. Stay approximately 10-12 inches away from the surface. Three thin coats of paint will cover and adhere to the surface better than one or two thick coats. Let the paint dry between coats to ensure the paint is not too thick and starts running down the sides of your stove.
Allow adequate time for drying. Follow directions on the paint can, but a general rule of thumb would be 24 hours to dry. This depends on several factors such as temperature, humidity, and air movement.
A very light sanding with 400 grit sandpaper is recommended between coats of paint. This removes any rough spots and encourages the next coat of paint to adhere properly to the base coat. Remove any loose particles by wiping the stove down with a rag or tack cloth.
Allow the final coat to dry at least two days before proceeding. After two days the stove may be reassembled for a first burn and to cure the paint
Step 6 – First Burn
The wood burning stove should be burnt for the first time outside of the home. The new paint will give off a strong odor, and some paints may be toxic when burnt the first time.
The stove should be fully assembled. Bring the stove up to normal operating temperature and maintain the temperature for at least eight hours. This will ensure all exterior surfaces are fully heated and the paint is cured to completion.
The stove can be disassembled when it has cooled. This may take up to eight hours clean it out, and it is ready to move back into the home.
This would also be a great time to clean up that glass. There are a number of glass cleaners available, but a strange cleaner has emerged while doing research on this subject. Try using some of the ashes after they have cooled. Mix the ashes with water on a paper towel. I have heard it works well to remove the creosote from the glass.
Step 7 – Re-Install the Stove
Reverse the process and return the stove to its proper location. Take time to assure the chimney pipe is completely attached. Improper seating of the chimney pipe could cause smoke to leak into the home. This typically will not happen with a hot fire as the draft in the chimney pulls more air than the wood burner can supply. However, it will leak smoke during startup when the chimney and stove are cool and have not begun to draft the air fully up to the chimney.
A loose connection on the chimney could also drip wet creosote out of the pipe. The stain left by creosote is not something you want on a nice brick surface. It is not easy to remove.
All other pieces of the stove should also be assembled, and the stove should be tested (a low fire will do) just to verify everything is in working order.
Conclusion
From normal use; a wood burning stove will require some type of facelift to continue looking like the centerpiece of a room. Cleaning the stove with polish may work in the short term, up to 15 years. Eventually, re-painting will be the only way to restore the stove to its new, original look.
It is an off-season project. Most of us have six months of non-burning to complete this, so there is no rush. Other than actually moving the stove, none of the steps are really difficult. It just takes time and patience to complete each step. Giving the paint time to dry between coats is critical, don’t rush this step. Bringing the stove to full temperature to cure the paint is also necessary.
Just be careful not to overheat the stove on the first burn. Heating the wood stove to more than the paints high limit or near it will cause the paint to fail and peel. Yes, I did that and had to re-paint my stove!
Just watch the temperature as you will not have a chimney connected. It will burn differently!
Additional Questions
How can I reduce creosote buildup in my chimney? The most important step to reduce creosote is to burn wood that has been seasoned properly. Check my article, How to Reduce Creosote Buildup in a Chimney.
If this has made you leary about painting your wood stove and you are considering purchasing a new stove, check out my article, The 25 Best Wood Burning Stoves.