What Is a Normal Burn Temperature for Wood Stoves?

Types of Stoves

• Consumers can choose from dozens of models of wood stoves, but they fall in three main categories. Circulating stoves have inner and outer shells that promote the flow of air and are made of cast iron or welded steel. Early American–style potbellied stoves use radiant heat to transfer their warmth, as well as convection currents when air flows over the stove's surface. A Franklin-style combustion stove has a door that lets users view the fire or closes for maximum heating efficiency.

Burn Temperature

• The temperature inside a wood stove can range greatly, from about 500 to 1,100 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the Hearth, Barbecue and Patio Association. However, some stoves can heat all the way to 1,200 F. Stoves with catalytic combustors lower the wood burning temperature to 600 F by using a slower combustion that burns off the smoke that usually is lost up the chimney.

Wood Combustion

• Wood burning occurs in three main steps. First, water in the wood evaporates and vaporizes, but the heat from this process is not enough to warm a room. Once the temperature reaches 500 F, wood begins to break down and form volatile gases. The gases themselves burn at about 1,100 F, according to the University of Missouri Cooperative Extension. Once the gases are released, the leftover material, charcoal, burns at a temperatures of more than 1,100 F. Ash is the byproduct once the charcoal has completely burned.

Tips for Starting a Fire

• Use well-seasoned wood with little moisture. When starting the fire, completely open the damper. Cover the entire bottom of the stove's firebox with kindling to ensure the fire will burn evenly. Paper can be used to start the fire, but do not attempt to light a fire with flammable liquids such as lighting fluid or gasoline, which could cause an explosion. Once the kindling is burning, add wood slowly to build up the fire and make it burn hotter. The University of Missouri Extension Service recommends "seasoning" new stoves made with cast iron by building small fires for the first few uses. This procedure will help keep iron parts from cracking.