Small hunting cabin heating and insulating options

[Aim Low]

I’m looking at buying a small pre-built hunting cabin for some property I own and I’m examining my heating options. The cabin will be 12x24, on skids, with 3-4 windows. I’ll be using it during the summer and during the hunting season. It won’t see much (any) use during the dead of winter. If it’s -20, I’ll likely not be out using it.

For heat I was looking at either one of these:

https://www.princessauto.com/en/detail/wood-burning-stove/A-p8282303e

https://www.homedepot.ca/en/home/p.logwood-small-cast-iron-construction.1001058634.html

I’m leaning towards the cheaper option princess auto (120 bucks), as when the cabin gets broken into and everything gets stolen I won’t be out as much $$$.

For insulation I was thinking about starting by using one of these spray foam kits for the roof and walls to basically air seal the cabin, then if I needed more insulation I could add fibreglass batting in the walls. I’m kinda hesitant to go straight to the fibreglass as I want to avoid creating mouse habitat.

https://www.homedepot.ca/en/home/p.system-600-2-component-spray-foam-kit.1000718743.html

Anyone else have any opinions or options that I haven’t considered? Any cool ideas?

[owlhoot]

I've used those tin princess auto ones, The work just fine, Might even be TOO hot in a space that size,

[fishtank]

can bring a space heater as a back up( the big buddy is on sale at canadian tire), as for insulation like yo said stay away from the fiberglass its will be crawling with mice and if you are using the spray foam make sure to do it on a warm day.

[Homesteader]

Get the wood stove from crappy tire with the maple leaf on the door. I assume they still have them, and were on sale often when I bought mine. Beats the cabin awesome, and the stove is a decent size for a little cooking too.

[jpohlic]

The cheap princess auto stoves work good, but they're a pain to clean the ashes out of. I'd go for a front loading stove over a top loading stove

[densa44]

Alberta has lots and it is cheap. If your stove will handle coal (put sand in the bottom of the grate) and you can control the draft it will keep a little house like that warm for 24 hours. It is a real pain running out side for more wood.

Insulation makes a big difference.

[ren008]

Such a small space I'm guessing if you get a few inches of spray foam in there and get it decently air sealed both of those stoves will cook you out even burning low and you will likely have to have the window cracked 24/7.

[Sooner]

Imo, spend a bit more and buy a dedicated wood stove with the flat top. That glass front door and flat cooking top is well worth the extra $$$$. Plus who don't like watching fire :)

Secure the cabin up the best you can and hope so one takes your stuff.

A bit jealous, i would love to have some land where I could put a cabin.

[EZM]

Keep in mind also - by the time run exhaust, run a roof collar, flashing and chimney - the cost of the stove is only a small part of the entire package. I bet you are $500 on just this stuff alone. I would, if I were in your shoes spend a little more on a stove.

I'm sure the stove is fine - but when I see a picture of a "brand new" product with rust on the leg It screams cheap crap I hope it won't melt out the bottom and burn me and my cabin down in the middle of the night.

I'm sure there are a little better options for a few hundred bucks more IMO.

[boonedocks]

I heat my cabin with a small, front load,flat top, DROLET stove ( the one with the Maple leaf on the door). I really wish that I had bought the model with the glass door though. Spend the time and money to make sure that the building is well insulated, a four season cabin makes a lot more sense than a half assed job.

[Muller]

I use a Cabela's tent stove (forget the brand) and have a big buddy for back up.
My hunt cabin is a converted cargo trailer and I have a cabin in the woods as long as there's a way to get in there.
When hunting's done it comes home with me.
A little stove will warm a cabin that size no problem.
It's keeping it going over night that takes the skill.

[Aim Low]

can bring a space heater as a back up( the big buddy is on sale at canadian tire), as for insulation like yo said stay away from the fiberglass its will be crawling with mice and if you are using the spray foam make sure to do it on a warm day.

Leaning towards spray foam, I've also heard to be careful about the temp when doing it.

Get the wood stove from crappy tire with the maple leaf on the door. I assume they still have them, and were on sale often when I bought mine. Beats the cabin awesome, and the stove is a decent size for a little cooking too.

This one?

http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/small-wood-stove-0642406p.html#srp

I think its similar to the home depot one.

Also:

http://www.homehardware.ca/en/rec/index.htm/Heating-Ventilation-Cooling-Home-Comfort/Heating/Stoves-Fireplaces/Wood-Burning/Hunter-Wood-Stove/_/N-2pqfZ67l/Ne-67n/Ntk-All_EN/R-I5530990?Ntt=wood+stove

Secure the cabin up the best you can and hope so one takes your stuff.


Sad fact, but its the way things are now. I used to fly fish and found an open trappers cabin. The trapper had a guest book and allowed you to stay as long as you kept it clean. After a couple of years...and a couple of stoves later...they locked it down tight. I don't blame them.

Keep in mind also - by the time run exhaust, run a roof collar, flashing and chimney - the cost of the stove is only a small part of the entire package. I bet you are $500 on just this stuff alone. I would, if I were in your shoes spend a little more on a stove.

I'm sure the stove is fine - but when I see a picture of a "brand new" product with rust on the leg It screams cheap crap I hope it won't melt out the bottom and burn me and my cabin down in the middle of the night.

I'm sure there are a little better options for a few hundred bucks more IMO.

Good advice.

[Arty]

I’m looking at buying a small pre-built hunting cabin for some property I own and I’m examining my heating options. The cabin will be 12x24, on skids, with 3-4 windows. I’ll be using it during the summer and during the hunting season. It won’t see much (any) use during the dead of winter. If it’s -20, I’ll likely not be out using it.

For heat I was looking at either one of these:

https://www.princessauto.com/en/detail/wood-burning-stove/A-p8282303e
[...]

For insulation I was thinking about starting by using one of these spray foam kits for the roof and walls to basically air seal the cabin, then if I needed more insulation I could add fibreglass batting in the walls. I’m kinda hesitant to go straight to the fibreglass as I want to avoid creating mouse habitat.

https://www.homedepot.ca/en/home/p.system-600-2-component-spray-foam-kit.1000718743.html

Anyone else have any opinions or options that I haven’t considered? Any cool ideas?
I had exactly that stove in my self-built trailer for years, bought it from WSS. Worked like a charm - too well, in fact. I built my walls 2x4 thick with fiberglas pink between studs and 1" styro on the inside of that, then 1/4" fir plywood cladding either side. Solid, quiet, airtight; except for around the main door. Never any mouse problems, but it was off the ground.

Even at minus 40 degrees, a low slow fire eventually turned it into sweat sauna. At midnight you'd have to open the main door wide to cool everything down enough to get some sleep. Then at 5 you'd start to shivver as the fire was mostly out. Those stoves are generally made for wall tents and loose cheap cabins which instantly need big-time heat and eat tons of firewood. The first burn will cook off the finishing oil from the sheet steel making a big stink. Then the stove will rust up quick in any cabin where it just sits unused.

Right about then I learned about thermal mass and the efficiency of fast burns. For a well-insulated stationary cabin where weight is not a problem, the very, very best solution would be a old-time Finnish masonry stove (Kachelofen). It has a masonry firebox with very specific dimensions, and a counterflow chimney which draws hot smoke first up a bit, then back down, then back up to heat up all the masonry. Nobody is going to thieve away a brick stove cemented to the floor either.

The idea is to have a hot, fast, clean fire which heats up all that brick. Then that stays warm and radiates a comfortable warm heat for the next 12 hours. Very little ash is left because the hot fire is so efficient. No smoldering means no creosote, and almost no smoke stink outside.

This is 2-storey one, but they can be made a lot simpler too:
http://mha-net.org/docs/v8n2/wildac01c2.htm

http://www.mha-net.org/html/gallery2.html