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Letter 11428
How do I restore a cast iron wood burning
stove
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Hi,
Me and my brother in law are trying to restore an old
cast iron wood burning stove and have no idea on how to do
it. The whole piece is completely covered in rust. So any
info on how to restore this piece would be appreciated.
Heather P [name deleted for privacy due to
age of posting]
- Hartford, MI
+
Ahh yes wood stoves. This is how I started in the metal
finishing business. Sure wish I had a sandblaster then
because that is the best way to knock off the old rust and
get to parent metal. We use to use wire wheels on drills,
brutal, and should have worn better dust masks. This a "pot
belly" or a cook stove?
Be careful of some of the old cook stoves (really not the
so old ones) as they had asbestos insulation. A lot of the
pot bellies had a sheet metal jacket, usually corrodes away
and has to be replaced, best to drill out the old rivets.
Most important if you are going to use it is the
condition of the grates and the fire box. Cast iron is a son
of a gun to weld well. Some of the trim may have been nickel
plated and it can be hard in this day and age to find a job
shop that can or will polish and nickel plate the parts (not
chrome) and that is how I ended up in the plating business
-- good young man's sport.
Jon Quirt
- Fridley, MN
++
This conversation is interesting to me because I also am
trying to restore cast irons stoves -- all 3 of them that
belonged to my grandmother. Have received a little bit of
information from a couple iron workers and am working with a
sandblaster for the most badly rusted pieces, but otherwise
just going about it rather blindly. I am surprised that
there is so little information on the Web about how to do
this.
Any feedback that anyone could provide would be
appreciated.
Charol A [name deleted for privacy due to
age of posting]
- Doylestown, PA
+++
I am attempting to restore a old wood stove that has rust
from dampness all over it. Started with steel wool to get it
off but don't know if there is a easier, faster way since it
is inside and out and in so many small places??
Robbie C [name deleted for privacy due to
age of posting]
- Grants Pass, OR, USA
+++
I'm really interested in what y'all are saying. I too am
trying to restore a wood stove that I found in an abandoned
shanty. It is a big one, a Glenwood and is really dirty. The
entire thing was one gigantic mouse nest when I found it. I
have disassembled it partially and am stuck as to what to do
next. Perhaps clean out the rest of the mouse nest...
My goal is to get it into working condition but that
doesn't seem very plausible as there is petrified mouse poop
stuck all over the inside. Any ideas as to how to get the
poop out? I would greatly appreciate it. My next step is to
go and talk to some antique dealers in the area to figure
out how to go about taking apart the pieces. Does anyone
know what it means to burn the bolts? I saw that mentioned
and tried to look it up but couldn't get a definitive
answer.
Good luck with all your projects.
Alice H [name deleted for privacy due to
age of posting]
- Fairlee, VT
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Hello, Alice. "Burning the bolts" probably refers to cutting them
with an acetylene torch because they are too rusted to unscrew. Good
luck
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Ted Mooney, P.E.
finishing.com
Brick, New Jersey
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+++
I clean cast iron skillets by soaking them in lye water but if a
piece is too large to get into a bucket, I use oven cleaner.
Dorthea B [name deleted for privacy due to age of
posting]
- Cheyenne, WY
+++
... and you do it carefully, I hope, recognizing that one drop of
lye in your eye will blind you.
 Ted Mooney, P.E. finishing.com Brick, New Jersey
+++
I am responding to "Alice H" question on how to clean of the mouse
poop from her stove. I don't know how big this stove is but why don't
your place the stove outside in a clear and safe spot away from
anything that will burn and light a small fire in the stove. This
would heat the stove to the point were it would burn off anything
stuck on.
....Just a thought..
Cliff C [name deleted for privacy due to age of
posting]
- Cobourg, Ontario, Canada
++++
In response to inquiries about restoring old wood burning stoves I
will share the following process. I have over the years restored
several stoves in fact I am working on one now. The process is
straight forward and anyone can do most of it. Some steps you will
need to get help with but your cost will be greatly reduced if you do
all you can yourself.
#1 Disassemble the stove. Remove the rivets with a air chisel
[Adv. Air Chisel [link is to product info at Amazon]].
#2 Bead blast the parts clean, except those that have plating on
them. You can buy an inexpensive blaster from Harbor Freight or
similar place [Adv.
Bead Blaster [link is to product info at Amazon]].
#3 Take the plated parts to a local plater and have them stripped,
polished and replated.
#4 Paint the remaining parts with a high temperature paint [Adv.
high temperature paint [link is to product info at Amazon]], if
you intend to use the stove. If not, then any enamel paint will
work.
#5 Reassemble the stove with bolts. You can get the bolts at your
local hardware store.
Sam S [name deleted for privacy due to age of
posting]
Plating - Orem, UT, USA
++++
Why don't folks electrolytically convert the rust? Drop the rusty
bit in some water with
Washing Soda [link is to product info at Amazon] (in a plastic
tub). Plug in your automotive
battery charger [link is to product info at Amazon] and attach
the positive to some rebar in the same water, the negative to the
item that needs to be de-rusted. Just don't let the rebar and the
rusty piece of metal touch. Go read a good book and come back a few
hours later. The rust wipes off with no trouble at all and non-rusty
metal is completely unaffected. It will remove paint. I'm de-rusting
and re-enameling an 80 year old stove this way and it's effortless.
You don't have to work so hard!
Heidi D [name deleted for privacy due to age of
posting]
self-employed - Bay Area, California, USA
++++
I, too, am in the process of refinishing an old wood burning
cookstove. I was advised to have all of the parts sandblasted, and
then paint everything with
Stove Paint [link is to product info at Amazon]. It
comes in a spray can, or brush on. I'm wondering if it might work
best to use a bit of each. Has anyone got any advice for me?
Mary H [name deleted for privacy due to age of
posting]
- Saxtons River, VT
++++
I am currently looking to clean up our cast iron wood stove. It
seems to be in pretty good shape almost everywhere. The problem is
that we just redid our kitchen and our stove is now in the corner of
it. During the demolition and construction, the stove accumulated a
lot of dust, a little rust, and a couple specks of paint on the top
of it. How can I clean that up? Is it as easy as wire brushing it and
repainting?
Hollie W [name deleted for privacy due to age of
posting]
- Danville, KY, USA
+++++
Hi. I just came across your stove restoration questions, many of
which were my own, and then discovered this link to an article from
Mother Earth News called "Wood-burner
Restoration." Maybe it will help:
http://www.motherearthnews.com/menarch/archive/issues/059/059-024-01.htm
Cindy R [name deleted for privacy due to age of
posting]
- Kansas City, MO, USA
Ed. note, June '07: Sorry, that link is no longer
functional.
+++++
Hi there.
We have a Moores Heater (Joliet Stove Works) dating back to late
1800's early 1900's. There are a few spots of rust and I'd like to
know how to clean it.
Lauren C [name deleted for privacy due to age of
posting]
Homeowner - Tarrytown, NY
+++++
Hello all:
I'm looking into placing a pot belly stove outside on my deck under a
gazebo.
How do they weather? I live in Ontario.
Anything special I need to do to prolong the life of it.
If a pot belly stove is not a good idea any suggestions??
Thanks,
Mark [name deleted for privacy due to age of
posting]
vaqw - Canada
+++++
WELL I HAVE READ MOST OF THE LETTERS (E-MAIL) AND HAVE COME TO THE
CONCLUSION THAT EVERYONE IS MAD. FIRST OF ALL THE MOST DIRECT
APPROACH IS TO ACCESS THE STOVE AND TAKE CORRECTIVE ACTION. IF IT IS
RUSTY, SO WHAT? IT WILL BURN OFF WITH A GOOD HOT FIRE. IF BOLTS ARE
IN BAD CONDITION, REPLACE THEM. NO MATTER WHAT THE PROBLEM IS IT IS
ONLY A MATTER OF GETTING DIRTY AND TAKING THE DIRT BY THE HORNS. I
HAVE RESTORED STOVES THAT LOOKED LIKE THEY SHOULD BE SOLD FOR
SCRAP..........ANSWER.... HARD WORK AND PERSEVERANCE. GOOD LUCK AND
QUIT WHINING!!
Gary V [name deleted for privacy due to age of
posting]
- Ashland, Ohio, USA
+++++
In a response to Sam S from UT I like how you cut right through. a
simple 1 2 3 works just fine. with most people did the same. my uncle
has a antique business of his own and basically has the same formula.
Loralee K [name deleted for privacy due to age of
posting]
- Chico, CA, USA
+++++
I bought a home with a wood burning stove, which I intend to use
as a heat source. Upon firing the stove, I realized that the unit had
been painted with non-heat resistant enamel. The smell was terrible
and the paint curled and peeled in some places. Is removing the stove
and sand blasting the only option for me?
Donna H [name deleted for privacy due to age of
posting]
- Cumberland, MD
+++++
I have 3 wood stoves in my cabin, 2 for heat and 1 is a kitchen
stove. all of my stoves were made in the 1800 and were pretty rusted
when I bought them. with each "refinishing" job I used 000
Steel Wool [link is to product info at Rockler] because the rust
does not have to be "blasted off" I then wiped my stoves down with
good old soap and water and let them dry. my next step was stove
polish for black cast iron stoves... brand name is
"Rutland Stove Polish [link is to product info at Amazon]"...
rub this on... NOT TOO THICK let it dry and use 000
Steel Wool [link is to product info at Rockler] to polish...
fire the stove good and hot...this bakes the polish in...it will
smoke just a little, and walla it is done... (this took me less than
a day to do)
Oh and by the way blasting the bolts is referring to using a blasting
agent... "PB Blaster [link is to product info at Amazon]"...
you spray this on and it eats away the rust that has froze up just
about any bolt... however do not use this as a rust remover for it is
very greasy
My newest stove is a 1901 Loth's liberty cook stove I use this daily
and the polish is fantastic!!! this thing sat outside for years, and
had a solid rust surface throughout... I did i as I described and now
own a beautiful antique stove that I am proud of!
Hope B [name deleted for privacy due to age of
posting]
- Salem, Virginia, USA
+++++
No sense in going overboard if your stove isn't in real bad shape.
Taking the whole thing apart and sand-blasting it takes a lot more
time and money, not too mention its messy (which means you can either
get sand all over your house, or you can lug that heavy stove into
the yard...a real pain either way). A drastic overhaul is only really
necessary if: a) The stove is completely covered in thick rust and
looks like it was sitting in saltwater for the last 10 years, or b)
You get your advice from someone who is in the business of
reconditioning stoves and wants your money.
If it just needs some basic refinishing, don't spend all that time
and money! You just need 3 things:
1) Steel Wool [link is to product info at Rockler] (start coarse
if needed, then go with more fine wool)
2) High temp paint (One brand has already been recommended in this
thread)
3) Good old fashioned ELBOW GREASE (the rust isn't just going to come
off like magic, you've got to work at it and show it who's boss.
Accept that fact and deal with it).
Jim S [name deleted for privacy due to age of
posting]
- Madison, WI
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February 21, 2006
Most of us like the magic answers. Good to hear the ones
with experience. I myself was given a Glacier Bay wood stove
that is not really bad with rust. Just want to clean it up,
and protect it so I get many years of use. Plan on trying
the steel wool, &
Rutland Stove Polish [link is to product info at Amazon].
Makes the most sense for the level of rust I'm dealing with.
Kevin T [name deleted for privacy due to
age of posting]
- Baltimore, Md, U S of A
May 12, 2006
Regarding finishing old cast-iron stoves, most of the
general information herein is correct. From personal trial
and error, I can say what has worked well for me and what
hasn't.
I live in the Ohio Valley, very humid summers, damp winters.
The stoves I have worked on have had moderate to severe
rust, from surface rust that is powdery to deep, scale-type
rust. Steel wool works best, if you have time and want a
long term project. Sandblasting is cost prohibitive, in my
opinion, unless you have the equipment and time. I have
found that an angle-grinder mounted wire brush or
drill-mounted wire brush is best. Go with stiff and first
over entire area of the stove, and then go with a more
flexible wire brush (Can be bought at Home Depot,for ex).
Then, quick rub down with steel wool. I am a fan of old
fashion stove polish (black) that uses waxes and pigments to
cure and seal the surface. I guess you can use high-temp
paint, but I never have on cast iron. I have used high-temp
paint on pot-metal stoves, but I think they smell really bad
when first lit in the winter, and they tend to smell for
several burnings. The classic finish that one is used to
seeing on cast iron comes from black stove polish (or paste)
(Rutland seems to makes a good product). Fire the stove
after applying polish and the stove will cure itself ( a
little smell, but it's non-toxic per label). Any steel bolts
or nuts can be used to replace worn ones. Non-stainless
stove pipe rusts easily too, so check your stove pipes
frequently for holes, weak joints, etc. The next important
restoration or maintenance issue is the firebox, the seals,
and air controls. Make sure inside is relatively free of
rust scale (not necessary, but looks better), and check
firebricks for cracks. Don't overfire any stove, and burn
only what's meant to be burned (i.e. don't burn coal in a
wood stove). Only burn wood that is cured and has a low
moisture content. Good luck.
Brian M [name deleted for privacy due to
age of posting]
- Prospect, Kentucky
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