How to Refurbish a Rusty Wood Stove

Make a wood stove look new again using basic hardware supplies.

Rusty wood stoves that are old and weathered may seem unusable, but the metal underneath the rust and grime is just as usable as that of a new wood stove. Professional craftsmen can refurbish a wood stove, but hiring a professional is costly. Save money by opting to refurbish a rusty wood stove yourself using a few inexpensive materials purchased from a hardware or home improvement store. This enables you to reuse a wood stove that you may otherwise have sent to a landfill.

Things You'll Need

• Wire brush
• Shop vacuum
• Stove cement
• Stove polish
• 2 washcloths

Instructions

1. Place the rusty wood stove outdoors or in a well-ventilated area.

2. Scrub the entire outside of the wood stove using a wire brush. Move the brush in small, circular motions over the areas of rust, working the area until all of the rust has disappeared.

3. Open the doors of the wood stove and, if any rust exists, scrub the inside of the stove with the wire brush, using the same technique as in Step 2.

4. Vacuum the inside and outside of the wood stove using a shop vacuum to remove rust dust and debris caused by your scrubbing.

5. Squeeze a line of stove cement along all of the edges of the wood stove to repair any cracks and splits. This enables the stove to maintain a tight seal once it is containing a fire. Smooth the stove cement down with your finger, then allow the cement to dry for two hours.

6. Squeeze black stove polish onto a damp washcloth, then rub the polish over the entire outside of the wood stove. Scrub the polish onto the stove in vigorous, circular motions, covering the surface with an even layer. Allow the polish to dry for two hours.

7. Buff the outside of the wood stove using a dry washcloth to remove excess polish and to make the exterior of the stove shiny and new-looking.

References

• Scollins: How To Restore a Wood-Burning Stove
• Scollins: How To Restore a Wood-Burning Stove, Continued