Getting closer to the end of the project finishing the new Weld shop. 28' x 40' x 10' Ceilings. Block foundation. Ceiling is insulated with R19.

How do you guys heat your Shops? I have it narrowed down to a coal stove in the corner, or a ceiling mount Propane heater.

We burn coal in the house with a stoker, and I thought about buying an identical stove for the shop. Can get a used stove for about $500 plus the cost of a chimney (Masonry or SS)

Propane heater is $850 + plus the cost of a 120 gal tank.


I think using coal would be cheaper yearly.


Thoughts? You tell me. THANKS.

For me it would be a matter of how much you will use the shop. Propane is handy, flick of a switch or on a thermostat and you have instant heat. I have no knowledge with burning coal here in Wisconsin but I do burn a lot of hardwood in my shop/garage. That is a nice heat but I can't hold a fire overnight with the wood stove I have so there are times when that does not work so well.
I went with a triple wall pipe in lieu of a masonry chimney.

Zim

Which setup would be the driest heat?

Coal hands down. Propane puts plenty of moisture into the air.

You are not going to heat your shed as you do your house. Have a Hot Dawg hot air (propane) in one building and a kerosene torpedo heater in the fur shed. I prefer the propane because it is less maintenance on the ceiling and out of the way. But the Torpedo heater with a thermostat is pretty economical to run and heats things up pretty fast. I normally do not run the torpedo when I am not in their working on fur. Ideal temperature in a fur shed is between 50 to 55 degrees. A key thing you should do if you choose a propane heater is to remember to turn it on once a month so the valve in the heater does not stick shut on you. I used coal for years in the house got tired of dealing with the coal ash in later years.

I believe I want to keep the shop at a constant temp. 50 degrees when I'm not working and a little warmer when I am working. I think a coal stove would keep it much warmer than 50* at all times.

We removed the wood stove from the house. We have some timber on the property but not enough to supply a stove. Seasoned wood is 170-200 cord and coal is $188-200 delivered in the bin.

I should have been a little more clear in my original post. The new shop is a weld shop,

I'd go with a vented gas wall furnace on a thermostat. Get you fur to close to the wood/coal stove & the hair will slip.

I would say then if you want-need a constant temp propane is the obvious choice.

Zim

For me dry is better.

Be nice if you could do both. Easy for us to spend your money though.

I thought your coal price was absurd then realized that's probably stoker coal.
Was 80T here last year for house coal, I got nat gas this year.
Still burn though, been doing that all my life, wood is trained to find me lol.

Propane heaters that vent outside and have sealed forced air heat exchangers shouldn't put any moisture inside the building. It's the same as a propane furnace in your house just not as efficient.

That is not what he asked about and some times we ask a question when we know the answer.

Propane Radiant Tube Heater is my suggestion.

I have floor heat in my weld shop. Heated by an outside wood boiler. You can buy outside furnaces that burn coal, and If I was closer to coal, that would have been what I put in. Since you probably already have your pad poured, you could go with baseboard heaters with the same system. I love my floor heat, you can open an overhead door, and close it, and it feels just as warm in there as it did! Great heat source!

There's a vehicle mechanic shop I know of that uses a furnace that burns used motor oil. They have an overhead duct system and a large fan / blower.
Don't know how it works exactly but with the number of oil changes they do, they can heat their shop all winter with the old oil.
I would imagine it works the same way that a heating oil furnace does.

Maybe something to consider if you could get a supply of used oil from another business.

Propane , Cheap, Easy (no ashes ) Heat when you are there. Problem with any stove is if you only want to work for a few minutes is by the time you get the stove going you may be done. No going to the building and build a fire then come back to work .....
PLUS no sulphur smell from coal smoke.

I have a 30 by 30 building with 10 foot ceilings. Insulated with r-13 in walls r-19 ceiling. I have aventless wall mounted 30,000 btu propane heater . 2 ceiling fans mounted on each side Don't turn the heat on unless below 40. The heater I have has an internal thermostat and kicks on and off. Once the building is warm if I don't go in or out much it hardly kicks on. The ceiling fans are the best money you can spend. Great for the summer too. This past summer I put a thru the wall heat pump in it. Air cond in the 90 degree heat. Plus in the winter set the heat unit on 50 then use propane if I'm in there working . Building stays comfortable and because of insulation it stays warm and/or cool

I would let the stove burn all winter. The stokers are easy. Dump coal in the hopper, and empty the ash once a day. You don't have to shake them down.

The heat unit is 22,000 btu and will heat the build by itself but I just use the heat side to keep it from getting so cold at night. Propane is main heat

If you don't mind the time to maintain the coal stove, then that's what I would go with, being your using coal for the house too.