Buck Stove

Choosing a Buck Stove

Wood or vent-free gas

The wood stoves need a chimney: a 6" flue on the Model 21NC, ZC21 and Homesteader, and 8" on the Model 91. Buck's vent-free gas units need no chimney or vent, but they burn room air and Buck builds them for supplemental heat. Vent-free appliances are not allowed in every jurisdiction, so check your local codes first.

Catalytic or non-catalytic

The Model 91 uses a catalytic combustor to burn the smoke, with a probe to watch combustor temperature and a bypass damper for start-up and reloading. The Model 21NC uses secondary air tubes instead, so there is no combustor to replace. Both meet the EPA 2020 emission limits for wood heaters. The 91 is the larger stove, with a 4.4 cu ft firebox; the 21NC suits zone heating and smaller homes.

Freestanding, insert or built-in

The Model 91 and 21NC sit freestanding on steel legs (the 21NC can also use the outside air pedestal), or go into a masonry fireplace with a standard or oversized trim kit to cover the gap around the opening. For a fireplace where there is none, the ZC21 frames into a 2x4 wall, a corner or an outside chase.

Sizing a gas log set

Each Buck log set has a minimum fireplace opening. Measure the height, the width at the front and rear, and the depth, and compare them with Buck's minimums:

Adding the 19HS heat reflective blower raises the minimums; each log set page lists them. With no fireplace at all, a ZCBB or 42ZCBB builder firebox frames into a wall and accepts vent-free logs up to 40,000 BTU/hr.

Buck Stove FAQs

Can a Buck wood stove go into my existing fireplace?

The Model 91 and Model 21NC can be installed as inserts in a masonry fireplace with a standard or oversized trim kit. Each manual lists the minimum fireplace opening, clearances and hearth protection, so check them against your fireplace before ordering.

What is the difference between the Model 91 and the Model 21NC?

Size and burn system. The Model 91 is a catalytic stove with a 4.4 cu ft firebox and an 8" flue, rated up to 62,745 BTU/hr. The Model 21NC is non-catalytic, with a 6" flue and a rating of 11,079 to 28,901 BTU/hr for 800 to 1,800 sq ft. Both come with a room air blower.

Can I switch a Buck gas stove or log set between natural gas and propane?

No. Buck's manuals state that each unit is for use only with the gas type on its rating plate and is not convertible. Order the fuel type you have at the house.

Can a vent-free gas stove go in a bedroom?

The Buck manuals say an unvented room heater with an input rating above 10,000 BTU per hour shall not be installed in a bedroom or bathroom. Every Buck vent-free stove and log set here is rated above that, so plan them for living areas, and confirm your local code.

Can Buck vent-free units go in a manufactured home?

Many can. The Buck gas manuals allow installation in an after-market, permanently located manufactured home where local codes do not prohibit it. Check the manual for the model you choose.

What warranty do Buck stoves have?

The Model 91 and Model 21NC carry Buck's limited warranty for the original purchaser: one year on any defective part, then coverage continuing on parts permanently attached to the heater for five years, parts only. The terms are in the Model 91 manual. Buck's vent-free gas manuals list a two-year limited warranty on parts; see the Model 384 manual for an example. Each product page links the manual for that model.

Related collections

• Wood stoves
• Wood fireplace inserts
• Wood fireplaces
• Vent free gas stoves
• Gas logs