In classic middle class STW style I have a multi fuel stove, this one https://www.stoveworlduk.co.uk/ecosy-purefire-stoves/Ecosy-Curve-5kw-DEFRA-approved-wood-burning-stove

We never burn anything other than wood in it and never will. I have a regular supply of foraged logs that I split and dry in the store in the garden. Is it wise/possible to convert this to only be a wood burning stove by removing the grating and putting a metal sheet on the base? I could add a bit of fire brick to the sides if need be easy enough. Is there any advantage to doing this? I see that most wood only stoves have a flat metal base that the logs burn on, does this make it better for burning wood?

Thanks

It seems that wood burns best on a bed of ash and only requires air from above (once going) while coal requires an air feed from below to burn well.

Does your ash not build up on the grate after a few nights?

My Clearview stoves are multifuel but after a little while there’s a good 3″ layer of ash to burn on if I don’t riddle it – so the same as a wood-only stove. I just poke a little hole in the ash to allow a bit of air through when I light it.

That said I also have a wood only stove and it looks like your plan should work.

The air does have to get in somewhere though – if it has to go through the grate then a metal plate will basically block off the draught, won’t it?.

Unless you have a pretty old stove they mostly now have two air feeds…. one from under the grate and another from above that does the ‘airwash’.

Dave’s stove has two feeds so losing the bottom one would be OK.  That said I think I’d miss having a feed from under the grate – but this might just be because I’ve not used a wood-only stove much.

Why the reluctance to use coal? You are already killing baby Robins so what does a few more matter?

I get wood for free and wood have to buy coal.

The air comes in from the back so would blow into the side of the fire rather than in underneath it. Reason for looking into this is that I think wood burns better on a bed of ash on a solid base rather than it falling through the grate.

I took the grate out of mine and replaced it with a few layers of firebrick.  It works much better.

Most stoves with a top and bottom air intake will tend to run best with the bottom shut and control the burn with the top inlet airwash.  That’s assuming the chimney draws okay.

possible yes.

pros – more space for more logs if that is useable

cons – I rather think the easy way to empty the ash out is to use the ashpan, but its not that hard i guess to shovel instead. – have to put the grate back if you ever change your mind about coal.