Buying guide
A see-through stove turns a wall into a feature from both sides. It is one of the most striking ways to have a fire, and one of the most involved to install, so it pays to understand what it needs before you fall for it.
What is a double sided stove?
A double sided, or see-through, stove has a door and glass on the front and the back, set into a wall or a central chimney so both faces are visible. You load it from one or both sides depending on the model. The Woodfire Panorama Double Sided models are inset boiler stoves: a water jacket sends part of the heat to radiators and hot water, and the rest warms the rooms on each side.
The EX12 Panorama Double Sided is rated at 12.5kW, with 6.5kW to water and 6.0kW to the rooms, at 85% efficiency. The EX17 Panorama Double Sided, offered on the EX17 Panorama listing, is rated at 17.6kW, with 8.7kW to water and 8.9kW to the rooms, at 82%.
Where a double sided stove works
- A wall between two rooms, such as a living room and dining room or kitchen, where both get the view of the fire.
- A central chimney breast in an open plan space, dividing a seating area from a dining area.
- A new build or extension, where the wall and flue can be designed around the stove from the start.
It is harder to retrofit into an existing single sided fireplace, because the opening has to go right through the wall and the flue must be centred above the stove. Both rooms need a non-combustible hearth in front of the glass and their own clearances to combustible materials.
Heat in two rooms
The room output is shared between both sides, so think of the two spaces together when you size it, using about 1kW per 14 cubic metres of combined room volume as a starting point, and add the radiator load your heating engineer works out for the water side. The double sided Panorama models put more heat into the rooms than their one sided versions, which suits large open spaces.
| Model | Total | To water | To rooms | Efficiency | Size (W x D x H) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EX12 Panorama Double Sided | 12.5kW | 6.5kW | 6.0kW | 85% | 838 x 558 x 1100mm |
| EX17 Panorama Double Sided | 17.6kW | 8.7kW | 8.9kW | 82% | 838 x 558 x 1100mm |
Both need a 200mm flue and weigh 253kg, and take logs up to 600mm.
Air, safety and installation
Because a see-through stove opens into two rooms, the installer has to think about air and pressure in both. A strong extractor fan or an open door on one side can change how the stove draws. The Panorama stoves take an external air supply (125mm on the EX12, 150mm on the EX17), which helps. Your installer will also advise on carbon monoxide alarms; the regulations require one in the room with the stove, and with a stove serving two rooms many people fit one on each side.
The work is done by a HETAS registered installer, who self-certifies it, with a heating engineer for the boiler connections. Woodfire gives a clearance to combustibles of 400mm to the sides and 1000mm in front of the glass, which applies on both faces. See our inset stove guide for planning the opening and boiler stoves for the heating side.
Planning checklist
- Measure both rooms. Add the volumes together for the room heat, and get a heat loss figure for the radiators.
- Choose the wall. It must be able to take a 253kg stove, a 200mm flue rising straight above it and a hearth on each side.
- Plan the flue route. Up through the house to the roof, or into a central chimney.
- Plan the pipework. Flow and return pipes to the heating system, plus any heat leak or thermal store.
- Decide where you will load it. Think about which room the logs will live in.
Fuel and running
The Woodfire Panorama stoves burn wood only, and the wide firebox takes logs up to 600mm. Keep the glass on both sides clean by burning dry wood under 20% moisture and running the fire hot enough for the airwash to work. Sweep the chimney quarterly while in regular use. The stoves we list are not exempt for smoke control areas.
Common questions
What is a double sided stove?
A stove with glass doors on both faces, built into a wall or central chimney so the fire can be seen from two rooms or both sides of an open space.
Do double sided stoves heat both rooms?
Yes. The room output is shared between both sides. The EX12 Panorama Double Sided sends 6.0kW to the rooms and 6.5kW to water.
Can I fit a double sided stove in an existing fireplace?
It is difficult, because the opening has to pass through the wall and the flue must sit above the stove. They suit new walls, extensions and open plan layouts best.
Do I need a hearth on both sides?
Yes. Each side needs a non-combustible hearth in front of the glass and its own clearances to combustible materials.
Do your double sided stoves have boilers?
Yes. The Woodfire Panorama Double Sided models are inset boiler stoves that also heat radiators and hot water.
What flue do they need?
A 200mm flue from the top connection.
Can I use a double sided stove in a smoke control area?
Not to burn wood unless it is exempt. The Woodfire stoves we list are not listed as exempt.
Is a double sided stove the same as a see-through stove?
Yes, the terms mean the same thing: a stove with glass on two opposite faces so the fire can be seen from both sides.
How long can the logs be?
Up to 600mm in the Woodfire Panorama models.
See it from both sides
Compare the double sided Panorama models on each listing, or ask us about the specification.