Osburn 1700 Wood Stove

Right buyer

Owners of medium-sized homes, cabins, well-insulated open-plan single-story spaces, or finished basement/main-floor combinations of roughly 800–1,600 sq ft, with reasonable insulation and access to seasoned hardwood at 15–20% moisture content. Mobile-home and manufactured-home owners — this stove is certified for mobile-home installation with the required fresh-air intake kit and insulated intake pipe.

Buyers who want the Osburn brand finish, dealer/parts network, and the configurable styling that the Osburn 1700 offers. Five base configurations across two finish colors (Black or Brushed Nickel), two door overlay finishes, and optional glass ash lip — the 1700 has more styling configuration than nearly any other stove in this firebox size class.

Buyers stepping up from the small-stove platform (Osburn 950 or Enerzone Solution 1.4) who need more heat output, longer log capacity, and longer burn cycles. The Osburn 1700 covers heating areas from 500 sq ft on the low end up to 1,800 sq ft on the manufacturer's high end, with a usable tested output band of 9,800–52,200 BTU/hr.

Buyers who want east-west loading and the wider 17 1/4-inch door opening that comes with it. The Osburn 1700 is built around a wider-than-it-is-deep firebox; logs go in across the width, sides visible from the door. This is the conventional wood-stove loading orientation — most owners coming from older stoves already know how to load this way.

Wrong buyer

Not for whole-house primary heat in older, drafty, or large homes. The manufacturer's stated 1,800 sq ft upper range is achievable only in well-insulated, open-plan, moderate-climate conditions; in real-world use, comfortable primary heat tops out around 1,400–1,500 sq ft for most homes.

Not for buyers expecting 8+ hour overnight burns. The 7-hour manufacturer maximum burn time is achievable on a packed load of dense hardwood with the air shut down hard, but useful heat from a packed load is realistically 5–6 hours. For longer burns, step up to a larger non-cat firebox (2.5+ ft³) or to a catalytic stove with a true low-output mode.

Not for buyers wanting the smaller stove footprint and reduced clearances of the Osburn 950 or Solution 1.4. The Osburn 1700 is meaningfully larger; if you're heating under 1,000 sq ft and need the smaller stove footprint or N-S loading, look at the 950 instead.

The Osburn 1700 is approved for installation in residential homes, cabins, sunrooms, alcoves (with double-wall pipe connector), and mobile or manufactured homes (with the required fresh-air intake kit and insulated intake pipe). It is not approved for installation in factory-built (prefab) metal fireplaces or in any outdoor or unconditioned space.

Clearances to combustibles

The manual specifies clearances based on whether single-wall or double-wall pipe connector is used, and adjusts further for heat-shielded installations and lowered ceilings. With a single-wall pipe connector in a USA installation, the basic clearances are 13" rear (A), 10" side (B), and 12" corner (C). With a double-wall pipe connector, those drop to 6" / 10" / 6" respectively. With heat shield AC02762 and a double-wall connector, clearances reduce further to 2 1/2" on rear, side, and corner measurements, except where the clearance reduction is on the same side as the door handle; in that case, the manual requires at least 6" from the side wall. Reduced clearances may also be achieved using approved wall heat-shield construction described in the manual; the construction rules and reduction percentages are specific and should be reviewed with your installer before purchase.

Always confirm the binding clearance figures against the certification label on the back of the stove and your local code. The manual's clearance tables include separate values for Canada and USA, single- and double-wall pipe, with and without heat shields, lowered ceilings, alcoves, and mobile homes.

Floor protection

For the Osburn 1700, the manual specifies no R-factor required for floor protection — only a continuous, non-combustible material. Approved materials include steel of at least 0.015" thickness, ceramic tiles sealed together with grout (over a continuous non-combustible sheet beneath), cement board, brick, or any other approved or listed material suited for floor protection. Tile alone is not sufficient — a continuous non-combustible sheet beneath the tile is required.

Floor protection dimensions per the manual: in Canada, 18 inches forward of the door opening and 8 inches each side; in the USA, 16 inches forward of the door opening and 8 inches each side. In Canada, the manual also requires ember protection extending at least 18 inches in front of any door and 8 inches on other sides per CSA B365. No floor protection is required if the stove is installed on a non-combustible floor (concrete slab, for example).

Chimney and venting

The Osburn 1700 performs best on a 6-inch chimney flue system. New factory-built chimney systems must comply with UL 103 HT (USA) or ULC S629 (Canada) and be suitable for solid fuel. The stove may also be connected to a code-compliant masonry chimney, provided the chimney has either a clay liner or a suitably listed stainless-steel liner and the application is verified by a qualified installer. Minimum chimney height must follow the current manual, certification label, installer verification, and local code — Osburn documentation may list different minimums by source and configuration. The chimney must extend at least 3 feet above the highest point of contact with the roof and at least 2 feet above any roof line or obstacle within 10 feet horizontally, subject to local code and installer verification.

For mobile-home installations, single-wall pipe is strictly forbidden — only double-wall pipe is permitted, and a fresh-air intake kit with insulated intake pipe is required. The fresh-air intake pipe (HVAC type) must meet ULC S110 or UL 181 class 0 or class 1.

Outside air

An optional fresh-air intake kit is available for code jurisdictions requiring outside combustion air, for tight new-construction homes with mechanical ventilation, and is required for mobile-home installations. Use the AC01291 5-inch fresh-air intake kit for stoves on legs, or the AC01336 for stoves on pedestal. Mobile-home installations also require insulated 5-inch flex pipe (ULC S110 / UL 181 class 0 or class 1 insulated HVAC pipe). A smoke detector and carbon monoxide detector are required in the room where the stove is installed.

Code compliance

Code compliance for any specific installation is determined by the local Authority Having Jurisdiction. Manufacturer listings cover what the stove is approved for; the AHJ approves what is permitted at your address. A WETT (Canada), NFI, or CSIA (USA) certified installer is strongly recommended and frequently required by code, permit, or insurance. Confirm local requirements before purchasing — particularly in EPA non-attainment counties and in HOA jurisdictions where new wood-burning installs may be restricted.

California Proposition 65

This product can expose you to chemicals including carbon monoxide, which is known to the State of California to cause cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm. For more information go to www.P65warnings.ca.gov.

Ships with the stove

• Osburn 1700 wood stove (OB01700) with welded carbon-steel firebox and arched cast-iron glazed door
• Choice of base, configured at order: black traditional legs, black straight legs, black pedestal, brushed-nickel traditional legs, or brushed-nickel straight legs
• Choice of door overlay, configured at order: Black (OA10249) or Brushed Nickel (OA10250)
• Built-in ash drawer (sized to the base configuration)
• C-Cast baffle and stainless-steel secondary-air tube assembly
• Stainless-steel heat shield over the C-Cast baffle
• Top heat deflector that redirects heat toward the front of the stove
• High-density refractory firebrick lining
• Decorative side panels
• Owner's manual and product documentation

Sold separately

• Code-compliant 6-inch chimney system — listed factory-built chimney for new installations, or an approved masonry chimney/liner configuration where permitted by code and verified by the installer/AHJ; required venting components are sold separately
• Single-wall or double-wall pipe connector between the stove and chimney — double-wall is required for alcove and mobile-home installations and reduces clearance requirements
• Hearth pad or floor protection sized to manual specifications, with continuous non-combustible sheet beneath any tile
• Optional 130 CFM variable-speed blower with thermodisc heat sensor (SBI AC01000) — adds forced-air circulation to improve heat distribution; without it, heat moves by radiation and natural convection only
• Optional glass ash lip — visible glass strip at the door opening; sold separately
• Optional 5-inch fresh-air intake kit (SBI AC01291 for legs, AC01336 for pedestal) — required for mobile-home installations and for code or mechanical-ventilation requirements
• 5-inch insulated flex pipe for fresh-air intake (ULC S110 / UL 181 class 0 or class 1 insulated HVAC pipe) — required for mobile-home installations
• Optional 5-inch fresh-air intake register with airtight damper — useful where local code, airtight-home design, or owner preference calls for a closable outside-air damper; do not close while the stove is in use
• Optional rigid fire screen (SBI AC01299) — not permitted for open-door use in the United States or in Canadian provinces/jurisdictions with particulate-emission limits; never permitted for use in a mobile home; never leave the stove unattended when used with a fire screen
• Optional heat shield AC02762 for further clearance reductions to 2 1/2" on rear, side, and corner measurements (subject to the door-handle 6" side-wall exception)
• Pin-type wood moisture meter — not optional in practice
• Stove-top or flue thermometer — strongly recommended; not optional in practice
• Installation by an authorized qualified technician (WETT, NFI, or CSIA certified) — required for warranty coverage and often required by code, permit, or insurance

The 65,000 BTU/hr maximum is a peak rating, transient, achieved on dry cordwood at high loading density and short reload intervals. The figure that matters for daily life is the sustained output across a full burn cycle, which lands in the 9,800–52,200 BTU/hr band per the CSA B415.1-10 stack-loss method. That low-end figure is genuinely useful — 9,800 BTU/hr is shoulder-season territory, when a smaller stove with a higher minimum output would overheat the room.

A realistic burn cycle from a packed load of well-seasoned hardwood produces a fast 30–45 minute warm-up, 2–3 hours of strong sustained heat, then a gradual decline over the next 2–3 hours with a coal bed remaining. Total useful heat from one full pack is realistically 5–6 hours, occasionally approaching the 7-hour manufacturer maximum with dense hardwood, mild weather, and a packed coal bed. Reload onto coals when heat output falls off and the cycle restarts.

The top heat deflector pushes heat toward the front of the stove rather than letting it climb the back wall, which gives noticeably warmer feet in the seating zone — useful in a room where you actually sit close to the stove. The decorative side panels and the rear heat shield allow the reduced clearances the manual specifies, letting the stove sit closer to walls without compromising safety.

The east-west loading is the conventional loading direction for stoves in this size class. The 17 1/4" door opening accommodates 18-inch logs comfortably; the 13 1/2" interior firebox depth handles a layered E-W load with room to breathe. The Osburn 1700 ships with steel andirons at the front of the firebox — per the manual's EPA loading procedure, the front log should sit just behind the andirons to control the burn rate.

The 130 CFM optional blower is a meaningful step up from the smaller stoves in the catalog. With the blower installed, the variable-speed control lets you dial CFM up or down, and the thermodisc senses stove temperature and runs the blower automatically when the stove is hot. Without the blower, heat distribution relies on radiant heat and natural convection plus the top deflector; for a one-room install, that's often enough. For distribution into adjacent rooms or open-plan spaces, the blower meaningfully helps.

Air-wash glass stays largely clear during proper hot burns at moderate-to-high air settings. At low burn rates with marginally seasoned wood, the glass will tar. This is universal to non-catalytic stoves, not specific to Osburn.

Official Osburn warranty-registration data currently shows 96% satisfaction among the last 35 registered owners.

Same platform as the Enerzone Solution 1.7. The Osburn 1700 and the Enerzone Solution 1.7 share the same SBI medium-stove performance platform — same firebox volume, same combustion-chamber dimensions, same heat output class, same log capacity. The difference between them is brand finish, configurable styling options (door overlays, leg/pedestal styles, Black/Brushed Nickel finishes, optional glass ash lip), and dealer/parts network positioning. The Osburn 1700 also lists a 130 CFM variable-speed blower as the optional accessory; the Solution 1.7's blower option is in a different CFM class. Choose by the brand, finish, and configurability you prefer.

Medium-size firebox, medium burn time. A 1.86 ft³ non-cat stove gives you meaningful heat output across 800–1,500 sq ft, but the 7-hour manufacturer maximum is a maximum — useful heat realistically tops out at 5–6 hours. If you want true 8–10 hour overnight burns, step up to a 2.5+ ft³ non-cat or to a catalytic stove with a real low-output mode.

The 1,800 sq ft figure is aspirational. The most consistent owner regret across medium stoves is buying for the high end of the manufacturer's heating range. If you need to reliably heat more than ~1,500 sq ft as primary winter heat in a cold climate or older home, step up a firebox size.

Base and door overlay are one-time decisions. Both the base configuration and the door overlay finish are configured at order, not field-swappable. The combinations let the stove fit many room layouts and aesthetics, but choose the configuration that matches the room you're putting it in — measure the desired height and confirm the look before ordering.

2.4 g/hr emissions is mid-pack for the category. The Osburn 1700 is well within the EPA 2020 cordwood limit (2.5 g/hr) but is not class-leading on emissions. Buyers who specifically want a low-emissions stove for an EPA non-attainment county should compare against premium-tier cross-shops that test below 1.5 g/hr.

Wood quality is not negotiable. The most common "the stove doesn't heat" complaint comes from owners running marginally seasoned wood. Secondary combustion works best with dry, properly seasoned fuel, ideally around 15–20% moisture. A pin-type moisture meter is the single best accessory for this stove.

Glass blackens at low burn rates. Universal to non-cat stoves in this firebox class. Daily hot cleanup burns and tolerance for a periodic wipe are part of operating this stove. Owners chasing always-clear glass on long, slow burns should look at catalytic technology.

Refined but configurable, not ornate. The Osburn 1700 has clean modern lines, an arched cast-iron door, decorative side panels, and the Osburn-tier finish detail. With brushed-nickel overlays it reads more contemporary; with traditional cast-iron legs it reads more classic. It is configurable but not ornate. Buyers wanting heavy decorative cast-iron styling should look at premium-tier alternatives.

First burns. The first few fires cure the high-temperature paint and condition the internal components. Burn two or three small fires first, then build bigger, hotter fires until the paint smell is gone. The smell can be strong; ventilate the room well and avoid prolonged exposure during cure-in.

Lighting. Open the air control fully and build a small, hot kindling fire. The manual's EPA loading sequence uses split start-up fuel in three rows criss-crossed at 45 degrees, kindling on top in three rows from largest to smallest, then newspaper sheets on top. Let the door stand at 90 degrees for about a minute, then close. In normal use, the goal is the same: establish draft quickly, get the firebox hot, then close the door once the fire is stable.

Air control. Single-lever, located underneath the ash shelf. Push the handle completely to the left for HIGH (open); push completely to the right for LOW (closed). Full open at light-off; gradually closed only after the load is fully engaged and stable secondary flames are established. The manual recommends closing the primary air control by small increments (about 1/16 inch at a time) over 4–15 minutes after a reload — too fast and the fire smolders.

Reload cadence. 3–4 hours between reloads in active heating use; up to 6 hours for a final overnight pack with the air shut hard. For loading, follow the same principle the manual describes for EPA testing: three logs on the coal bed in east-west orientation with the front log behind the andirons, two more logs on top angled slightly. Open the air for a minute or two before opening the door, open the door slowly to avoid smoke rollout, load onto the coal bed, close the door, and run the air open until the load is fully engaged before reducing the air gradually. Do not elevate the fire by using a grate. Do not put logs in the marked X area between the glass and primary air channel.

Ash management. The Osburn 1700 has a built-in ash drawer system — the ash plug in the firebox floor opens to drop ash into the drawer below. Per the manual, empty every 2–3 days during full-time heating. Always dispose of ash in a tightly covered metal container on a non-combustible surface, well away from combustible materials — ash retains hot embers for days.

Glass cleaning. Damp newspaper dipped in cold ash, or a dedicated ceramic-glass cleaner. Daily wipe during low-burn weather; weekly during high-burn. Black streaks at the lower edge mean wet wood; black uniformly across the glass means burns are running too cool. Do not clean the glass when the stove is hot, and do not strike or slam the glass door shut.

Door and glass gaskets. Per the manual, the door gasket needs replacement when the paper-strip test fails: close the door on a strip of paper and try to pull it out; firm resistance means the gasket is sealing, easy pull means it's time to replace. Test all the way around the door, not just at the latch. The latch mechanism is also adjustable — turn the handle one counterclockwise turn (after removing the split pin with pliers) to increase pressure. Replacement materials run $20–$40; replacement is a 30-minute job. Plan on every 3–5 seasons in regular use.

Annual chimney sweep. Per the manual, the chimney should be cleaned and inspected at least once each year. Inspect every two months during the heating season until you know your creosote-formation rate; monthly is safer for new burners. If buildup reaches 1/8 inch, sweep immediately. The baffle and secondary tubes lift out for sweep access.

Wood seasoning. Hardwood needs 12–24 months split, stacked off the ground, top-covered, with sun and wind on the sides. Don't trust supplier "seasoned" claims — use a pin-type moisture meter, split a piece in half, measure the fresh face. Manual target: 15–20% moisture. Wood above 25% will smolder, soot the glass, line the chimney with creosote, and undercut every published efficiency and emissions number on this page.

Blower maintenance (if installed). Keep the blower intake and fins free of dust and follow the blower kit instructions for service. Do not oil the blower unless the blower manual specifically calls for lubrication. Replacement blowers and related service parts are available through Osburn/SBI dealers and parts channels if needed years out.

What never to burn. Per the manual and EPA fuel rules: no coal, garbage, yard waste, materials containing rubber or plastic, waste petroleum products, paint or paint thinners, asphalt products, painted or pressure-treated wood, railroad ties, manure or animal remains, plywood, particle board, paper products, asbestos materials, construction or demolition debris, salt-water driftwood, or unseasoned wood. This does not prohibit normal fire starters made from paper, cardboard, sawdust, wax, or similar substances when used only to start a fire. Burning prohibited materials destroys the firebox, voids the warranty, and releases toxic compounds into your home and the chimney.

The Osburn limited lifetime warranty applies to the original retail purchaser only and is non-transferable. The warranty applies to normal residential use only. Proof of purchase (dated bill of sale), model name, and serial number are required for any warranty claim. Online registration is recommended at osburn-mfg.com but not required if a dated invoice is retained.

Coverage by component

A one-time replacement limit applies to all parts with lifetime coverage. Warranty is void if the unit is used to burn anything other than seasoned cordwood, or if it is not operated according to the owner's manual. Damage caused by misuse, improper installation, lack of maintenance, overfiring, downdrafts, venting problems, or under-estimated heating area is not covered. Improper installation by anyone other than an authorized qualified technician voids the warranty.

Warranty claims are made through your Osburn dealer and remain subject to SBI/Osburn inspection, approval, and the current written warranty. Kaminos is the retailer for this stove and supports buyers through purchase; final warranty approval rests with SBI as the manufacturer. SBI's parts network is well-stocked — replacement bricks, baffle, secondary tubes, glass, gaskets, and optional blower are openly available at fair prices through multiple parts vendors.

Osburn may require photos or returned parts to support a claim; repair work covered by warranty requires prior manufacturer approval.

Coverage details can change by component and warranty revision; the current Osburn warranty controls.