Outdoor woodburners throw out serious heat—especially through the glass. It’s not just about flames, it’s about radiant heat transfer, which will happily cook anything nearby long before it actually catches fire.
That’s why clearances aren’t just a suggestion—they’re what stop your fence, wall, or carefully built garden setup from becoming part of the fire.
If you’ve got a 4-sided model (glass on all sides), the rule is simple:
Keep it 1 metre away from anything
Why? Because heat is radiating in every direction. There’s no “safe side” here.
Having said that most of our fires contain concrete base bricks, which means the floor does not get too hot allowing it to be installed on wooden decking without issue from heat.
Switch to a 3-sided model with a solid panel + firebrick, and things get more flexible.
On the solid panel side:
Why the difference?
That rear panel isn’t just metal—it’s backed by internal concrete firebrick, which reduces heat transfer out of that side, and instead allows more of the heat to be felt from the remaining glass sides.
Translation:
Less heat blasting directly backwards = more placement options.
RB73 outdoor woodburners with glass panels should typically be positioned 1 metre away from combustible materials. However, this can be significantly reduced depending on the model and configuration, to as low as 10cm.
Now this is where things get interesting.
Adding a heat shield to the solid panel dramatically reduces the heat coming out the back. With a heat shield fitted:
That’s the difference between:
The shield works by creating an air gap, which disrupts heat transfer and allows heat to dissipate rather than pass straight through.
This setup is available only on the 3-sided versions of our:
And yes—installation is straightforward, mounted using spacers onto the rear panel with four allen key bolts.
Note: our heat shields are designed specifically to work with our concrete backstones in order to maintain these lower distances. All 3-sided fires sold by us include these back bricks as standard.
Some models keep things simple—and that means sticking with larger clearances.
These designs don’t include the same rear shielding system, so they rely purely on distance for safety.
Here’s the reality:
It’s less about the stove… and more about how you want to use your space.
If you could place your stove just 10cm from a wall instead of 1 metre… would it completely change your garden layout?
RB73 stoves are designed to give you flexibility—but only if you understand how to use it.
Heat shields aren’t just about safety (although, obviously, that matters).
They’re about unlocking placement options that wouldn’t otherwise be possible.
Yes — RB73 Quaruba & Fennek stoves can be converted from a 4-sided to a 3-sided configuration (and back again) by replacing one of the back/side panels. This uses the same process as swapping a panel, as outlined in the RB73 repair manual.
Replacing glass in an RB73 stove depends on the model and location: door glass is removed using pop-out clips, while side and rear panels (on certain models) lift out or are unbolted first. In all cases, the new glass must sit perfectly flat with no wobble—there are no rope seals or tightening involved.
A well-designed logstore keeps firewood dry by allowing constant airflow while protecting it from direct rain. Raised bases, slatted sides, and angled roofs work together to let moisture escape and prevent water from soaking in.
