Let’s face it, the stove pipe isn’t the prettiest part of a wood stove. Although it serves the important purpose of venting smoke and hot gases out of your home, it’s ugly and difficult to cover up. But now, manufacturers of wood stove accessories have come up with the solution to the problem: a stove pipe sham.
These attractive ornaments are made of sturdy wrought iron, often by Old World craftspeople. The open design of the sham lets the surface of the stove pipe show through while encasing it in a decorative sheath. The standard color is flat black, just like the pipe, so the effect is to give the assembly a pleasing texture.
Botanical designs are the most popular motif for stove pipe shams. The products come in a standard diameter of 6 to 6-5/8 inches, which will fit most wood stoves. (They do not, however, fit the 10 inch pipe that vents Franklin fireplaces.)
Lengths are available in 6 inch, 9 inch, 12 inch, and 24 inch sections, plus you can even cover the 90-degree elbow that connects the stove pipe with your chimney.
Pricing runs in the neighborhood of $45 per section, which is very reasonable considering the cost of most iron fireplace accessories.
So if you love your high-efficiency wood stove but still can’t learn to like your stove pipe, do the obvious thing: cover it up by wrapping it in a swirling wreath of leaves and vines. The effect overall is a tremendous improvement over that ugly black pipe.