Maine Wood Heat, makers of artisanal wood-fired ovens, mobile wood-fired ovens, pizza ovens and masonry heaters was founded in 1976 and is owned by Albie & Cheryl Barden and their son Scott.

For more than thirty years, their mission at Maine Wood Heat has been to introduce high efficiency, environmentally-friendly, clean-burning and health-giving wood burning masonry heaters, cooking and baking systems to North America. “Our philosophy has always been to build and promote the greenest, most efficient, and beautiful products we can.”

In addition to designing and building heaters throughout the US and importing masonry heater hardware from Finland, Albie Barden began teaching hands-on workshops in masonry heater construction in 1978. He has also written several manuals on Finnish and Russian Fireplace and cook stove construction.

About twenty-one years ago, Barden decided to add wood-fired ovens to the products and services the company offers. In France, he found Le Panyol, a family-owned business that has been producing artisan 100 percent organic wood-fired ovens since 1840. The clay used in making the ovens is from organic sources. Maine Wood Heat became Le Panyol’s North American partner and importer, selling and installing wood- fired ovens in homes, bakeries and restaurants from coast to coast.

Always looking for new directions to add to the company’s products and services, Maine Wood Heat also creates signs like the one at Skowhegan Fleuriste in downtown Skowhegan and other projects such as a cheese smoker, table tops and bases and evaporators.

If you have a custom project that’s not a pizza oven or a heater, Maine Wood Heat may be able to help with it. The business is always looking to diversify and create pieces of work that might be just what a business needs.

Maine Wood Heat is located at 8 Industrial Park Road in Skowhegan. For more information or help with your special project get in touch by visiting mainewoodheat.com or call 474-7465.

Also you may want to check out Albie’s Blog on the company’s website for news, views, recipes and travels of the Bardens and staff as they design, build and install the products created in Skowhegan.

This is a busy time of year for all Mainers as we come out from under the weight of a long cold winter and get onto all those projects we have been dreaming and planning. Make one of those dreams a reality by checking out Maine Wood Heat.


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