Glad I found this forum. Just bought a Vermont Castings Encore Defiant wood stove. I would like to put it up stairs in living room but I am concerned of the weight of the hearth and stove sitting on joists. Hope that I am not bothering anyone with this as it was probably asked already. The joists are 2 x 10 16 on center about 13 feet long. The stove will sit about in the middle and the hearth I want to build will cover 3 joists. I guess the question is how much weight will it hold and how thick does the hearth have to be? Thank you for you help.
How big and how thick
- Thread starter Beekman
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webbie
Seasoned Moderator
The weight of a tile or brick heath such as you suggest is usually not relevant to typical floor construction.
Think of it this way. Let's say the stove and hearth weighed 900 pounds. Would 5 guys each weighing 180 pounds standing in a circle chatting affect the floor?
As to the thickness of the hearth, your particular owners manual will need to be consulted. It used to be that you could purchase a bottom heat shield for those stoves which would allow for a much thinner hearth construction.
Think of it this way. Let's say the stove and hearth weighed 900 pounds. Would 5 guys each weighing 180 pounds standing in a circle chatting affect the floor?
As to the thickness of the hearth, your particular owners manual will need to be consulted. It used to be that you could purchase a bottom heat shield for those stoves which would allow for a much thinner hearth construction.
Nick Mystic
Minister of Fire
When you picture those five guys standing in the middle of your living room imagine them standing around your 900 lb. wood stove and hearth! I'm not sure you can size up the adequacy of your floor construction just using your imagination. There are probably engineering a design charts that specify the load limits of various floor joist systems. I would do some research and see what the building engineers have to say. If there is a basement under the room in question it might be possible to add a post of two under the stove area if you have and doubts or want some added peace of mind.
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