Air gap needed?

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meathead

Feeling the Heat
Nov 13, 2008
358
Central Maine
I am beginning hearth construction and wanted to confirm the safety of my planned install. The stove is a Jotul F600. The plan for combustible protection is:

Floor: 2 layers Micore 300, 1 layer durock, 1 layer thinbrick.
Required floor protection R value = 0.893
Each sheet of micore is r 1.03

Walls: 1 layer micore, 1 layer durock, 1 layer thinbrick. Total hearth size is just over 7'x7' with clearance to walls well beyond specified minimum clearance to combustibles.

Sound safe to the gurus here?

Thanks for your time folks!
 
Sounds like a lot of overkill. With one layer of micore on the hearth + 1/2" Durock NextGen, the R value of the hearth before adding the brick will be R = 1.49 which is very good. And if this is 1" thick brick veneer, add another .2 R value. If the wall clearance minimums are already exceeded, then I would skip the micore on the walls. If you want to post a picture for a visual confirmation that would be good.
 
Overkill is ok with me. I want the hearth before thinbrick up about 3.75" from floor level to create a clear step up from the floor and allow me to use cornerbricks as a border. The extra layer of micore was more about height than R value. It was either that or another sheet of plywood and I figured might as well get the added R value.

One concern I did have is with a full inch of micore, do you think there may be an issue with the material compressing under the weight of the stove over time?
 
It's a waste of money after a certain point. No harm though. I would build up height with Durock. It's stiffer and much more solid.
 
Not a bad idea - I will go with a second durock layer instead of micore. Thanks for the advice.

Almost never a waste of money when it makes your wife feel a little safer :)
 
Maybe I missed it . . . but in the on-line manual for the F-600 it appeared as though only ember protection is needed.

That said . . . I have been known to miss things before . . . perhaps this is an older stove . . . and I'm also a firm believer in going overboard when it comes to safety. No one has ever complained about having too safe of a hearth.

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4.1 Floor Protection




Floor protection under the stove must be constructed of a noncombustible
material for protection from radiant heat, sparks,
and embers.
Individual sections of floor protection must be mortared together
to prevent sparks from falling through to combustible materials.

Any carpeting must be removed from under the floor protection.
 
Sounds like a lot of overkill. With one layer of micore on the hearth + 1/2" Durock NextGen, the R value of the hearth before adding the brick will be R = 1.49 which is very good. And if this is 1" thick brick veneer, add another .2 R value. If the wall clearance minimums are already exceeded, then I would skip the micore on the walls. If you want to post a picture for a visual confirmation that would be good.

Hi BeGreen

I am installing a hearth this weekend. It 2x6 construction with Pine trim. The top has 3/4" plywood under 1/2" Wonderboard which is under 12" square porcalin tiles. What is the R-Value on that?
The Stove is about 275 lbs & 130 lbs more with a full hopper. So 405 lbs
 
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