Zero clearance masonry heater?

A masonry heater works by absorbing the intense heat of an uncontrolled (by comparison) fire in the refractory bricks, then transferring it to the outer layer of brick/stone. One vital requirement is that masonry heaters be built on the middle of the house so that none of the mass (stone) contacts the cold air outside. Most fireplaces (where ZC's are placed) are on the outside wall of the home.

The second problem is that you can only use the flue heat from a ZC, which is much cooler than the intense fire of a masonry heater. If you try to channel the flue gases through a clay liner, you probably will have huge problems with draft since the ZC is a much lower, controlled burn.

The best way to get a wood stove or a fireplace to act like a masonry heater? Why not just go with the real thing? You are in a good location for masonry heaters. I see 9 masonry heater builders listed with the Masonry Heater's Association www.mha-net.org in Ontario. One of these builders is Jessica Steinhauser.

I advise you not to show your wife pictures of this woman's tile stoves/masonry heaters. The stoves are great burners and beautiful, too (artwork, really). This woman, www.stonehousepottery.com, builds masonry heaters that are constructed of tiles. This building process comes from Germany/Austria but she does it her own unique way.

It amazes me when I hear people going for inserts with elaborate masonry that cost the same or only a little less than masonry heaters. Why not just go for the best thing?