hearth pad

What does your stove manual say is required? Rick

In that case, your plan is more than adequate. Absent a specific R-value requirement, if the manufacturer says simply something like "ember protection", or "non-combustible", then that's all you need...nothing fancy. Rick

ejevans22 said:

it only said i need a non combustible pad for it to sit on with 8'' on each side and 18'' from front of stove

Click to expand...

What does your insurance company say also, my insurance agent faxed me specs. The specs from the insurance company seemed out dated so I sent them the specs from the Lopi manual,worked out fine.

zap

I've always told folks that unless the manufacturer, insurance company or local code enforcer stipulates something specific, that you should put down sheet metal first, than wonderboard (or something similar) then your non combustable material. The sheet metal is in place in the unlikely event that the seams in the tile and any seams in the wonderboard are aligned and both breach in exactly the same place. The sheetmetal would give an extra layer of protection against sparks or embers getting into that crack.

I burn a Jotul 3 (Set in a fireplace) almost 24/7 in winter for over 10 years now. Brick floor barely gets warm to the touch.

In my former house did the cement board/sheet metal/ cement board /tile base over wood floor which at the time someone told me was code. That floor did get a bit warmer. Was burning a VC Defiant there.

Never knew what the sheet metals purpose was till reading the last post thanks.

If i had to do it again would do what code says to protect the resale value but other than that really all i'd do is protect from stray embers not crazy heat from the stove. But that's just me with limited experience of the jotul and VC.

Just my two cents here; I just built mine a few months back, and my decision to not go directly on the sub-floor with cement board was the need to strengthen the sub-floor to safely handle the total load of the stove, hearth, equiupment, logs, etc...

I personally would build up from the sub-floor at least a little for piece of mind.

Good Luck

Here is some pics of the one i built recently, useing two layers of 1/2 inch hardibacker and one layer of 1/2 inch micore 160. Maybe give you some ideas.

I have the same stove, and that's exactly what I have under my stove, except I put 3/4" of plywood under the cement board. I've burned it for two years with no issues whatsoever.

You might want it a little higher for ease of access. That's my only "complaint" about my setup, although I usually just park myself on the floor in front of the stove when I need to build up the fire or add wood. It's a minor inconvenience.

Enjoy the stove!!

Sic gorgiamus allos subjectatos nunc

[We gladly feast on those who would subdue us]

Cool!!