Need Hearth Pad Advice

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plenzlerjm

New Member
Dec 17, 2011
23
Maryland
Hello all and happy holidays.

I would like a sanity check on a custom hearth pad I am building.

I just bought a Vermont Castings Encore and the specs require a R = 0.59.

On top of my hardwood floor I plan on laying down 5/8" of Micore 300, a layer of sheet metal, 1/2" fiberboard (Hardibacker I think), and then mortar and 1/2" or 1" of brick.

Does this "sandwich" of materials make sense? Am I on the right track?

Any advice is much appreciated.

Joe
 
Welcome Joe. You're doing fine. Use pure cement board like Wonderboard or Durock NextGen is also a good choice for your underlayment. If you use 1/2" Durock NextGen + the 5/8" Micore 300, the hearth insulation value will be about R=1.7. If Micore proves hard to get you could use two layers of 1/2" Durock NextGen to achieve an R= .78 insulation value.
 
Thanks! Is it OK to put the Micore right on the hardwood floor or do I need something under it? You're right, it was daggone hard to find.
 
BeGreen said:
Welcome Joe. You're doing fine. Use pure cement board like Wonderboard or Durock NextGen is also a good choice for your underlayment. If you use 1/2" Durock NextGen + the 5/8" Micore 300, the hearth insulation value will be about R=1.7. If Micore proves hard to get you could use two layers of 1/2" Durock NextGen to achieve an R= .78 insulation value.

Thanks so much! Is it OK to put the Micore directly on the hardwood, or do I need to put something in between?
 
i put plywood first then micore.... in hindsight the only thing i would have changed was to have the top of the pad about 1 foot from the ground insted of 5 inches cause people are always sitting on the pad near the stove and it is a little low for that
 
phatfarmerbob said:
i put plywood first then micore.... in hindsight the only thing i would have changed was to have the top of the pad about 1 foot from the ground insted of 5 inches cause people are always sitting on the pad near the stove and it is a little low for that

Cool. Thanks for the advice Bob!
 
I would lay plywood first for the added strength and something solid to attached the trim edge to. If it ever had to be moved I think that micore would crumble under the weight.
 
BeGreen said:
Welcome Joe. You're doing fine. Use pure cement board like Wonderboard or Durock NextGen is also a good choice for your underlayment. If you use 1/2" Durock NextGen + the 5/8" Micore 300, the hearth insulation value will be about R=1.7. If Micore proves hard to get you could use two layers of 1/2" Durock NextGen to achieve an R= .78 insulation value.

I just had a thought...if I have the R value needed from the Micore alone, then perhaps I don't need the Durock after all?

What about 1/2" plywood, then 5/8" Micore, then a layer of sheet metal, then unmortared 1 3/8 x 4 x 8 brick pavers?

I'm trying to keep the hearth pad as light as possible.

Thoughts?
 
I'm not sure you even need the sheet metal. It's necessary when there are not well grouted tiles or mortared bricks, but it does not add to the "R" value. It's more for ember protection, from what I understand.
 
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