Block off plate across fireplace

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wahoowad

Minister of Fire
Dec 19, 2005
1,669
Virginia
I rear vent my woodstove directly into my fireplace, then use a 90 degree tee up into the flue. I'd like to close off the front of the fireplace now with a piece of sheetmetal and have a hole in it for the stovepipe to go through.

I have a drawing with all the relevent dimensions sketched out and plan to take it to a local sheetmetal shop a friend recommended. My stovepipe is doublewall, even where it will go through this plate, and has a 6 1/4" outer diameter. I probably should have them cut the hole a tad oversize to give me a little wiggle room. What are some strategies for covering up any excess gap this hole creates around the stovepipe? I'm thinking I'll have a 1/16" to an 1/8". I've seen some round rosette things (not sure the right name) but now can't find any pictures online or products liek this to see if any are made for my 6 1/4" OD stovepipe.

Has anybody done this bloc-off plate and wish they did it differently onece they were done? I plan to fasten it with just a few screws so I can remove it easily for inspection and cleaning.

Thanks!
 
Here is an idea - make two plates, one about 12" square with a hole in the middle just large enough for the stovepipe to go through. Then in the plate which covers the whole fireplace, you can have a big hole, say 8" diameter if you like. When you install th thing, first slip the small plate, then send the pipe through the plate which covers the fireplace, and the use the small plate to cover the big hole and gap.
 
wahoowad said:
I rear vent my woodstove directly into my fireplace, then use a 90 degree tee up into the flue. I'd like to close off the front of the fireplace now with a piece of sheetmetal and have a hole in it for the stovepipe to go through.

I have a drawing with all the relevent dimensions sketched out and plan to take it to a local sheetmetal shop a friend recommended. My stovepipe is doublewall, even where it will go through this plate, and has a 6 1/4" outer diameter. I probably should have them cut the hole a tad oversize to give me a little wiggle room. What are some strategies for covering up any excess gap this hole creates around the stovepipe? I'm thinking I'll have a 1/16" to an 1/8". I've seen some round rosette things (not sure the right name) but now can't find any pictures online or products liek this to see if any are made for my 6 1/4" OD stovepipe.

Has anybody done this bloc-off plate and wish they did it differently onece they were done? I plan to fasten it with just a few screws so I can remove it easily for inspection and cleaning.

Thanks!

I installed a direct connect kit a few weeks ago that included a block-off plate, insulation, and 4ft of flex-liner including hangers and screws. You may want to use high temp fiberglass insulation between your block-off plate and damper frame. Make sure you cut a hole in it for the pipe.. which will help with the gaps..
 
Wahoowad,

Does your chimney run up the side of your house, outside? You may want to consider a way to let room air in to keep the chimney warm so you don't get harder starts from a colder chimney.

Make sure you post pics of your project when you're done.
 
I have found this to be the easiest way to plate the damper area. The length I cut 2 " longer. When I cut out the pipe, I elongate the
side cuts an extra 1 longer both directions then cut the piece down the middle I install one side with tapcons the the other overlapping the middle 1" from both directions. Then sheet metal screw threw both to make the overlap seam thight
 
I'm not talking about blocking off the damper or flue, I'm talking about a piece of sheetmetal to block off the entire opening to the fireplace. Right now it is rather unsightly with my stovepipe going back and up. I've seen pictures of other folks who blocked theirs off and I want to do the same.
 
Elk whats a tapcon?
 
Tapcorn is a self threading screw into concrete masonry products Basically you drill a 3/16" hole with a masonry bit then using a cordless drill and a nut or socket drive the 1/4" threaded screw into the bricks and hole you just drilled
 
Beautiful. Thanks. Now I understand how to build a damper block of plate. It just crystallized. Thanks!
 
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