Codes for Wall Behind Fireplace

[Firestorm521]

I am in the process of finishing the 10x20 addition to my house and will be putting a freestanding fireplace in it. (corner stove) I do not have the stove and do not know which one to get. Want to spend less than 700$. Heating about 1200sqft.

I have a couple questions. I would like to know how to build the wall behind the fireplace so I could put pretty much any stove in and be "up-to-code". I live in the country so there are no city codes. Do I just need sheetrock(5/8), a 1" air gap, and then Durock(cement board)? I can't really find anything that makes me want to do it one way or the other.... Unless I'm looking in the wrong place.

I realize that all fireplaces are different and have different dimensions for spacing but want to get close most.

So once I find out this info I would like to see/ hear how people made the air gap on the top and bottom look nice? I have heard there must be one on top and bottom. Pictures would be great!

Once that is figured out, how high does my back wall need to reach up past the fireplace? I think the wall is just under 6'6" on the side of the addition. I don't really want to put rock all the way up the wall I have some different ideas for finishing it.


Any help would be great. I grew up with 2 wood stoves but never had to deal with putting one in myself.
I live in Northern Minnesota if that helps with codes.


Thanks for the help

Mitch

 

[begreen]

Do you mean a freestanding wood stove or do you want to install a zero clearance fireplace?

 

[Firestorm521]

Free standing wood stove.

 

[begreen]

A shielded wall is only required to reduce clearances and only for stoves that allow this clearance reduction. No harm putting one up though and no harm in putting the stove further away from the corner than minimum requirements.

 

[begreen]

Will this be a new stove or an old timer?

 

[Firestorm521]

I am probably going to buy a newer one.

 

[mellow]

I hope that $700 isn't including pipe.

 

[Grisu]

Even if not, $700 will give you only a selection of a handful of EPA-stoves. Maybe the Englander 13NC but then I would worry more about getting the hearth up to an r-value of 2 rather than looking into wall shields. If there is a Menards close by, maybe the Pacific Energy True North.

 

[begreen]

How large an area do you want to heat? Is the proposed stove room wide open to the rest of the house or closed off by a door? Do you have a Menard's nearby?

 

[Firestorm521]

It will be in a room with a door and window that opens into a living room. I will try to circulate air into the "main" part of the house.

I can get a new 13nc from home depot for 450.00 looking at it now. But I've heard bad things. And I've also heard burn time is terrible. I do have a menards nearby.

 

[bholler]

It will be in a room with a door and window that opens into a living room. I will try to circulate air into the "main" part of the house.
I can get a new 13nc from home depot for 450.00 looking at it now. But I've heard bad things. And I've also heard burn time is terrible. I do have a menards nearby.

At your budjet you will be very limited your best bet is try to find a 30 nc on sale. Even used if they are in good shape many good newer stoves go for more than $700

 

[Grisu]

I can get a new 13nc from home depot for 450.00 looking at it now. But I've heard bad things. And I've also heard burn time is terrible. I do have a menards nearby.

Burn times will be as good as you can get from a 1.8 cu ft stove when you load it full with dry hardwood. Maybe 5 hours of heat with coals up to 8 hours. The PE True North has a slightly larger firebox and may give you an overnight burn at about 8 hours. BeGreen had seen it at Menards for $750 when I remember correctly. The other advantage of the True North will be an ember-protection hearth only and it should be able to heat 1200 sqft. Check its clearances and whether those can be reduced by wall shields. If not, you can finish the walls any way your want but you have to put the stove far enough away to maintain the given minimum clearances.

No matter which EPA-stove you get, dry wood with an internal moisture content of less than 20% will be key. Did you already split and stack some cords in the open for the next two winters?

 

[Firestorm521]

I've got wood split and more is getting ready every week. The final snow just left us so now it can really get cut and stacked.

 

[begreen]

200 sq ft is a small area to heat. If the only exit from the room is a conventional 3ft doorway then I wouldn't go too large on the stove. With new construction and insulation the room could quickly become an oven. How large is the window when open? If you can post a floorplan sketch or some pictures we may be able to suggest ways to improve circulation.

The 13NC has a good reputation. It is a solid stove. The burn time is not terrible. This is a 1.8 cu ft firebox. It will probably go 5-6 hrs between reloads. The caveat being that it needs a well insulated hearth. There are other stoves in this approximate size the only need an ember protection hearth. If you want long burn times but not overwhelming heat you will likely have to put in a small catalytic stove.

Do you know how tall the flue system will be on this stove from the stove top to the chimney cap? That might also be a deciding factor if the flue is on the short side.

 

[Firestorm521]

I've been looking at a Lopi 380/440. For around 800$. Any insight on these models?

The window is a regular outside window, without measuring I'm going to say about 24" wide or so. The room will have a ceiling fan to spread the heat. I'm hoping the heat will spread to my furnace room and I will use the blower to spread the fireplace heat around the house. There is also the door that will remain open to the addition.

 

[bholler]

Ok i think a sketch of the floor plan would help allot generally using the furnace to circulate heat from a stove doesn't work that well but cant say for sure without seeing your setup. And they are wood stoves not fireplaces sorry that just annoys me.

 

[begreen]

The Lopi 380 is the predecessor to the Endeavor. It is a good heater. the price is a bit high unless the stove is in exceptionally good condition. Check the secondary burn tubes. They used to be steel and would burn out. If they are sagging or showing signs of burnout and the firebrick is cracked, start talking in the $4-500 range. Replace with stainless tubes and they will last a long time.

Your best bet for moving heat out of the room may be to put a fan on the floor outside of the room, blowing cooler air down low into the room. Hot room air will replace the cool air.