Hearth advice for carpeted basement floor

[mjsti]

Hi folks,

New here, recently purchased a VC Dutchwest. Going to be installing in my finished carpeted basement, in a corner. I was first thinking about simply pulling back the carpet and installing a flush tile floor and back walls. However after reading through some of the topics, it seems that wouldn't be ideal since the lack of insulation to the concrete floor, basically heating the earth below. What would you suggest given my situation?

Thanks!

 

[jstellfox]

The heat loss on the basement floor is not going to be as big a factor as people let on....do yourself a favor and just cut out the corner carpet where the stove will sit and call it a day.

 

[kenny chaos]

What you need to be worried about is protecting the carpet from constant traffic
back and forth to the stove carrying dirty logs and ashes.

 

[leeave96]

I don't think I'd worry about the floor either. I made my hearth almost flush with the floor in my house. It worked out that in reality it is flush with the carpet that bumps up to it - pretty nice.

Good luck,
Bill

 

[mjsti]

Thanks all for the replies. I agree pulling back the carpet is the best solution, it's just that it adds to the project cost by having to hire someone to come in and retack the carpet. However I realize it has to go unless I simply buy a hearth pad & call it a day.

I'm leaning towards either floor tile or brick for the hearth. Anyone have any idea what the R value is for standard red brick (the jumbo size)?

 

[billb3]

I've had wood stoves on concrete floors.

I don't understand why you're worried about having a hearth, unless you just want one, which is fine.

Clay bricks are about 0.10 per inch if I remember correctly. concrete is about the same at 0.08.

 

[BurnIt13]

Depending on the complexity of the cuts and your handyman abilities you could even tack the carpet yourself. The tack strips are available at any hardware store as well as the transitions to go from carpet to a bare surface.

The R value of brick is .80 for a 4 inch thickness.
R-values

 

[kenny chaos]

Actually, a tall hearth is quite pleasing to the more "mature" back.

 

[pen]

so long as your stove has a heat shield on the back, I wouldn't worry much about the loss you will see there.

Mine is on a solid concrete floor w/ brick as a riser under the pedestal. My walls where the stove is installed are 1/2 insulated and studded (top) whereas the bottom 1/2 is uninsulated concrete for 4 feet. My stove is in my basement as well.

I heat us out of house and home in January no problem. I know I am losing some heat to the walls, but when I keep 1800 feet at no less than 70 degrees all winter w/ no furnance help and on 4 cords of wood, I just can't belive I'm losing that aweful much and really just can't figure I'd save that very much if I were to try and improve the setup's insulation.

pen

 

[mjsti]

I think I'll just have my chimney guy lay out a nice corner pattern of jumbo brick, laid on edge for a little rise from the carpet. I have a couple of weeks yet to decide....however sure could use it now, it's chilly outside!

 

[heatwise]

i cut out a section of carpet and cemented down slate. oversized the area just incase i ever get a different stove . havent done anything behind the stove on the wall yet . thats a summertime project. good luck with your project, pete

 

[daleeper]

I used flagstone on concrete for our hearth in the basement, carpet right up next to the flagstone.

I don't think putting insulation right under the stove is going to make a whole lot of difference if the whole basement floor is not insulated. You are eventually going to have to heat that whole slab anyway, and the earth will be wicking away heat the whole time.

If someone has information that is different, please let us know, I could modify my hearth if it is going to improve performance significantly.