I'm installing a Hearthstone Equinox which in my case (Canada) requires an 18" hearth from both the side and front doors. I've got a 10x30' area the stove is going in which is 5" concrete slab with ceramic tile on top, so IMHO, the entire area qualifies as non-combustible to the standards required.
I want to add a 8" raised hearth that will enable loading the stove easier without bending down as far but I want the raised section LESS than the 18" requirement, since if it's that far, I have to stand on the raised section to load the stove which negates the whole idea of raising it for me.
To help illustrate, I stole a photo posted by 'obsessed penguin' (thanks
) who posted today and his hearth is strikingly similar to what I want EXCEPT it extends the full distance in front and I want to reduce that to about 8" in front of the stove. Am I making any of this clear? 
The question is: can I reduce the raised hearth section to 8" in front of the doors since the full 18" requirement will be met with the lower floor section? The goal is to raise the stove to make loading easier for those with back problems.
I want to add a 8" raised hearth that will enable loading the stove easier without bending down as far but I want the raised section LESS than the 18" requirement, since if it's that far, I have to stand on the raised section to load the stove which negates the whole idea of raising it for me.
To help illustrate, I stole a photo posted by 'obsessed penguin' (thanks
) who posted today and his hearth is strikingly similar to what I want EXCEPT it extends the full distance in front and I want to reduce that to about 8" in front of the stove. Am I making any of this clear? The question is: can I reduce the raised hearth section to 8" in front of the doors since the full 18" requirement will be met with the lower floor section? The goal is to raise the stove to make loading easier for those with back problems.
