Options for a very tall fireplace?

[Acole]

Hi everyone, excited to find this site and hoping you can help my husband and I figure out our fireplace dilemma. We both grew up with woodstoves so are a bit new to the woodstove insert concept, and not sure where to turn.

We were all lined up to purchase Quadra-fire voyaguer grand wood insert, until they measured our fireplace yesterday and found 2 issues - the fireplace height is too tall (39.5 in) and the hearth depth is too short (16.25 in). The only alternate suggestions they provided were to get a pellet stove, but we really want wood burning. In reading a 2011 post on this site, I found someone with a similar height issue and most everyone suggested that they should just get a woodstove instead of going the insert route. We'd LOVE to get a woodstove, but thought we wouldn't be able to fit it given the stove set-up, as the hearth is raised off the ground. We have a toddler and another on the way so safety is a top concern as well. Our desire was to heat about 1200 sqft of our ranch using the heat from this.

I'll attach some pictures here. Appreciate any and all suggestions about woodstove inserts that might fit (I've had no luck googling for 40 in tall woodstove inserts!), any fdbk on potentially having mason work to fill in some of the upper area that would solve the heigh issue (brother in law is a mason), freestanding woodstoves that may do the trick, etc.

Thank you!
Amy

 

[begreen]

Welcome Amy. A freestanding stove may work in that space. It would probably require a hearth extension on the floor level but that could be a thin material for just ember protection. Can you provide the full dimensions of the fireplace (H&W) both front and back?

Do you prefer any style stove like cast iron or steel?

 

[Acole]

Welcome Amy. A freestanding stove may work in that space. It would probably require a hearth extension on the floor level but that could be a thin material for just ember protection. Can you provide the full dimensions of the fireplace (H&W) both front and back?

Do you prefer any style stove like cast iron or steel?

Thank you for the welcome, and reaching out! We prefer cast iron, and am listing the complete measurements here as you suggested:

Opening height: 39.5
Opening width: 43.0
Bottom depth to back: 26.75
Hearth depth: 16.25
Rear hearth before the curve: 25.5
Rear back wall: 24.5
Height at 18 in deep: 39.5
Width at 18 in deep: 28.5
Height to mantel: 54.5

(This is the description of each measurement provided over the phone, but i also have the sheet at home with slightly different naming conventions that I can provide if these don't translate.)

I should also note that we plan to replace the current rug flooring with hardwood, in case that impacts anything.

Thanks!

 

[begreen]

Sounds good. There are many stoves that will work. It becomes a question of the stove's firebox size. I would recommend looking at stoves with about a 2 cu ft capacity. There are two types in this size, a totally cast iron stove and a steel stove with a cast iron jacket. Both will work, though many of the cast-iron jacketed stoves will have a deeper firebox. This has the advantage of being able to load the stove N/S which allows one to pack the stove fuller without the worry of a log rolling into the glass. I would also recommend getting a stove with a convective top. This will act somewhat as a heat shield for the mantel.

The hearth can be extended at floor level. If new 3/4" wood flooring is going in, the hearth extension can be made flush out of porcelain or stone tile. You could even get fancy and make it out of tempered glass or a sheet of copper.

Is the bottom depth of 26.75" from the front of the hearth to the rear of the fireplace? That dimension will be critical for the fit of some stoves.

Some stoves to consider: Enviro Boston 1200 (1.85 cu ft) looks like it might just squeak in, Lopi Rockport (catalytic 2.15 cu ft), Quadrafire Explorer I or II, Pacific Energy Alderlea T4 (1.5 cu ft). In totally cast iron stoves there are the Hampton H300, Jotul F400, and Hearthstone Shelburne. Considering the location I would get a blower for the stove if it is an option. Be sure to double check the fit of the stove before ordering.

 

[Acole]

Sounds good. There are many stoves that will work. It becomes a question of the stove's firebox size. I would recommend looking at stoves with about a 2 cu ft capacity. There are two types in this size, a totally cast iron stove and a steel stove with a cast iron jacket. Both will work, though many of the cast-iron jacketed stoves will have a deeper firebox. This has the advantage of being able to load the stove N/S which allows one to pack the stove fuller without the worry of a log rolling into the glass. I would also recommend getting a stove with a convective top. This will act somewhat as a heat shield for the mantel.

The hearth can be extended at floor level. If new 3/4" wood flooring is going in, the hearth extension can be made flush out of porcelain or stone tile. You could even get fancy and make it out of tempered glass or a sheet of copper.

Is the bottom depth of 26.75" from the front of the hearth to the rear of the fireplace? That dimension will be critical for the fit of some stoves.

Some stoves to consider: Enviro Boston 1200 (1.85 cu ft) looks like it might just squeak in, Lopi Rockport (catalytic 2.15 cu ft), Quadrafire Explorer I or II, Pacific Energy Alderlea T4 (1.5 cu ft). In totally cast iron stoves there are the Hampton H300, Jotul F400, and Hearthstone Shelburne. Considering the location I would get a blower for the stove if it is an option. Be sure to double check the fit of the stove before ordering.

Thank you for your help - we researched all of the stoves you shared and really liked a few of the options. In addition, we had a mason (brother in law) come by this weekend to see what our options would be to build over/under a woodstove insert to work around the height challenge. We are really leaning towards going the woodstove insert route. Do you happen to know of any that would fit our measurements, vs. our having to have a custom shroud built or additional masonry work to accommodate the tall height (39.5in)?.

Thanks again!
Amy

 

[begreen]

Inserts in general are not too tall so that they fit in more fireplaces. Their oversize surround panels typically go up to 33". However, there is no rule that you have to have a surround panel on the insert. Some look just fine without one and still function well. Or a custom extension could be cut and added.