Requesting design assistance for Fireview install

[Macpolski]

I'm finally getting caught up. Between work, home chores, helping Mom out at her property, splitting, hauling, and stacking 3.5 cords of red oak, it's time to examine the install of a Woodstock Fireview which my wife and I brought home mid-March. BTW, what a pleasure it was dealing with the folks at Woodstock especially Loren. A first class operation. We visited the factory during January and after seeing the stove I knew I would own one. We've been burning a Englander 13-NC for about 10 years and overall have been happy but I think the I will be happier with the Fireview based on my reading here and elsewhere.

So here is my request: What are your design thoughts on installing the Fireview into an existing fireplace based on the following:

• I do not wish to cut into the existing hearth extension
• The room is shallow 11 x 21 (9-1/2 ft to the hearth step with two lazyboy recliners opposite the fireplace
• I need to install the fireview so that it sits outside of the hearth due to side loading door
• The room floor is concrete (was initially supposed to be a single car garage) covered with carpeting
• From the side view, the Fireview leg spread is 18" and there is 13-1/2" on the hearth extension
  
  
  
  Thank you in advance.

 

[rideau]

How wide is the fireplace opening?

The leg spread on the Fireview may be about 18 inches, but the door is much smaller....less than 9 inches?

I'd check the measurements, but if the stove could be put on the hearth extension in a fashion that allowed one easy access to the loading door, then I'd be considering raising the hearth extension, at least in front of the fireplace opening, and placing the stove partially in the opening. If you were to add height to the extension, the height may be sufficient that you need no additional hearth protection in front of the window...height counts. The stove would also be a bit easier to load if it were a few inches higher, and your view of the fire better.

I think it could look fine, and would probably be the easiest and least space consuming solution, if the numbers work.

 

[Macpolski]

How wide is the fireplace opening?

The leg spread on the Fireview may be about 18 inches, but the door is much smaller....less than 9 inches?

I'd check the measurements, but if the stove could be put on the hearth extension in a fashion that allowed one easy access to the loading door, then I'd be considering raising the hearth extension, at least in front of the fireplace opening, and placing the stove partially in the opening. If you were to add height to the extension, the height may be sufficient that you need no additional hearth protection in front of the window...height counts. The stove would also be a bit easier to load if it were a few inches higher, and your view of the fire better.

I think it could look fine, and would probably be the easiest and least space consuming solution, if the numbers work.

The fireplace width is 41.5". Here is a rough spec sheet on the Fireview from woodstock website.

 

[Ashful]

Fireview is side load only, no? Ash pan also must slide out from the side, I think. Maybe it's the Westmalle Tripel talking, but how you gonna make that work in a fireplace install?

 

[Macpolski]

Fireview is side load only, no? Ash pan also must slide out from the side, I think. Maybe it's the Westmalle Tripel talking, but how you gonna make that work in a fireplace install?

Never had the Westmalle Tripel but tried the Flying Fish Abbey Dubbel. It kicked pretty good but the Tripel I'm sure kicks harder . Side load yes. Ash pan none. That's why I'm asking for ideas regarding install partially or totally outside the firebox.

 

[rideau]

You'll have to check measurements carefully. However, if you look at the overhead view, you'll see the angle side of the stove makes the stove body actually less deep where the controls that you must access are than the 18 inch depth of the legs. If the hearth extension is 13 inches, then the stove would have to sit at least 5 inches into the firebox. 41.5 inches at the opening, 24 inch on the stove body proper, means [17.5/2 = 8 3/4 inches plus the corner cut off area minus the width lost by the angle back on the fireplace] over 9 inches available as the area to get your hand in to operate the air and bypass controls. I think that can be managed. I believe the door would also open and swing back into that area, for full access to the firebox. Take careful measurements off your Fireview, and put a cardboard mock up on the floor of the hearth. I think it may just work comfortably for you.
The door opening itself may be just outside the fireplace, but able to swing back into the fireplace a bit so you won't risk burning yourself loading.

 

[Todd]

I'd either raise the existing hearth to the same level as the fireplace opening or see if you can remove a layer of brick from the fireplace so it's level with the hearth. Your going to want the Fireview outside on that hearth as far as possible so you can get at the air control and cat lever. The stove will heat much better the further out you can get it.

 

[rideau]

Fireview is side load only, no? Ash pan also must slide out from the side, I think. Maybe it's the Westmalle Tripel talking, but how you gonna make that work in a fireplace install?

No ashpan.

 

[begreen]

I think the Fireview only needs 8" front hearth, but that is only going to get you 5 more inches if the hearth was one level.

Have you checked the height clearance at the Fireview corners vs the arch? Will it make it? If not, remove the brick in the fireplace floor, then refinish there level with the hearth. I'd also add a low block-off plate matching the arch curve, painted black.

How wide is the arch opening?

 

[fossil]

...Remove the brick in the fireplace floor, then refinish there level with the hearth...

This could turn into a real pain, depending on how it's put together. There may not be a smooth, continuous layer of brick beneath the top layer...and whether there is or not, a bunch of damage to whatever's under there is pretty much inevitable. Start tearing into masonry, and you need to be ready for some surprises and a bunch of restoration work.

 

[begreen]

True, true though brick needs a level foundation so I am assuming there's a layer of brick or cement underneath, but could be wrong.

 

[fossil]

Yeah, in mine (I watched/helped the mason build it) the only common brick is what you see. Inside it's all concrete block...and they don't abut one another, there are all sorts of spaces, so long as the top layer of bricks was adequately supported.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

I'm finally getting caught up. Between work, home chores, helping Mom out at her property, splitting, hauling, and stacking 3.5 cords of red oak, it's time to examine the install of a Woodstock Fireview which my wife and I brought home mid-March. BTW, what a pleasure it was dealing with the folks at Woodstock especially Loren. A first class operation. We visited the factory during January and after seeing the stove I knew I would own one. We've been burning a Englander 13-NC for about 10 years and overall have been happy but I think the I will be happier with the Fireview based on my reading here and elsewhere.

So here is my request: What are your design thoughts on installing the Fireview into an existing fireplace based on the following:

• I do not wish to cut into the existing hearth extension
• The room is shallow 11 x 21 (9-1/2 ft to the hearth step with two lazyboy recliners opposite the fireplace
• I need to install the fireview so that it sits outside of the hearth due to side loading door
• The room floor is concrete (was initially supposed to be a single car garage) covered with carpeting
• From the side view, the Fireview leg spread is 18" and there is 13-1/2" on the hearth extension

Not many on this forum will be surprised but I'd like to comment on something other than the install. Look above in red bold and I've put it in red for one reason. I do hope you do not plan on heating your home with that wood this coming winter. If you do, you will not be happy. When we burn oak, we won't put into the stove until it has been split and stacked for 3 years. I just would hate to see you end up with a big problem trying to burn that stuff this winter. Do you have other wood?

 

[Macpolski]

Not many on this forum will be surprised but I'd like to comment on something other than the install. Look above in red bold and I've put it in red for one reason. I do hope you do not plan on heating your home with that wood this coming winter. If you do, you will not be happy. When we burn oak, we won't put into the stove until it has been split and stacked for 3 years. I just would hate to see you end up with a big problem trying to burn that stuff this winter. Do you have other wood?

Thanks. But I'm planning on burning that oak 3-4 years from now depending on how well the Fireview heats and how cold the climate is in South Jersey. BTW, you are probably the main reason I bought the Fireview. You are a staunch supporter of its merits.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Super. Glad to hear you are prepared and thanks for your confidence.

 

[Todd]

Here's what I did with my fireplace, it was a little more involved than you need to do but may give you some ideas.

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/started-woodstock-keystone-install-pics.51259/

 

[Nick Mystic]

When I replaced my old insert with a free standing stove (Jotul F 600) this past February I was dealing with a set up similar to what you have, except my hearth extension was level with the floor of my fireplace opening. The legs on the Jotul F 600 are 16" apart and would have fit on my 17" hearth extension, except I wanted the rear legs of the stove to sit inside the fireplace opening so that my hearth extension wouldn't have to carry the full weight of the stove. In my case my fireplace sits on a solid foundation, but the hearth extension is built on a wooden sub-floor with a beam under it. Here are a couple of photos of my finished installation. The second photo shows how I can still open my side loading door even though the stove sticks into the fireplace opening a few inches.





What you can't see in these photos is that the stove has a rear protrusion that sticks another six inches or so inside the fireplace opening.



Here is what the stove looks like from the front. If you decide to do something similar with your installation perhaps you could modify the rear legs of your new stove by cutting off the rear legs of the stove to a length where the front legs could rest on the hearth extension and the shortened rear legs could rest on raised floor of the fireplace opening. This would save you the effort of either removing the layer of brick from the bottom of the fireplace opening or putting another whole layer of brick over your hearth extension. Or, if you did not want to cut the legs on the new stove perhaps you could just remove enough bricks from the front row of the fireplace floor so that the rear legs could slide back far enough for the front legs to fit onto the hearth extension.

 

[fox9988]

New legs are only $7 each (amazing). Good idea.

 

[Ram 1500 with an axe...]

Yeah, in mine (I watched/helped the mason build it) the only common brick is what you see. Inside it's all concrete block...and they don't abut one another, there are all sorts of spaces, so long as the top layer of bricks was adequately supported.

View attachment 104104

Hey fossil, your stove and section in house looks awesome... Great going....

 

[rideau]

I think the legs on the Fireview are about 5 inches high. How much higher is the fireplace than the hearth extension? You'd have to check with Woodstock and see if you could install the stove basically without rear legs.

 

[Macpolski]

When I replaced my old insert with a free standing stove (Jotul F 600) this past February I was dealing with a set up similar to what you have, except my hearth extension was level with the floor of my fireplace opening. The legs on the Jotul F 600 are 16" apart and would have fit on my 17" hearth extension, except I wanted the rear legs of the stove to sit inside the fireplace opening so that my hearth extension wouldn't have to carry the full weight of the stove. In my case my fireplace sits on a solid foundation, but the hearth extension is built on a wooden sub-floor with a beam under it. Here are a couple of photos of my finished installation. The second photo shows how I can still open my side loading door even though the stove sticks into the fireplace opening a few inches.

Here is what the stove looks like from the front. If you decide to do something similar with your installation perhaps you could modify the rear legs of your new stove by cutting off the rear legs of the stove to a length where the front legs could rest on the hearth extension and the shortened rear legs could rest on raised floor of the fireplace opening. This would save you the effort of either removing the layer of brick from the bottom of the fireplace opening or putting another whole layer of brick over your hearth extension. Or, if you did not want to cut the legs on the new stove perhaps you could just remove enough bricks from the front row of the fireplace floor so that the rear legs could slide back far enough for the front legs to fit onto the hearth extension.

Very similar install and btw it looks great. I have to take another look at the legs and/or first row firebrick. Thanks for the photos.

 

[Stax]

You guys have some awesome setups! Jealous.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

You guys have some awesome setups! Jealous.

Ya, when I grow up I want to be just like them, eh?

 

[Macpolski]

I thought I would finally post a long overdue update. The Fireview was installed in September after stressing over the methods available. Decided on carefully removing two firebricks in the hearth and the setting the rear legs in the recesses created. Lined up level to the hearth extension as if it was supposed to do that. Then purchased some crushed marble and spread that out on the hearth. The wife and I were over-thinking entirely too much considering available options for the install. Sometimes "Less is more". Anyway, here are a few photos and btw, it heats beautifully and I am extremely happy with the stove. BTW, it's snowing out here in Southern New Jersey and we both love it. Don't always see the white stuff as much as some of you other folks do.

I

 

[rideau]

Love the Woodstock stoves in the metallic gray. Both my Fireview and PH are that color.

The painting over the mantle really enhances the stove. Very nice set up. Which you will get to enjoy for many, many trouble-free years with your Fireview.

Enjoy!