hearth

  • Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.

    We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.

    We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.
  1. francesstoves

    Underlayment for tile hearth beneath Woodstock Cottage Franklin soapstone gas stove

    I'm building a new house that's a concrete slab foundation. I'm putting in a Woodstock Cottage Franklin Soapstone Gas Stove in the living room. I need to install a hearth of porcelain tile that's 3 ft by 3 ft for the stove to sit on top of. Currently, there is no subfloor ... there is just the...
  2. J

    Jotul 118 first install

    Hello all, new to forum. I have a jotul 118 wood burning stove and I am struggling to meet the install code requirements (or even figure them out). Attached is the area I intend to put the stove. The thimble was preexisting so I will be getting a new 6in for stove. I am willing to build a shield...
  3. U

    nashua nfp-2 install!

    Hello! New member here! I grew up from basically birth all the way until I was 19 years old, using and familiarizing myself in the use of the family wood stove. Now that was 15 years ago and I fondly remember the days of stoking and chopping. However, I was not born prior to the stoves...
  4. T

    Building a brick hearth on wood floor

    Hi All, I'm currently in the process of swapping out a propane unit with a woodstove (Jotul Firelight CB). I'm looking to build a brick hearth with a wood mantel and while researching how to do so I have some questions about how I should put the brick down on the wood floor. It seems that when...
  5. RomanW

    Hearth Query

    Hey everyone, So I'm planning on pouring a concrete hearth, and have taped out the approx dimensions of the hearth on my floor. I've gone just a bit bigger on all the clearances except for the sides, which have 7" more added just to line up with the fauxstone wall. My question is about...
  6. T

    Hearth and Forehearth Height Difference

    I have a 1928 masonry wood-burning fireplace that sits at floor level. We would like to raise the level of the firebox floor (hearth) and the forehearth to about 8" in height for a much more modern look. We are going to be converting to vented gas with concrete logs, etc. We would like the...
  7. S

    Hearth help!

    I'm getting a new insert and I have 2 questions. #1 My fireplace is natural stone built in 1935. It will never be used as a fireplace again. I need to do some repairs inside of it, as it has a bunch of holes and cracks between the natural stones. Can I patch it up with regular...
  8. K

    Extend Pre-fab Surround

    Hi everyone, I've tried to read as much as I can before asking but I just can't find the clear answer. I would like to extend my fireplace surround a few inches from the wall, based on the manual it says I can do 4" from wall at the closest part near the fireplace with combustible material. What...
  9. C

    Restoring a brick, 100 yr old sagging hearth

    I've recently inherited a few gorgeous fireplaces (4) that are in need of some repair, all built in the late 1800's. They have not been burned in for some time (years) and the hearths seem to be sinking/sagging/leaning, all in the same way but to varying degrees of severity. These aren't...
  10. K

    What's happening here?? Hearth help requested

    Hi! I started demo-ing the tile in front of my gas fireplace. . As you can see, I started with the farthest away row of tile. A few of them were already broken and just sitting on top of the concrete, not secured. I started by removing those broken ones and then chiseling under the others. That...
  11. I

    Alcove Design Help

    Maybe I'm just dense but I can't seem to find a straight-forward answer anywhere for this. Attached is a photo of the "alcove" where my wood stove will sit. Also attached is a drawing of the dimensions. The alcove is 1/4-inch Hardie Backer Cement Board, which covers wood studs and is fastened...
  12. R

    Sheet Metal Floor Protection

    I'm pretty sure I decided on a pre-2020 Lopi Endeavor. I'm currently going through some hoops with our insurance company. I called to check how it would affect our premiums (+$150 a year) — but they also informed me that they have additional requires outside of the manufacturer requirements...
  13. projectanavita

    Traditional Hearth Modification questions

    I have an 1880's house I am looking to install a wood stove in. I was told a traditional hearth, with bricks, doesn't meet the k value requirements in the manual. So I cut into the knotty pine with the goal of building my own hearth out of aircrete since the K value is really high and even...
  14. Whirled Peas

    New install hearth mount plans for input

    Hi all, Long time reader, first time poster. I (think) know the drill. :) I am looking to install a second stove in my some-what leaky, 225 y/o, 1600 sq-ft Vermont home. The house was largely remodeled in the early 1980s (new insulation, storm windows, some air sealing, etc). This fireplace...
  15. Jotel me this

    Broom for woodstove?

    Ive searched everywhere. Cant find any good info. What kind/type/material of broom do you use for sweeping the coals when they fall out of the stove and onto the hearth? The one I have just melts the whiskers the second it touches anything hot :eek: As a kid my parents had a tall round 'wicked...
  16. D

    Beefing Up & Expanding Hearth for Wood Stove

    Hello everyone, First time poster, about to get a wood stove (thinking about VC Encore Flexburn, but that's not why I write) and want to vent it out of an existing fireplace. The fireplace had a 1" think slate slab that sat on several layers of mud bed, mortar, and piled rocks/concrete. I need...
  17. 1

    What to use to level hearth?

    I’ll save you from the long back story and just get right to the point. We decided to remove the old red tile from our hearth and plan on replacing it with clay thin brick pavers. We removed the tiles but still have the old mortar(?) underneath. Since we want the pavers to just slightly above...
  18. B

    3/8 Millboard or Equivalent

    I am building a hearth for a circa 1986 Jotul Alpha stove. I have the manual and my county will be inspecting the installation. The manual says 3/8 millboard or equivalent for the hearth. I called Jotul and they don't like to talk to consumers so I've traded messages with them, but I still don't...
  19. H

    I think i have a chimney-hearth separation problem - where do i start???

    So I bought my first house in November and have been enjoying home ownership so far. I was looking around near my fireplace and noticed that the hearth appears to be separating from the main chimney structure. (see pictures in link) If i put my finger on the crack and have my wife lightly bounce...
  20. P

    Raise fireplace to create hearth?

    I have a KozyHeat Z42 that currently sits directly on the subfloor. The fireplace sits inside a framed space that runs floor to 15' ceiling. It's the focal point of our great room. What I would like to do is lift the fireplace about 6", create a hearth in front, and wrap the entire column in...
  21. E

    OSB Supporting Hearth and Hearth Extension

    I recently moved into a 30 yr old 2 story brick home with what I thought was a nice fireplace with a large stone hearth extension and surround. A previous owner had converted to gas logs so I planned to convert back to wood. Diving in deeper I find that the gas pipe was run thru a finished...
  22. LilChickieeT

    What do we have here...?

    Happy Thanksgiving! So we live off grid and our main heat source is this coal stove. I have a tendency to shake it harder than needs to be done. (Supposedly) That combined with the fact that the stove is very old and the handle is wearing out is getting me in a lot of trouble these days, LOL. I...
  23. F

    Hearth Material

    Wow, there are a ton of opinions on hearth materials on this site and I am utterly confused. Here is my scenario: Fisher Grandma Bear stove top vent Through the wall chimney I was considering a wood frame plywood box on top of my hardwood flooring. My plan was to cover the plywood with micore...
  24. B

    Rebuilding Hearth, need Suggestions

    Hello all, I'm looking to rebuild my hearth but having difficulty figuring out the best method. I've been given several suggestions as to how to go about doing it but would like to get another opinion from the experts here. Info on pic the opening you see with the plywood goes straight...
  25. BillGriggs

    Correctly Joining Cement Backerboard (Durock) In Hearth?

    I've got to join two durock panels when assembling my hearth. Durock instructions note that you should join panels together and Fill joints with latex-fortified mortar or Type 1 organic adhesive and immediately embed alkali-resistant, fiberglass mesh joint tape. Is this the best method for a...
  26. BillGriggs

    Confused Hearth Help: Millboard, Cement Board, Durock, oh my

    I'm replacing a hearth and pulled up what (I assume) was an old 1/2" millboard pad with tiles glued to it with adhesive. I was able to find installation instructions for my original 1980s model and it mentions that the hearth extension should be: …1/2" thickness of millboard (or equivalent) or...
  27. G

    Pouring concrete for new hearth

    I'm a newbie and took on the project of replacing the tiles on my fireplace hearth. As things do, it's gotten a bit complicated. The tiles were brick inlay that were embedded in the concrete or mud base and were not coming off so I ended up removing everything expecting to hit a flat wood or...
  28. A

    Morso 1440 and 6143, hearth pads

    We are building a new house, and have chosen the Morso 1440 (convection squirrel) and Morso 6143 for our two main living spaces. I'd love to hear your thoughts on them generally, and get advice on choosing/ making a low-profile hearth pad. We are considering glass under the Morso 6143 (to show...
  29. B

    Efflorescence

    I recently had a woodburner installed. I had imagined that the original concrete would have been levelled so the hearth sits nicely in. Apparently this was done but remained so uneven that the hearth had to sit on top of a thick concrete layer. This issue was not raised at the time the quote was...
  30. B

    Questions about building a hearth

    I am having a Malm Zircon 34 (woodburning) installed, and had a few questions about the hearth construction. I know minimum dimensions and have purchased 8x8x.5 terracotta tile to build the hearth. I don't know the exact location of the stove install, as it may move an inch or two in any...