Hi, folks. I'm going to be doing some remodelerating of the house, which includes building a new brick hearth for my Fisher Grandpa Bear. This will be a floor-to-ceiling hearth, with a short side on an outside wall (standard 4" cavity0, and the longer side against a bedroom wall. The outside wall is stick frame, currently with poor quality, old fiberglass insulation. The bedroom wall will be new build. In the interests of fire safety, I plan to make the new wall of steel studs sheathed in fire-rated drywall.
I have been toying with leaving an air gap behind the rear wall, between the brick and the bedroom wall. OR possibly a gap filled with rock wool.
I have a few questions about this:
I have been toying with leaving an air gap behind the rear wall, between the brick and the bedroom wall. OR possibly a gap filled with rock wool.
I have a few questions about this:
- Is this even worth the bother? Will I gain any real fire safety, or should I just attach the brick to the drywall in a conventional manner?
- With a gap, would the single thickness of brick be stable enough? Or does it need the support of that wall behind it?
- What would you suggest for better fire safety, or is the brick plenty by itself?
- What about the outside wall?
