Can I tile this? Please help!

[Kevin777]

Hello everyone! Thanks in advance for reading. I'm new to the forum and to burning (2nd year). I have made a rather large hearth pad out of porcelain tile. However I am getting mixed messages on my next question. Can I tile the back wall? The thimble which is made of clay gets rather hot and I was wondering if I use concrete board and lay tile on it would it be safe? I know that there needs to be ventilation behind it and to bring it out from the wall a few inches, but I'm just not sure if I can tile around it. Also I feel like the thimble comes out rather far. but it goes directly into the chimney. Not my doing, I bought the house two years ago and it was like that, but I digress. Here's a picture of it. Thanks! sorry the photo is sideways.

 

[Grisu]

Welcome to the forum!

Why is there plywood over your chimney? What you really need is a proper wall thimble or you may soon burn your house down. As you said your current setup gets rather hot and the plywood may just ignite at some point if you keep it like it is.

Is that a masonry chimney? Is there a steel liner inside? And what stove do you want to install there?

 

[Kevin777]

Welcome to the forum!

Why is there plywood over your chimney? What you really need is a proper wall thimble or you may soon burn your house down. As you said your current setup gets rather hot and the plywood may just ignite at some point if you keep it like it is.

Is that a masonry chimney? Is there a steel liner inside? And what stove do you want to install there?

The plywood is the outer shell of the house. Behind the plywood is the chimney and siding of the house. I just checked and there is no steel liner inside. If I put my hand in about 1 foot and a half I can feel the inside of my chimney. I have an old russo glass view stove but I am looking at new ones. This is kind of depressing new but very helpful.

 

[Kevin777]

there is 3 or 4 inches of masonry going through the plywood. idk if you can see it in the picture. but the thimble is not touching the plywood. Thanks again

 

[begreen]

Does not look like proper clearances due to the plywood. The thimble needs at least 12" clearance to combustibles. Here is an article on passing a chimney through the wall:

https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/articles/passing_a_chimney

 

[Kevin777]

Okay. something isn't right here then. Because I cut a square about 4 inches wider than what it originally was, and if I go any further; I will be cutting into my siding. Is there any possible way to remedy this. Such as double piping, or a heat shield? By the way all I can do at this point is laugh. I'm on par with everything else in the house. The people who lived here before jerry rigged everything from the plumbing to the electric, Good thing my father and uncle are master electricians and plumbers. Now all I need is a master mason! haha

 

[bholler]

Okay. something isn't right here then. Because I cut a square about 4 inches wider than what it originally was, and if I go any further; I will be cutting into my siding. Is there any possible way to remedy this. Such as double piping, or a heat shield? By the way all I can do at this point is laugh. I'm on par with everything else in the house. The people who lived here before jerry rigged everything from the plumbing to the electric, Good thing my father and uncle are master electricians and plumbers. Now all I need is a master mason! haha

Yes there are insulated wall thimbles to do what you need.

 

[begreen]

The article goes over some options including insulated thimble kit to reduce clearances.
https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/articles/passing_a_chimney

http://www.amazon.com/Chimney-Heat-fab-Insulated-Combustible-Stovepipe/dp/B001D1KZWS
(broken link removed)

 

[Grisu]

For a newer stove that thimble seems to sit pretty low which may reduce your stove choices later. Maybe you want to think that over first on how you want to have it look at the very end before proceeding. An EPA-approved stove will also need a (most likely 6") stainless steel liner in the chimney. Do you know the inside dimensions of the chimney? How tall is it? Is there a cleanout? A pic from the outside could also be helpful.

 

[AmbDrvr253]

I would think you need something BIGGER for a wall pass like that. Triple wall has a 2" clearance.

 

[hoverwheel]

It sort of looks like two studs were removed. Put them back in, install a thimble rated for the wall, insulate, drywall, then worry about an air gap backer and tile.

 

[Kevin777]

Thanks for all the advise fellas! I have been mulling it over a day or two now. I think I'm going to get a saf-t thimble. (the one that begreen suggested) Put the studs back in where they probably should be, and instead of putting 1/2'' drywall over the studs, I will put 1/2'' cement board and tile it. then final be done with it.

 

[hoverwheel]

Thanks for all the advise fellas! I have been mulling it over a day or two now. I think I'm going to get a saf-t thimble. (the one that begreen suggested) Put the studs back in where they probably should be, along with insulation, and instead of putting 1/2'' drywall over the studs, I will put 1/2'' cement board and tile it. then final be done with it.

FIFY

 

[Kevin777]

Indeed hoverwheel! However I have run into a problem with the thimble. The dimensions are 16'' wide by 17'' in length. the length part is fine, however I only have 15 1/2 to 15 and 3/4 of width with the chimney. So I will have to think of something.

 

[SOH]

I'm a stove newbie, but I work as a carpenter. You've probably considered this, but ... just as you can frame a window that is 36" or more wide, you should be able (depending on the load and weight dispersal) to create a sill-and-header situation where you've got the necessary clearance and plenty of structural stability around the thimble. This is how I plan to do mine. Just be sure to have a knowledgable builder/engineer take a quick look before you proceed and sister the heck out of those outside studs, top to bottom, with doubled-up legs below and above the thimble frame-out. Maybe you can search vids on reframing load-bearing walls to see what might work. I am reworking a jerry-rigged house too, so I feel ya. Best of luck with your project!!

 

[Kevin777]

on the page that two of you gave me called "passing a chimney" it says "An alternate method is also mentioned in the NFPA guide. In this case, a section of insulated, double wall chimney is used instead of the crock…and an airspace is used around it instead of the solid brick wall patch. This involves a 9” airspace, so the total rough framing would be 26” square, and once again cement board could be used to bring the wall surface with up to the insulated pipe." So is the guy at the stove shop that I went to correct in telling me that I can just use metalbestos pipe? can i just replace the plywood with durock and get some insulated double wall stove pipe and call it a day?