clearances for fireplace/hearth installs of freestanding stoves

[tickbitty]

For those paying attention, I've been talking inserts on here for a month, and after all my research and questions, I bought one that it now turns out we won't be using because it will require hearth modifications to an extent we don't feel like doing right now, and it would end up an ugly setup if we did it "right". SO, the beast is back up on CL and we are now in the market again. (I am a miserable failure, lets just get it out there. - hanging head in shame.)

It does not seem that most other inserts would have the hearth issue that our particular stove had, but my husband is now taken by the idea of a freestanding stove on the hearth. (We were quite taken by the morso 7110 when we saw one although I would like something that at least claims to heat our particular square footage. 1430sq.) I suppose it would be one with a rear exit so it would not have to be backed very far in. I am really confused though about how the clearances work. For a mantel surround, would the side pieces be subject to the same clearances that a sidewall would be? And for the back clearance, are we then talking about the back of the fireplace being the back wall, or the actual wall?

The fireplace opening is 32" tall by 36" wide. The inside of the mantel trim is a little less than 1.5" thick, and it's 39" tall by 49.5" wide. I am not opposed to mantel/trim shields but I have no idea how one even determines the clearances for freestanding stoves that are installed in fireplaces.

Thanks.

 

[Captain Hornet]

I have been around stoves-inserts for quite a while and found out that a stove on the hearth well do better, burn better, put out more heat than a insert, no mater what. If you burn a equal amount of wood, the stove is the way to go and well give you the best results. A fan would be a extra and desireable to help move the heat from around the stove. That said, you are wondering about stove clearances to the old fireplace masonery. All that should be noncombustable so would not be a issue. Published clearance values are to combustables, like drywall, wood trim or furniture. So, I don't see your problem. The front hearth clearances are usually the ones that give people the most problems.

 

[tickbitty]

Thanks, I appreciate the reply! But I do have a wooden mantel with a wooden surround that goes all the way around the fireplace opening, so there's a masonry fireplace with a pretty big opening, then about seven inches or so out from that, there's wood trim. If this was an insert, I could figure out from the listed clearances if that's too close, but I am not sure here whether I could do shields or whatever or whether these pcs of trim and mantel wood have to be treated exactly as if they were a wall that the stove needs to be removed from.

 

[Ticmxman]

My fireplace and trim has the same basic specs and I put a Jotul Castine on the hearth, well about a third is inside the fireplace the rest is on the hearth and I may still pull it out to the edge of the hearth for a little better heating although it does pretty well now. To your question some stoves come with specs for side trim, top trim, and mantels the Castine does. I did have to add a heat shield for the top trim as I could not meet the clearance without one.

 

[zachhandler]

My fireplace and trim has the same basic specs and I put a Jotul Castine on the hearth, well about a third is inside the fireplace the rest is on the hearth and I may still pull it out to the edge of the hearth for a little better heating although it does pretty well now. To your question some stoves come with specs for side trim, top trim, and mantels the Castine does. I did have to add a heat shield for the top trim as I could not meet the clearance without one.

I have basicly the same type hearth with wood surround and clearance issues. I just gave up on the insert Idea and dedide on a hearth mounted rear vent wood stove. Debating between having it backed up into the front edge of the fireplace vs walling off the fireplace and having it freestanding rear vented into the fireplace. I love the Castine. Any change you could post a pic of your setup?

 

[tickbitty]

Ditto, would love to see the setup!
Wish that the picture gallery was categorized to some extent so that when someone says "mantel shields" or "flush hearth" or etc we could just go right to all the great pics! I know I have seen some great images on many threads but I can never find them when I need them!

I did find some freestanding stoves that list clearances for a hearth/fireplace setup, but most don't.

 

[Ticmxman]

I'll get some pics up soon, kinda busy this holiday weekend. I will say I'll probably tweek a few things in my set up this spring.
1. clean fireplace firebox and maybe paint it high temp beige for more contrast, or tile it.
2.better blockout plate...hard to make a good one with the stove installed
3.May rework the tile on my hearth so I can do away with the extender i'm currently using

CURRENT STOVE TEMP: 450