Designing Hearth Pad - a few ?s

[rubyjliamf]

Hi All-

Got the Avalon 1750 delivered today and will be working on the hearth pad this weekend. Manual requires 15" of clearance to combustibles on the corners (its going in a corner with a window so extra wall protection is not an option) and 16" on the front. They also say the hearth must protect flooring 6" around the sides and back. In reviewing this site's photo library, it seems as though most people have installed floor protection completely to the corner instead of a simple rectangular pad to the minimal clearances around the stove itself. If I make one that extends to the corner - which means it might extend out 56" or so from the corner to make the front clearance - I end up with a huge hearth pad. Does anyone have plans/measurements for this size hearth pad? See drawing attached....

 

[Hogwildz]

First off, front clearance is now 18", you will find many go even beyond this because embers can make their way further than 18" out.
I went about 24" out front of my insert, and am glad I did, I have an area to set wood prior to loading and contain the debris from the wood to easily sweep up rather than have it go into the rug.
You can make it any shape you want, as long as you have the spec'd clearances & R & K values if specified. I would guess most folks finish it to the corners to give a more finished look & area for wood storage, tools etc.
Make it the way you envision it, just make sure you have all clearances.

 

[offroadaudio]

Maybe lay it out on the floor with tape or cardboard so you can see what looks right in your space?
Even cut some 2 x 4's to different lengths and lay those down - it'll help visualize it.

 

[firefighterjake]

Hi All-

Got the Avalon 1750 delivered today and will be working on the hearth pad this weekend. Manual requires 15" of clearance to combustibles on the corners (its going in a corner with a window so extra wall protection is not an option) and 16" on the front. They also say the hearth must protect flooring 6" around the sides and back. In reviewing this site's photo library, it seems as though most people have installed floor protection completely to the corner instead of a simple rectangular pad to the minimal clearances around the stove itself. If I make one that extends to the corner - which means it might extend out 56" or so from the corner to make the front clearance - I end up with a huge hearth pad. Does anyone have plans/measurements for this size hearth pad? See drawing attached....

I was where you're at not that long ago . . . after looking at the specs and the size of the woodstove and the required clearances I thought that my hearth would be way, way too large. However, offroadaudio and Hogwildz have offered some great advice which I would echo here again.

Do what Offroadaudio suggests . . . take some masking tape, painter's tape, etc. and mark out the proposed size for your hearth pad . . . and then using the same tape or better yet cardboard cut out to the size and shape of your stove place it within this marked out hearthpad, positioning it to achieve the necessary clearances. You might find that the hearthpad may not seem quite so large once the "cardboard stove" is in place.

Hogwildz makes some great points . . . first off, 18 inches really is the minimum for the front. If you need to get this stove inspected you most definitely do not want to have it all in and ready to go and then have it fail inspection because of two itsy, bitsy tiny inches. Furthermore, in time you will want to have more space in front and on the sides . . . 1) for the comfort factor (knowing that if hot ashes or embers fall out . . . and they will) they are less apt to fall on to your carpet, hardwood flooring, etc. and burn with say 22 inches vs. 18 inches . . . in this case more is definitely better) and 2) you will most likely find that it's nice to have some space in front and on the sides to put your tools and other miscellaneous wood burning stuff (i.e. potpourri scents, gloves, etc.) . . . plus 3) if you have a pet they will more than likely appreciate the extra space out in front and will often lie down there in front of the fire.

Space is sometimes an issue when it comes to installing a hearth . . . but I have yet to hear of anyone here at this site who wishes their hearth was smaller . . . I personally went with 22 inches of space in front of my stove . . . and even now wish I had a few more inches (which incidentally I could do in theory since I also could have stuck my stove within 9 inches of the walls but went with 13 inches for the "I-Feel-More-Comfortable-With-4-More-Inches-Of-Space Factor").

As for the shape . . . as Hogwildz said . . . most folks go with the shape you've shown since it offers a cleaner look vs. a simple rectangle, gives you some space to put your tools on and it's easier from a clean-up standpoint.