Did you install your own wood stove?

[jmg-in-alaska]

I have a quadra fire 4300 Step Top on its way - should be here in January. I also am getting ready in the next couple days to order my 48x48 hearth pad and a riser, made by Graysen Woods. That should be here in the next couple weeks.

The question then comes to installation. I had a guy come out to give me an estimate, which seems fine (800 for install + parts). But he is backed up until late January, maybe even February. Is installation really that hard? The place I bought my stove from said they can get me the chimney parts for about 300 less than the installer, and I would save the 800 install fee. The stove will go into the corner of the living room and either up through the ceiling and attic, up along outside wall of a second story that is above my garage only; or, the stove pipe will go out the side wall at a 90 degree, then go straight up the side wall along the second story. Probably about 14-17 feet of chimney pipe on the outside either way.

Cons - obviously having a pro do this would be good; don't want to burn the house down; have to wait a lot longer to have pro do it; way more expensive.

Pros - I love to do home fix it projects; save money; get it done sooner.

Any thoughts on this? Any good links to articles on how to cut ceiling holes, roof holes, etc. and doing the install? Or am I just looking to burn my house down and should not deal with this?

 

[snowtime]

Actually many here have done their own installs. If you are handy its just a matter of following instructions. As far as info for the project just search this site. Put good pics of your proposed chimney location or at least good drawings so people can comment. Straight up is best for draw and the less angles the better. I do not like the outside first one as the pipe will tend to cool down quickly and that causes creosote.

 

[InTheRockies]

Do you have someone who can help you move the stove into place? Are you comfortable with the idea of getting up on the roof and cutting through the roof? If you are, you could probably tackle it. However, if you're hesitant, you might see if other installers in your area could install it sooner.

I installed my own. A friend brought his trailer for pickup since it has a ramp and isn't as high as the bed of my pickup. The two of us, using hand trucks, got the old stove out (I had removed firebricks and the cast iron door) and the new one in. I then got the new stove pipe together and was able to maneuver the stove the short distances I needed to line it up with the chimney. (I was installing in a masonry/stone alcove and didn't have to deal with cutting holes in the roof to install new pipe all the way from the stove through the roof.)

Good luck, even if you decide to wait, you know your stove is coming.

 

[akhilljack]

i put mine in and the hardest part (which is actualy pretty easy) is figuring how to run the stove pipe. if you plan to put it in a place in your house where it only has to go through the ceiling and the roof over it than all you have to do is find roughly where you want it in the room. then go in the attic and figure out how far your studs are apart. i drilled a very, very small hole in the ceiling and pushed a 3 foot dowl rod in to the attic to see where it was up there so i could clear all my blown in isulation out of the way. measured from the hole to the nearest joist, found out what the demensions were of the ceiling support for the pipe and how that relates to the postion of your joist's. then i made a 2 demension cardboard cut out of my stove top to where the wall clearances have to be met. i used it to mark up the cieling with pencil where the joist's, and stove are and how big the hole would have to be so you can see visualy where you want it and be able to know that you will meet your clearances with out have to put any bends in your pipe and screw up your draft. cut it out with a zip tool and followed the rest of teh instructions from the pipe and stove papers. one thing people often overlook is to make sure you floor can hold the 500+ pounds that your stove and everything else weighs.

 

[syd3006]

I installed my chimney, built the hearth, put up sheilding etc. Once I had it all installed I had it inspected by the building inspector and the insurance people. Got my information from the owners manual, government websites and this forum. If you are a do-it-yourself type as a lot of wood burners are I'm sure you won't have much trouble with a project like this.

 

[Brian VT]

Yup. The hard part is the planning. Straight up would be simplest and most efficient. I went through the wall only because I didn't have a choice.
Best of luck. Lots of help and advice here.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

I tried to get my wife to do it but she wouldn't have any part in it.













It's not all that hard. Go slow with it and ask lots of questions.

Matt

 

[njtomatoguy]

Yes, I installed it completely by myself. The guys here gave good advice. I only got nervous after cutting the hole in the roof.
You'll be fine. Just plan well, and have an extra set of hands around.

 

[Rockey]

I tried to get my wife to do it but she wouldn't have any part in it.
Matt

Dude, you went about it all wrong. First you gotta tell her how bad her sister is dying to do it. Then you gotta smack her on the rump and tell her to get you a sammich before she gets to work. Done and done.

 

[sl7vk]

I did mine, took it slow, got lots of great advice here, and I'd say it ranks as a 5/10 in terms of complexity (not that hard....). If you have a question, just ask here first, that way you don't have to rip things out later....

 

[Wrigley]

The work is relatively simple -- all the really hard stuff is in planning it out. For me, the key was to measure, measure and remeasure before starting. My install was on the ground level and had to go through the ceiling into a 2nd floor bedroom and then up through the roof. And because I took my time thinking it through, I was able to avoid having to cut any joists or rafters installing the Duravent. May you be that lucky! Having a helper certainly makes things easier, especially up on the roof and when moving the stove into position. Again, the whole key is to think it through -- like for most things in life a little forethought goes a long way!

Building the hearth and doing tilework for the 1st time was very enjoyable and now I get to admire my handiwork while warming my old bones -- it doesn't get any better than that. My biggest mistake: not doing this years ago, because nothing is more comfortable than the radiant warmth from your own stove ....

 

[jjhof0306]

A lot of these guys did their own installs. I probably could have, but did not have the confidence to do it myself. I'd hate to make a big mistake out of ignorance and not know it, then end up with something unsafe. That and I'm putting in so many hours at work, I'll be lucky to get the rest of my wood stacked before snow flies.

If you want to give it a shot, here's the place to be.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

So to get you started, what exactly does "install" in your situation mean? You mentioned a premade hearth pad, how about the chimney? Masonry or metal? What are you using as a thimble? What kind of walls do you have?

Matt

 

[kenny chaos]

If, as you say, you are a do-it-yourselfer, then this is right up your alley. I just replaced an old stove so I didn't have the chimney to worry about but I did have plenty of angst in planning the move in for the new stove. The old stove was much bigger but probably half the weight of the new one. I dwelt on different ideas and even asked advice on here and then one morning, decided it was time. As usual, once I started, all plans go out the window and even with some extreme physical limitations, I got her in the house, got the legs on her, and was able to set her in place and level her all by myself. I expect your times coming soon where you'll do the same; get at it and get it done.

 

[Risser09]

If you know what you are doing, have the time, tools, and energy–go for it. I installed my entire setup, and I'm very glad I did. It gives you a great idea of all the intricacies that you might not realize when paying someone else.

 

[brider]

I, too, did it my own-self, and I never miss an opportunity to MAKE my wife confirm that I did a great job, saved us tons of $$, and that I'm generally a good man to have around the house.

I'm a total newbie, decided to burn wood about last June, and spent the summer planning and executing. Most nervous part was cutting the hole thru the roof, and the info on the chimney requirements and installation was sketchy (I thought), but after it was done, I realized the info IS all there, you just have to weed the wheat from the chaff via the great minds in this forum.

Now our house is warmer than it ever was scrimping on fuel oil with the thermostat set at 66, and we have YET to fire the boiler to heat the house (cancelled my automatic delivery, we only use it for hot water).

YOU CAN DO IT! MAKE YOUR WIFE AND KIDS PROUD!

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Not only can you do the install (even the place where you buy the chimney will advise), you could also build that hearth pad and save a bunch of dollars.

 

[deadon]

I installed mine. I built a masonry Chimney during warm weather and lined it with a Tera cot-ta flue liner. The stove sets on a ceramic tile hearth. The hardest part is truly the planning and layout. Talk to your supplier of the stove and pipe they usally have drawings of how to penetrate the ceiling, floor, and roof. They also sell kits to do just that. My fireplace at my cabin is a strait shot through the ceiling and roof with stainless pipe and kits. You will find that moving the stove in is the hardest physical work of the project. Plan well and you can do it. Good luck and warm and happy burning.

 

[backpack09]

As far as I am concerned, if you can clean your gutters, you can install you own stove.

 

[jmg-in-alaska]

Thanks so much for the great information everyone. I think I will probably tackle this one myself. Now I just have to convince the wife I can do it, which I think I can. I was in a similar position last year in trying to find someone to dig up my driveway and fix the foundation of our house. I spent a month trying to find someone who could do it. My wife spent a couple weeks trying herself and finally said "go get the backhoe and dig 'er up." Hehe. It was fun, and likely saved a few thousand in the process.

I will get my hearth pad ordered. I'd consider building my own, but for some reason, that doesn't interest me all that much. I might consider building a riser for it though out of wood since I was thinking of buying one (for about $400). I will try to post some pictures in the next few days/week as to where this stove is going to go, how it needs to go out, etc.

I have 2 main concerns with this project. (1) It is getting to be winter. If I am doing this in January, I'm going to have a bit of snow on my roof to clear out. This could also cause some slipperiness. (2) The chimney pipe (will be metal pipe) is going to go up to the second story roof, which is about 12-14 foot high above the first story. It is a pretty steep roof. My neighbor is a contractor so will discuss getting the pipe, drilling the hole, etc. up that high with him. I'll keep looking around for instructions, etc. and start figuring out which chimney pipe I want to get. Thanks again.

 

[KeithO]

If you need to go on the roof, get a fall arrest kit. Costs $60+ but it is cheap compared to medical bills, being an invalid or death. Friend of mine just fell off a ladder 2 sundays ago. He woke up in the grass and didn't feel good, couldn't remember what he had been doing. Later he was still confused and called a friend over, who found his ladder bent over double where it had slid off the roof, crashed sideways into a railing before dumping him onto 10" of concrete where he had been concussed for several hours. Its a bad rap...

 

[EatenByLimestone]

When do you start getting snow? Have you any wood to burn yet? Maybe this winter is one for planning and gathering materials for the spring time?

Matt

 

[jmg-in-alaska]

When do you start getting snow? Have you any wood to burn yet? Maybe this winter is one for planning and gathering materials for the spring time?

Matt

That is likely. I just got about 2 cords of wood last week - all birch, freshly cut and in the round, so it needs to be split and seasoned well. I can get some seasoned wood if I do a weekend of work about 150 miles from here - tons of standing dead spruce. But this winter will likely be mostly gathering. The soonest the stove will be here is January - could be out as far as March even. Snow should be arriving any day now. We got a little bit a few weeks ago but it is mostly gone. I'd say within the next 3 weeks we'll be set with snow for awhile.

 

[relax]

i put in some ot and paid the man to getter done...no worry .lifes good enjoy...zzim