DIY hearth pad that will satisfy local building codes?

[Spauld]

Hi All - I'm a newby at all of this and I'm in the process of installing my first wood stove. With the help of this forum, I have a much better understanding of what the install will require, and how big/what kind of stove I should get, so I've finally settled on a Napoleon 1100 as my stove of choice. But my local building dept. has been characteristically vague on what is required to make sure I meet code, saying only that I must follow the manufacturer's installation instructions. That's all well and good for most of the installation, however the owners manual for the 1100 only says I must use an "approved hearth pad". I really don't want to purchase a hearth pad and would prefer to build my own since I could better match the other materials I'll be using to finish out the room. So I guess I first need to know how to determine the R value needed for the 1100...AND what materials to layer into the construction to meet that value Finally, how would a building inspector even know how to determine if my DIY hearth pad would meet those requirements? I just don't want the inspector to arrive when all is said and done only to say, "Nope, sorry, this won't do......you need an "approved" hearth pad". Thanks very much for any and all info!

 

[Grisu]

See the manual paragraph 3.4:
"This appliance must be installed on a non-combustible protector that extends to the front, sides and back of the appliance as per the minimum requirements below.
NOTE: Ember protection is required for spark and ash shielding, not for limiting floor temperatures from the radiant heat of the appliance. The appliance was designed and safety tested so that without any protection, the floor will not overheat."

With other words, any non-combustible material will work. Make sure it extends far enough beyond the stove as indicated in the same paragraph. As the hearth does not need to have any r-value, I think any building inspector will easily see whether it is non-combustible or not. I would keep the receipts for the materials you used.

 

[Spauld]

See the manual paragraph 3.4:
"This appliance must be installed on a non-combustible protector that extends to the front, sides and back of the appliance as per the minimum requirements below.
NOTE: Ember protection is required for spark and ash shielding, not for limiting floor temperatures from the radiant heat of the appliance. The appliance was designed and safety tested so that without any protection, the floor will not overheat."

With other words, any non-combustible material will work. Make sure it extends far enough beyond the stove as indicated in the same paragraph. As the hearth does not need to have any r-value, I think any building inspector will easily see whether it is non-combustible or not. I would keep the receipts for the materials you used.

Oh, that's great info Grisu, thanks! I have not seen this owners manual. The one I read looked older than this and did not provide this detail. I'm happy to see the Napoleon 1100 will work just fine simply sitting on a tile floor! Thanks very much for the info and fast response!

 

[Grisu]

If you have not found the manual yet, here is the link: http://www.napoleonproducts.com/downloads/fireplaces/manuals/W415-0763.pdf
That is for the 1100, not the cast-iron 1100C. However, both have the same hearth requirement.