Enviro EF2 Hearth pad question

[nailed_nailer]

I ordered the vertical vent kit for my used pellet stove on Friday before the storm took out power and cable in my neighborhood. Hopefully it will come in the middle of this week. So that is good to go.

In the meantime I had decided to build my own hearth pad out of paving stones. I and more importantly the wife likes the look. I picked up about 50 6"x6" pavers as well as a dozen 4"x8". I played around with pad shapes for about 2 hours until I came up with a layout that I really like.

My plan is to thinset the pavers to a 3/4" sheet of plywood then grout the joints. While was at the stone yard picking up the pavers I asked about grout. They didn't have any but the owner suggested I use polymeric sand as a grout. I thought it was a great idea. Until I got home and started thinking about what the "poly" in polymeric was. From the MSDS sheet it seems the sand is 99% quartz silica and 1% vinyl alcohol polymers with melting point of 200*C (394*F) Is this high enough of a melting point to use under the stove. I don't honestly think there will be any problem with temps but I wanted to have some answers if the inspector should happen to ask.

Thanks again,
---Nailer---

 

[hearthtools]

With a pellet stove you dont need a High R factor
Most stove manufactures just say 3/8 non combustible.
If you are going to use pavers with grout I would put them on top at least 1/4 durarock or Wounder board
the grout is your Week point .


The Ef2 is a good stove
Keep the burn pot CLEAN. Dump it every time you restart it. AND go no more than 4 days with out shutting it off to clean it.

Just make sure you switch it from Start to Run after the green light comes on.

this turns on your safety systems.
So if you run out of pellets it will shut off
If the stove over heats it will shut off.

I dont know how many stoves we had to rebuild because a EF2 user never switch the stove to the run mode and the stove had a problem and the stove just kepted going the stoved get baked on Creosoot in the motors and heat exchange.

 

[thephotohound]

I have the same stove, and LOVE it. Easy operation, efficient flame with inside air, and has never "broken down". Hearth - the rocker switch options are "Manu" and "Auto", just for accuracy's sake. Glad to hear you haven't had many problems, and thanks on what to look for.

Nailed - I can tell you from experience that this stove (and all pellet stoves, I believe) create very efficient, targeted heat (i.e. blower). Very little heat is disbursed downward, so I doubt the pavers will even get very warm.

Good luck! Sounds like it's going to be a great hearth!

 

[nailed_nailer]

Thanks Guys,

I am going ahead with my hearth pad design. If the inspector fails it then I will go a more commercial route. The I can use the pavers on the walkway

Thanks again,
---Nailer---