final hearth details ... some input please.

[NickZ]

I am about to build my hearth and have a few last questions to ask all you knowledgeable folks before it is too late.

The stove being installed is a VC resolute acclaim with back and bottom heat shields and double wall piping - it is a corner install.

1) The stove is going to be placed Near a window - due to the layout of the room and placement of the all-important TV. Is this a problem and are there any special considerations that need to be taken in?
The dealer said that as long as the stove has 15 inches back clearance from the outermost point of the wall it should be fine. I am taking the outermost point to be the baseboard heater.
Nothing sticks out further than that.

2) I am planning to build a subfloor of 1/2 inch PLywood fastened with deck screws directly to the floating floor, 1 layer of Durock fastened with Durock screws, mortar and Slate tile.



3) The resolute door is just shy of 22 inches - code here is for 18 inches of floor protection in front of the stove - although the dealer recommended to go 22 for extra protection and even more if I have room for it.
Install date is 1 1/2 weeks away - so I have time enough - just want to make sure my plans are in good order first.

Problems? Comments? Suggestions?

 

[jtp10181]

The baseboard heater is all metal right? I don't think you have to include that in your clearances, plus it is low to the ground and not going to get much heat there.

Also, floating floors.... float. Do you really want to run deck screws through it? Best bet might be to take plywood and put durock and tile on that. Then trim out the edges, and drop it in place. A portable hearth pad. With the weight its not going to go anywhere.

 

[NickZ]

Yes, the BB heater is all metal.
Your suggestion is to cut out the Floating floor and attach the plywood directly to the subfloor? I had thought about that and wasn't sure if that was th way to go. I can see the advantages to the remainder of the floor allowing for expansion and contraction over the change of seasons...

Thanks,
nick

 

[jtp10181]

I was suggesting to make the hearth pad in your garage and then drop it in place right on top of the floating floor. Or you can make it place for that matter just don't screw the thing through the floating floor. After you get all that stuff on top of the plywood it is not going to go anywhere easily. Especially after you put a heavy stove on it. There is no need to screw it down through the floor.

 

[JohnnyBravo]

I was suggesting to make the hearth pad in your garage and then drop it in place right on top of the floating floor. Or you can make it place for that matter just don't screw the thing through the floating floor. After you get all that stuff on top of the plywood it is not going to go anywhere easily. Especially after you put a heavy stove on it. There is no need to screw it down through the floor.

x2, if you screw through your floating floor you ancor it in one spot. even with all the weight on it it can still move. and it does move i have seen large rooms move upwards of half an inch. for my hearth i just went down to the stone shop and got a slab of slate. 5' by 7' it worked out to 14 bucks a square foot. i cut it to demention with a diamond blade in an old skill saw, sofened the corners and droped it in place on some of that foam thats under you floating floor. my stove did not require any k or r value in the hearth. make sure yours is the same because durrock and tile dont add up to muck.

 

[Gooserider]

First off Nick, you started two threads, this thread and another w/o the picture - I just deleted the other so as to have all the replies in one place... No biggy, but try to avoid doing that in the future...

Now, as to the hearth construction - I would be nervous about screwing the pad into / through the floating floor, but I'll admit I don't have any practical experience w/ a floating floor, so I don't know just how sensitve they are about that. However I would be more inclined to either cut out the floor under the hearth and build up from the subfloor, or make a free floating pad as mentioned earlier. Alternatively if you do feel it is important to anchor your pad, I'd consider just using a few screws (possibly larger ones) and use a hole saw drill some moderately large holes (maybe 1"?) in the floater and put the srcrews through into the subfloor - that way your floater isn't locked in place and can move if it has to.

I'm guessing from the picture that you will be putting the stove where the TV is now? If so, the window moulding is probably the thing you will want to watch for clearance measurements. You may loose some heat out the window, as well, but I'm not sure how big an issue that will be.

Assuming the stove just says "non-combustible floor" for the hearth spec, your plan sounds reasonable, though I'd put a layer of thinset under the Durock (between it and the plywood) as well using it to anchor the slates. Note that if you look at the Durock document on hearth construction they advise using latex fortified thinset mortar - I used "Flexbond" on my extension and it seems to have worked pretty well.

Good luck, and post some more pictures when you get it done.

Gooserider

 

[kevinmoelk]

I'd personally move the baseboard out of the way before building the hearth, particularly if it's just electric. Then as others suggested, just set the homemade "pad" right on top of the floor, and leave the floor alone. The window shouldn't be a problem as long as you keep your clearance to combustibles in check. The main problem with the window will be opening it, or painting it or cleaning it, etc.

I'd suggest building a raised hearth, not only would that take care of your R or K factor of the hearth, but a raised hearth is easier to load and put the stove at a better viewing level imo. On that same note, keep in mind all of the accessories you wish to have... tools, kindling, wood box, etc, and whether or not you wish to include these on your hearth or not.

I might also suggest taking a look at the roof line and framing in the attic if you can. Or is there another story above this level? A little planning there may go a long way in terms of an easy install.

-Kevin

 

[NickZ]

HI,
I have built my hearth which is 6*6 feet and consists of a layer of plywood(1/2 inch) thinset, durock, and slate tiles - all I have left to do is grout and the installers will be here this week.
Here are some early photos.
Thanks to everyone for the input thus far.
Nick

 

[Gooserider]

Looks good so far.

 

[NickZ]

Installed yesterday - had 2 break in fires already and another just starting now... so far so good.
The level to open/close the damper seems to lock in the closed position and I am afraid that forcing it will crack the lever - is this common and gets easier with use or should I be calling the installer/seller to have a look?

Thanks for all the help so far - wish I would have bought one sooner!

Nick

 

[Gooserider]

Installed yesterday - had 2 break in fires already and another just starting now... so far so good.
The level to open/close the damper seems to lock in the closed position and I am afraid that forcing it will crack the lever - is this common and gets easier with use or should I be calling the installer/seller to have a look?

Thanks for all the help so far - wish I would have bought one sooner!

Nick

I don't know just how much force you are talking about, but if the Acclaim works like my Encore, there is a "snap" action where the damper is supposed to be somewhat "sprung" into the open or closed position. The idea is that the damper should be either fully open or fully closed, never in-between. I would say my Encore uses about as much force to close the damper as it takes to "wrist snug" a 1/4-20 bolt if that helps any...

You might check your manual to see if there is an adjustment procedure, IIRC there is in the Encore. It may also get easier with use, I'm not sure.

Gooserider

 

[CountryGal]

I have laminate floating floor and was told to NEVER put screws in it...in fact they cut it 1/4" from the baseboards and covered it with 1/4" round. If you anchor it anywhere it can split apart. I needs to be able to contract and expand.

 

[Dunadan]

Nice looking tiles. Looks like what I used for mine. Were they the tumbled slate tiles from HD?