First Time Hearth Pad

[BotniBieve]

Hello,
This is my very first home improvement project. I'm trying to educate myself as much as possible, but I'd love to see if anyone has any words of advice for me since the internet can be a contradictory place!
I'd like to build a hearth pad for a wood stove that only requires spark and ember floor protection. I've narrowed down my options and I think I've decided to go with porcelain tile. I would like to install this hearth pad on top of laminate flooring. Here are my questions:
1) Is it okay to do this over the laminate flooring? I'm not sure I'm up for installing all of this AND removing, cutting, and reinstalling laminate floor. Again, this is my first project.
2) There is an existing chimney that will be professionally repaired, when we called to consult with the company repairing it we asked for guidelines for the hearth pad and they said the hearth pad should be about an inch thick. Is it possible to do two layers of 1/2" cement board with the tile on top? If not is there another recommendation? Nothing in the stoves manual specifies a thickness, and it specifically said no R value is required.

Thank you so much! I'm sure that I will have plenty more questions along the way! I appreciate your taking the time to answer. I've run searches in the forums for answers but not found anyone with my same situation. I apologize if these are rookie questions with easily accessible answers, I've really tried to find the answers myself!

 

[edyit]

I'd like to build a hearth pad for a wood stove that only requires spark and ember floor protection.

There is no required thickness then, it just needs to be a nonflammable material, glass, tile, metal sheeting all would work as long as they are the required size in your manual. That being said you may find you like the look of a raised hearth.

 

[bholler]

If you are not attaching it to the floor it will need to have a sheet of plywood under the cement board just for support.

 

[Ludlow]

A raised hearth makes for a colder floor.

 

[bholler]

A raised hearth makes for a colder floor.

Why do you say that?

 

[T-roy_]

A raised hearth makes for easier loading and a better fire view in my opinion.

 

[begreen]

An ember protection only hearthpad can be made with 1/2" plywood + 1/2" cement board + tile. Use latex modified thinset for the tile. If possible make the hearthpad a bit oversized, especially in front of the stove.

 

[Ludlow]

Why do you say that?

Because it's true and I felt like it.

 

[bholler]

Because it's true and I felt like it.

I am curious why you think that is true. The only place it may be is right in front of the hearth where the radiant heat off the glass is blocked. Otherwise i dont see it making a difference. Certainly not a notable one.

 

[begreen]

If a raised hearth appears to make the floor colder it could be an indication of another issue. We used to have cold floors, but since sealing the foundation sills and turning the crawlspace into a conditioned space the floors have stayed warm, regardless of outside temps.

 

[Ludlow]

Depends how high it is. I like to lay flat on my back on the floor. Most people dont lay around like dogs like me.

 

[begreen]

Depends how high it is. I like to lay flat on my back on the floor. Most people dont lay around like dogs like me.

Sounds like it is radiant heat warming the floor in front of the stove that you like.

 

[xman23]

My hearth is an inch above the hardwood floor. And yes the wood floor in front of the stove does get very warm. I do like the almost level hearth. My hearth went in before the 3/4" wood floors. The stone is undercut so the wood goes underneath it.

Underneath my stone is stucco wire mesh on the plywood subfloor. If I was doing what maybe thin brittle tile, I would make sure the base was was real solid. Your putting four legs of a 450LBS stove on it.

 

[Ludlow]

Unless you use an OAK, you will have a draft running across the floor to feed air to the stove

Sounds like it is radiant heat warming the floor in front of the stove that you like.

If you dont have an OAK there will be a slight draft at the floor that more radiant heat will counteract. A few inches of hearthpad wont be noticeable but something like a 12" raised hearth will make a difference if you like a low chair or sit or lay on floor. IMO of course. For looks you cant beat a high hearth.

 

[bholler]

Unless you use an OAK, you will have a draft running across the floor to feed air to the stove


If you dont have an OAK there will be a slight draft at the floor that more radiant heat will counteract. A few inches of hearthpad wont be noticeable but something like a 12" raised hearth will make a difference if you like a low chair or sit or lay on floor. IMO of course. For looks you cant beat a high hearth.

I just donr see it making much difference in any area other that the part sheilded by the raised hearth. In my old house my regency was raised up on 10" blocks now its legs are on the floor. I didnt notice any difference. Other than having to bend down to load it.

 

[bholler]

Now mine was in an unfinished but insulated basement. So it was just sitting up on blocks not on a real hearth.

 

[begreen]

Unless you use an OAK, you will have a draft running across the floor to feed air to the stove


If you dont have an OAK there will be a slight draft at the floor that more radiant heat will counteract. A few inches of hearthpad wont be noticeable but something like a 12" raised hearth will make a difference if you like a low chair or sit or lay on floor. IMO of course. For looks you cant beat a high hearth.

We don't have an oak and I can't say I've noticed this when on the floor. I've had back issues and at times spend part of the evening down there with the cat. It feels draft free. This may depend on where the makeup air is coming from. In our house I suspect it may be from leaky recessed can fixtures.

 

[bholler]

We don't have an oak and I can't say I've noticed this when on the floor. I've had back issues and at times spend part of the evening down there with the cat. It feels draft free. This may depend on where the makeup air is coming from. In our house I suspect it may be from leaky recessed can fixtures.

I dont have an oak and dont feel drafts either. But no matter what you will always have cooler air coming across the floor to the stove. That is how the convective loop works.