Got my stove installed today!!!

[Andy99]

I know I need to raise the Mantel and extend the hearth. That's my next project. I'm trying to figure out how to extend the mantel legs after I raise the mantel to the correct height and still make it look good. Any ideas? I already know how I'm going to extend the hearth I just have to get to it....

 

[RAY_PA]

I dont have any ideas for you, but that is beautiful! Congrats

 

[eightpilot]

Don't raise the mantel...just install a 45 degree heat shield above the stove. That will do the trick. 8

 

[Andy99]

Don't raise the mantel...just install a 45 degree heat shield above the stove. That will do the trick. 8

Im not sure I understand what you mean? any pictures so I know what it will look like????

 

[btj1031]

I was going to say heat shield as well. I'm not sure where to find a picture, but it would be a piece of metal attached to the wall above the stove and below the mantle, at least the width of the stove, to stick out between the two and deflect the heat before it meets the mantle. You can buy them at stove shops, or have them fabricated, which is probably the route you'd want to go since everything is so good looking to begin with.

 

[Hogwildz]

That is gorgeous!! It is possible to raise the mantle, but would take a lot of work & patience to custom make risers for the sides, and then fill in the middle with some type of trim or panel to match. If you could make a heat shield for above the stove, that would be easier. But its an aesthetics thing.

 

[badger1968]

Looks great Andy! Congratulations. Have you thought about a stone mantle?
Mine's in too, but I need to extend my hearth. I'll post pix when I'm done.
All the best!

 

[Andy99]

Looks great Andy! Congratulations. Have you thought about a stone mantle?
Mine's in too, but I need to extend my hearth. I'll post pix when I'm done.
All the best!

That Mantel was to expensive to start over with stone. Im going to have to raise it or add the heat shield. I need to see a picture of what a heat shield would look like to see if my wife would OK it?

I have to google it to see if i can find a picture or something.

 

[kd460]

A mantel shield will at least protect you till you figure something else out. How much higher do you need to go? Also, what are your plans for the hearth? KD

 

[billb3]

I'd extend the hearth 9 to 12 inches on each side and whatever distance you need on the front to be "code" or safe.
Whether you need a heat deflector over the stove or how much of one I don't know.

Then you don't have to do anything to the mantel.
You'd have to reconstruct the foot of the mantel or add blocking to the bottom and that's tough to make look "right".

or

(as much as you may like it)
Put the mantel in the garage and start over with something that matches what you have now.

Not that that necessarily doesn't, but higher than what is there now is gonna look "modified".

I'd still work with the hearth even if it means matching stone "feet" that look like part of the hearth rather than the mantel.

 

[Randyb]

After having been in the business I will tell you that extending it will be a major PITA, if it was built well. What you would be best doing is o raise it from the bottom to the required height, I would the remove the bottom horizontal trim pieces and replace them with something to match the top or with full length 3 flute vertical trim. just an opinion. Beautiful looking install though.

 

[Andy99]

After having been in the business I will tell you that extending it will be a major PITA, if it was built well. What you would be best doing is o raise it from the bottom to the required height, I would the remove the bottom horizontal trim pieces and replace them with something to match the top or with full length 3 flute vertical trim. just an opinion. Beautiful looking install though.

I was thinking about adding a block on the bottom that notches around the hearth and extends down to the floor.
The problem is how much to raise it. To much and it will be almost on the Ceiling. The specs in the stove manual dont give you a number but some kind of weird chart that I really cant figure out. Right now the top of the mantel shelf is 31 1/2 inches from the top of the stove BUT the top of the stove is only 10 1/2 inches away from the lowest part of the wood mantel. I think i need to raise it almost a foot if Im reading that graph correctly? It seems too high too me. WHat do you think?

 

[Randyb]

Looking at the graph for your stove, I would agree that the with your trim being 3/4" thick the closest piece above the stove needs to be approx 22 1/2 inches above the stove, the mantel only appears to come off the wall about 8", which only needs to be about 5 - 5 1/2" higher. You obviously have the clearance between the two already, so you need to meet the 22 1/2" mark. As it is setup you move the entire thing up and yes you end up with the mantel near the ceiling. Basically you will need to have a minimum 15 1/2" of non-combustibles above the top of the surround.

Anything else pretty much requires a rebuild of the mantel piece. You could maintain overall height and simply remove the horizontal section and run the side pillars up to where the mantel is now and meet all your clearances. You say the mantel was expensive, did you built it yourself, purchase it, or have it built? Whichever way you went it should not be to expensive to modify like this if you do it yourself, it wouldn't be that difficult, both of which I suppose are fairly subjective to the person attempting it though.

Here is a link to another thread for the heatshield route.
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/9613/

 

[Randyb]

Looking at the photos on the top again made me think of something else. IMO no matter what you will end up with quite a bit of empty non-combustible material above that stove. I noticed in your middle photo the picture of you two kids above the mantle. Once you have all that open space you could give your wife a christmas gift and have some portraits done of your kids and then have them laser etched in ceramic or stone and hang it in the empty space, just a thought.