Granite hearth help for wood stove

[TuffGong]

Question about a new hearth I plan on putting in for my Jotul Oslo. Am remodeling my basement and ditching the current hearth pad I am using. Question is, my plan is to put down a Pergo laminate wood floor and then a piece of granite on top of it. Do I need to put anything under the granite pad or can it just sit on top of the Pergo floor? So I would have the concrete floor, Pergo pad, then Pergo laminate flooring, then granite. Is that okay or do I need something between the Pergo flooring and the granite?

 

[Highbeam]

Granite offers little to no insulation and some stoves require a specific insulation between the stove and any combustible layer beneath. Your owners manual will specify this. When directly on a slab it doesn’t matter but now that you’re adding a combustible layer it does.

If no insulative value is required then you can throw the granite directly on the laminate or even carpet. It will likely leave a mark on the laminate but it’s under the hearth so you won’t see it.

 

[Bad LP]

Why are you running the Pergo under the granite? Thin set the granite to the cement slab and call it done.

 

[firefighterjake]

Unless anything has changed drastically . . . and I doubt it . . . the Oslo only requires ember protection so yes . . . you can put the granite directly on to the Pergo flooring.

 

[begreen]

The Oslo requires a minimum 54.25” wide x 50.5” deep hearth pad. That is one large slab of granite.

 

[TuffGong]

The Oslo requires a minimum 54.25” wide x 50.5” deep hearth pad. That is one large slab of granite.

Many thanks, if not granite, what other ideas?

 

[begreen]

Granite is fine but it might be easier to find it in smaller sections. If so, they will need to have a cement board backer and the gaps between grouted. For an ember-protection only hearth there are lots of options from metal to tile to brick to stone.

 

[firefighterjake]

I have to admit I saw someone put in a granite hearth here a few years back and it looked pretty good.

 

[TuffGong]

I have to admit I saw someone put in a granite hearth here a few years back and it looked pretty good.

I realize it might be a bit of an expense but it does seem that it would look really nice. I'd like to put it on top of the Pergo just in case, someday, I want to pull up the granite and do something different. So maybe just put something in-between the Pergo and the granite, a simple buffer or protector.

p.s. part of me wished I had originally put in a Jotul gas stove instead of a wood stove. I'm not getting any younger and flipping a switch sounds nice on those mornings when my back gets tight.

 

[firefighterjake]

I realize it might be a bit of an expense but it does seem that it would look really nice. I'd like to put it on top of the Pergo just in case, someday, I want to pull up the granite and do something different. So maybe just put something in-between the Pergo and the granite, a simple buffer or protector.

p.s. part of me wished I had originally put in a Jotul gas stove instead of a wood stove. I'm not getting any younger and flipping a switch sounds nice on those mornings when my back gets tight.

I bet a few of those felt pads for chairs would work pretty well to keep the flooring from being scuffed.

 

[TuffGong]

Is there another stone other than granite that I could use?

 

[MTY]

I did something similar about 10 years ago. I trimmed a piece of cardboard just shy of the size of the pad to protect the floor. You cannot tell it is under there, but I have no idea if it did anything but make me feel good as I have not had a reason to look at the floor.

 

[barnaclebob]

Is there another stone other than granite that I could use?

If you stove only requires ember protection (as someone above said) then you can use just about any non flammable material you want. Marble, quartz, bricks, cement pavers, ceramic tile, paver stones etc.

If you really want a granite look but dont want to pay for a whole slab then granite tile is probably a good option.

Here is what we did for our hearth and it was super cheap, maybe only $150 for the stone?

You can see the build of it in the top link in my signature.

 

[prezes13]

I have marble in front of my insert. Looks pretty sharp. I will post a pic when I get home.

 

[Zack R]

p.s. part of me wished I had originally put in a Jotul gas stove instead of a wood stove. I'm not getting any younger and flipping a switch sounds nice on those mornings when my back gets tight.

The wood stove will keep you young!

 

[begreen]

The wood stove will keep you young!

Been burning wood on and off for about 50 yrs. I ain't getting any younger.

 

[Highbeam]

Been burning wood on and off for about 50 yrs. I ain't getting any younger.

Had you not been burning wood you may be dead!

To

Is there another stone other than granite that I could use?

If only ember protection is required you can even use a sheet of glass so that you can see your floor through it. I've considered pouring a concrete slab like they do with concrete countertops for my shop stove. There are some amazing things being done with poured concrete countertops.

You can also buy huge fireplace pavers made of colored concrete with faux textures. What I for the BK in my house.

 

[TuffGong]

The glass idea does sound cool, I found an earlier thread where someone did that and it looks neat. What would be a cheaper alternative to granite (and perhaps lighter?)? Silestone?

 

[begreen]

Aren't Quartz style materials made with stone dust in resin? If so, I don't think they qualify for hearth material. When in doubt call the manufacturer.

 

[TuffGong]

Aren't Quartz style materials made with stone dust in resin? If so, I don't think they qualify for hearth material. When in doubt call the manufacturer.

I seem to remember that as well, the last time I looked into that. So it seems like it is natural stone like granite or quartz or glass.

 

[TuffGong]

How thick should the glass be?

I showed my wife a pic of a glass hearth pad and she liked it. I'm going to go with that, if anyone has any advice as to how thick I would appreciate it.

 

[edyit]

I don't know what you need for floor protection with that model Jotul, but if it requires any R value then glass will not give it. If its ember protection only then glass will work fine, I'd go with 3/8" with a rounded edge, you'll want to make sure whatever you're setting it on is perfectly flat since it wont flex, have you showed your wife something like hammered copper or even a tile pattern the same thickness as the pergo? Just throwing out ideas.

 

[TuffGong]

I don't know what you need for floor protection with that model Jotul, but if it requires any R value then glass will not give it. If its ember protection only then glass will work fine, I'd go with 3/8" with a rounded edge, you'll want to make sure whatever you're setting it on is perfectly flat since it wont flex, have you showed your wife something like hammered copper or even a tile pattern the same thickness as the pergo? Just throwing out ideas.

This is what I am looking at, thought this looked great. Question now is how thick, fortunately we have two glass shops where I live so sourcing the material shouldn't be a problem.

 

[begreen]

1/2" tempered glass.

 

[TuffGong]

1/2" tempered glass.

Thank you begreen, I will be doing exactly that.

Anybody have any advice for how to move the Oslo? I am a bit nervous about picking it up and placing it on the glass. And it seems when I try to pick it up the top of the Oslo hinges.