I am putting a new hardwood floor in front of my PE super 27 hearth. I'm wondering if there's a specific floor that won't separate or cup. What are your experiences with hardwood and stoves? Thanks
Hardwood in front of stove
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All wood moves as the moisture level changes with the season. Different species move different amounts. The way the wood is sawn makes a difference also. While flat sawn boards get wider/narrower, quarter sawn gets thicker/thinner so it’s less noticeable. Radial sawn is in between. Engineered flooring is laminated in thin strips that resist movement.
Yes I'm thinking about a Engineered hardwood flooring. I'm hoping it will have the least movement. I'm not sure of what brand to choose or if it even matters when it comes to engineered flooding. I'm on the ocean with harsh winters and humid summers, and with the wood stove I want to get this right because of all the money involved
If you decide on a true hardwood over laminate, the denser hardwoods will move less. White oak is very moisture resistant. Red oak is a bit prettier. Hickory will take a beating like no other and is moisture resistant. I'm actually choosing reclaimed hickory for my kitchen. It has chestnut now from the 1920s and dry rot has set in. There are other good choices of hardwood at a significant cost increase. For instance, mahogany. Popular with boat decks and open porches.
If going with engineered flooring, avoid the box stores. Quality will be had at flooring outlets.
If going with engineered flooring, avoid the box stores. Quality will be had at flooring outlets.
I would love to get some reclaimed hardwood, but it's hard to find and expensive. The area that I have to cover is only 800sqf and that is going to be a lot of money. Yea I've actually narrowed it down to the 3 woods you mentioned. The floor I have now opened up so I'm trying to avoid that this time
EbS-P
Minister of Fire
Don’t install in the super dry or super wet months and let the boxes acclimate for several weeks opened.
as of yesterday install, white oak, 36x36 hearth, steel, and stove on 5" of pavers lol
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Our p43 install photos
Surprise had to put on 2 layers of pavers installers painted hi temp black, to clear cast iron. I'm digging it though and our 800sf I think it'll run on low and save us some $ Half basement finished has own baseboard, future roof addition Running thru a cool Tripp lite surge/pre programmed...
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Can't post pics. Phone won' link to computer or visa versa. I haven't the patience to figure it out. Much easier to say, "screw it," then to destroy the laptop or twist the phone in half from frustration. I'm technology challenged, computer illiterate, and couldn't care less.
To satisfy your interest, I can tell you an old timer, from the area, advised me that many of these old houses used what was around at the time. Origonal house dates to 1850. This man has dedicated his life to working on these houses and knows mine fairly well. Said it was most likely chestnut flooring. I'm familiar with natural wood colors and concur. It was a kitchen for the migrant workers of once 200 acres. It's seen a great deal of traffic. Spots of the wood, in high traffic areas, are soft and disintegrating. The subfloor is still solid underneath, and there is no signs of insect damage.
We have the same setup on an oversized corner pad inset in a white oak floor. There is a slight separation of the planks in the middle of winter directly in front of the stove. This is a millimeter or less. The tiny gap goes away as soon as we stop burning. The issue has been mitigated by placing a small hearth rug in front of the hearth pad which is also greatly appreciated by our cat.
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My basement stove also leads to mm separation between hardwood flooring planks in certain areas of the above lying main floor. Indeed they disappear when humidity goes up again after burning stops.
I don't think it's good.for.the longevity of the planks (repeated shrinking and expanding can't be good for the mechanical integrity of the wood), but on my time scale (6 yrs) it's not yet deteriorating. Avoiding it from happening is what I would advise, if feasible.
I don't think it's good.for.the longevity of the planks (repeated shrinking and expanding can't be good for the mechanical integrity of the wood), but on my time scale (6 yrs) it's not yet deteriorating. Avoiding it from happening is what I would advise, if feasible.
You
I just checked my oak floor and I don’t see any separation between slats. The floor was done in 2020. I like the hearth pad in front. Nice to have extra protection up front. I’m thinking this might be a nice addition to my setup.
Edit: since my steel pad is only about 16” straight across in the front a hearth pad would not work. More like a trapezoid up front.
Your setup looks nice. I also have a window to my left and a wall outlet. Nice when plugging in the hairdryer.
I just checked my oak floor and I don’t see any separation between slats. The floor was done in 2020. I like the hearth pad in front. Nice to have extra protection up front. I’m thinking this might be a nice addition to my setup.
Edit: since my steel pad is only about 16” straight across in the front a hearth pad would not work. More like a trapezoid up front.
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Our floor went down in 2006. It's fine at least for my lifetime. Wood shrinks and expands seasonally in a house due to humidity variations. It probably does as a tree slightly too in different seasons.
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