Heathstone finish showing signs of "pitting"

[catbird]

Hi Folks,
I've burned wood for over 40 years, about 5 years ago we bought a nice hearthstone mansfield model. Overall been very happy with it. As manual states the stone has started to show some hair line "cracks" and some coloration from maturing...I expected this to happen. However, recently when cleaning stove I noticed for lack of a better word, a bunch of small rusty looking "pits" forming on the face of stone. I thought at first it was something sticking to the finish of stone so I flicked it with my fingernail and quickly discovered it was in the finish itself...leaving a small, rough mark ... ugly. Anyway I was wondering it anyone else has encountered this type of problem with a hearthstone...and what can be done about correcting this condition?? Seems to be quite extensive on stove's surface. I burn dry hardwood with 2 thermometers in place... one on stove top and one on stove pipe...so I'm careful not to overheat stove...as well I clean only when stove is cooled down with a dry cloth or damp cloth...according to manual. Thanks

 

[begreen]

Carefully inspect the interior side of that stone for cracks in that location.

 

[Highbeam]

We call it spalling in the concrete world. Sounds like your stove is crumbling. Quit picking at it. Is it limited to just one stone? Each one, other than the top stones, is a pain to replace but possible.

I bought a new heritage in about 2006. It looked great. Luckily no cracks or spalling.

 

[begreen]

Yes, spalling is what I suspected and possibly worse on the interior side with bleeding starting to show through on the outside. Not sure why. I have a friend with an early 1980s H1 that still looks good. The stones have darkened, but they still are ok. I read a few years ago that quality soapstone is getting harder to locate and wonder if the quality is declining.

 

[catbird]

Yes, spalling is what I suspected and possibly worse on the interior side with bleeding starting to show through on the outside. Not sure why. I have a friend with an early 1980s H1 that still looks good. The stones have darkened, but they still are ok. I read a few years ago that quality soapstone is getting harder to locate and wonder if the quality is declining.

Not sure how to inspect underside of the stoves top stones without taking it apart, and I hate to get into that at this point. Pitting is widespread enough, especially on top, that it seems if cracks did exist under these stones that the stove top would be falling apart or loose by now. Anyway I appreciate the respond so far, but if anyone has thoughts on how this might be resolved, I would welcome that input as well.

 

[begreen]

So far that is just a guess. It could also be the natural aging of the stone. The top stones are supported by a heavy framework underneath them. I thought they just lifted out but could be wrong. @bholler or @Kevlar_vw would be more help there.

 

[bholler]

So far that is just a guess. It could also be the natural aging of the stone. The top stones are supported by a heavy framework underneath them. I thought they just lifted out but could be wrong. @bholler or @Kevlar_vw would be more help there.

I am not much help on this one.

 

[Highbeam]

The top stones just set there grouted in. Easiest to replace. That’s all you can do is replace stones you deem aesthetically unacceptable. You can’t just rub a potion on the rotten stone to make it stop.

Have you ever had a granite boulder rot on you after you used it to build a wall? Just turns to dust. Usually get one or two rotten rocks in every wall but they don’t look rotten for a couple of years.

Give hearthstone a call. I found them very responsive and helpful. They are most likely to have seen this before.