is concrete good for a hearth??

[lime4x4]

Come spring i want to get rid of my silly looking black hearth mat and build a 4" thick concrete hearth with a slate design etched into the concrete before it sets up? Will this provide good fire protection?
It will be underneath a harman magnum coal stoker?

 

[MountainStoveGuy]

You need to research the r value required for the bottem of the appliance. Poured concrete has .08 r value/inch.
Ryan

 

[lime4x4]

the manual gives no spec just says the floor must be non-combustable.the actual fire is about 2 feet off the floor and there is a ash pan under that sits about 6 inches off the floor

 

[MountainStoveGuy]

Maybe this will help.
Floor Protection for Unlisted Stoves (from NFPA 211)

Size: Floor Protection shall extend to at least 18" from all sides of the appliance.

Construction: The basic floor protection specified by NFPA applies to stoves with legs over 6" in height. This means that the floor of the stove combustion chamber should be at least this height above the floor surface. The standard calls for:
1. Closely spaced 2" thick masonry units (brick or cinderblock/patio block.
2. Top cover of 24 gauge sheet metal.

For stoves with legs from 2" to 6" in height, the standard calls for:
1. Hollow 4" blocks set on their side so that the ventilated spaces line up horizontally. The ends should remain open for proper flow of cooling air.
2. Top cover of 24 gauge sheet metal.