My Grandma Bear hearth gets really warm underneath her.

  • Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.

    We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.

    We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.

Frankdozer

Burning Hunk
Aug 31, 2016
197
Maine
I was thinking of mounting something between the 4 legs about 4” down from the underside of the stove. Can I use the tile / cement board sold at Home Depot, rather than a steel plate?
 
I've seen posts using a metal plate clamped to the legs under the stove, this appeared to help a lot.
What is your floor made of? (Combustible?)
Tile and cement board don't insulate well. The plate between the legs allows to convect heat away and works better.
 
I've seen posts using a metal plate clamped to the legs under the stove, this appeared to help a lot.
What is your floor made of? (Combustible?)
Tile and cement board don't insulate well. The plate between the legs allows to convect heat away and works better.
Non-combustible floor. Brick on the flat. The floor just gets surprisingly hot when I crank up the heat for long periods of burning. I just figured I’d add additional protection.
 
I believe there are hearth pads with an R-value.
Micore has r=1.47 per 1/2" I believe. Add some cement board and the aesthetic finish (e.g. tile) you want, and that would help.
I don't know how much r-value you would need/want though. In the end, you don't "need" anything as the floor is not combustible. Therefore a metal plate between the legs (and not beyond) might be most efficient (and avoids toes being banged against corners of a hearth).
 
I believe there are hearth pads with an R-value.
Micore has r=1.47 per 1/2" I believe. Add some cement board and the aesthetic finish (e.g. tile) you want, and that would help.
I don't know how much r-value you would need/want though. In the end, you don't "need" anything as the floor is not combustible. Therefore a metal plate between the legs (and not beyond) might be most efficient (and avoids toes being banged against corners of a hearth).
I’m hopefully thinking cement board @ under $15 whereas a plate is $75. Again between the 4 legs.
 
My point is that an air gap may work best for you. Most plate material does not insulate well. I.e. you would not have your floor much cooler.
 
My point is that an air gap may work best for you. Most plate material does not insulate well. I.e. you would not have your floor much cooler.
That’s exactly what I was thinking. Mount the cement board on the legs approximately 4” down from the bottom of the stove. That leaves approximately 5” from the board to the hearth
 
Here it is

08CF21B0-69A7-4300-ADC8-FEB01BD2657A.jpeg
 
  • Like
Reactions: stoveliker
Yes. In this case I'd only be concerned with the mechanical properties of the plate as convection will do most of the work keeping the floor cooler.

Anything that won't deteriorate when hot, and "clampable" would work. Or lay it on some clamped stubs.
 
Post #2 is my Mama Bear with added shield under it.

The floor is covered with cement board and tile, not enough, so I had an old shelf just the right size to fit under stove. I had a bunch of fireplace damper clamps that come with propane log sets I’ve installed and didn’t need the clamp. Just like a small C-clamp to set the shelf on worked great. About 1 1/2 inch from stove bottom. The floor stayed cold under it. I knew it was only being used one year under test of the baffle and not large enough for my 1800 sf home, so it wasn’t permanent.

I’m at the cabin with the same Mama Bear going now, I’ll try to up load a pic of shield and clamp I still keep on it.

image.jpg

The Kitchen Queen in its place required a little more protection than 1 layer of cement board, tile, and a UL stove board, so I added a shield under it. I sat that one on 4 bricks. It keeps the cat from laying under the stove roasting her insides too.
 
  • Like
Reactions: stoveliker
Silver sheet metal shelf. The cabin is off grid with only lanterns. Phone flash reflection.