New Install - Hearth Help

[gopherblue]

Hi,

I've been a long-time lurker on the forum--very useful info here! Thanks!

I am having a Jotul F400 Castine installed in our 100+ year old home. Our living room has hardwood flooring, and we intend to simply install a solid granite hearthpad on top of the floor. According to the Jotul manual, the F400 requires ember protection only and the minimum dimensions for the hearthpad are 44" deep x 42" wide. We are going with a 1" thick slab of honed granite, 46" x 46".

My question: we plan to install a 1/2" underlay under the stone, directly on the hardwood flooring, both to provide support/protection and to make sure the stone is level and evenly supported. Is this ok? The stone installer can provide Hardiebacker cementicious board, or I could try to source 1/2" Micore insulating board. Which is better? Will we be able to stand on the granite if either of these underlays is used?

As I understand it, the F400 with the bottom heatshield installed does not require additional R value insulation under the stove, only ember protection.

Any advice or suggestions gratefully appreciated.

Thanks!
Goph

 

[begreen]

With the bottom heat shield in place it sounds like a good plan. I would let the stone installer go with his desired underlayment.

 

[Simonkenton]

That will be a heavy install. What size are the joists? What is the distance between the joists?
How far do the joists span?

 

[gopherblue]

That will be a heavy install. What size are the joists? What is the distance between the joists?
How far do the joists span?

Ah, good questions. I'll need to check but wont be home until Friday. My back of the envelope calc is that the total weight is 700lbs and the total area of the slab is ~14.5sqft (actually a bit more). So figure about 48 lbs per sqft?

 

[phatdonkey]

I have a Jotul 500 Oslo sitting on 1/2" Slate tile with 1/2" Hardie backer under it. No issues with heat in the tile and I have had the stove up to around 700 degrees on a few occasions. The tile under the stove gets hot, but not so hot you can't keep your hand on it.

 

[gopherblue]

That will be a heavy install. What size are the joists? What is the distance between the joists?
How far do the joists span?

So, it's an old house, but it looks like the joists are 2x10s, just shy of 16" on center (some a little closer). The lumber is probably as old as the house. The load bearing beam is right under the wall against which the stove will be installed.

Final dimensions of the slab of granite is 1.2" thick, 45.75" x 45.75".

 

[begreen]

Our old house has 2x10 joists on 23-25" centers, each floor joist in one piece (36') cut from old growth doug fir. The 600# stove + 200# hearth hasn't fallen through the floor yet. There is a support post near the end of the hearth pad.

 

[Simonkenton]

The lumber is probably as old as the house? Yes, I bet it is.
How far do the joists span?

 

[begreen]

House was built in 1924. They are definitely true dimension, original lumber. Each joist is the full span of the house. There is a center carrying beam and we added additional supports when the house was lifted and put on a foundation.

 

[gopherblue]

The lumber is probably as old as the house? Yes, I bet it is.
How far do the joists span?

The joists are almost certainly as old as the house. The joists span 15-16'.

 

[gopherblue]

Just thought I'd update this thread--yesterday I had the stove installed. 1/2" Micore base with 1" honed granite hearth. Stove is the Jotul F400 Castine in blueblack enamel.



One issue: after install, I discovered a couple small chips in the enamel, which were definitely not caused by the install. Reached out to the dealer and awaiting a response. Any idea what I can expect? A new replacement stove? Significant refund and touchup paint?

 

[NateH]

I, too, am in the process of purchasing a new stove. Was leaning towards an enamel finish on the Jotul Oslo 500 but am prob going to go with the matte black bc I've heard chips are almost inevitable over time and the dealer told me they are sometimes delivered w a chip or two. I'd hate to shell out thousands of dollars and see a chip.

 

[begreen]

Our F3CB in blue-black enamel had a couple tiny chips on the upper side edge. The stove came with touch up paint which I applied. It matched very well and basically I forgot about them.

 

[Game warden]

I, too, am in the process of purchasing a new stove. Was leaning towards an enamel finish on the Jotul Oslo 500 but am prob going to go with the matte black bc I've heard chips are almost inevitable over time and the dealer told me they are sometimes delivered w a chip or two. I'd hate to shell out thousands of dollars and see a chip.

I purchased the ivory enamel. It had one small chip at the front top edge just above the door about half the size of a pea. The small bottle of touch up paint that the dealer should give you for free hides it completely. You can't beat the enamel look, touch it up over time. You won't regret it unless you are the careless banging bull in a china shop type.

 

[NateH]

I also don't like the price hike on the enamel models... $3100ish for blue-black, $3400ish for ivory! My dealer is selling the clean face Oslo 500 matte black for $2350. I've shopped around not seeing a better deal anywhere! I was hoping to get this stove below $2000 as there are going to be other hefty expenses!

 

[Game warden]

I also don't like the price hike on the enamel models... $3100ish for blue-black, $3400ish for ivory! My dealer is selling the clean face Oslo 500 matte black for $2350. I've shopped around not seeing a better deal anywhere! I was hoping to get this stove below $2000 as there are going to be other hefty expenses!

Understood....but 3400 is 500 to high....you shouldn't pay more than 3100 for ivory with the cook plate that costs 280 bucks!! Now there's a two hundred dollar rebate to end of year and claim three hundred on Fed taxes.

 

[NateH]

Honest he prices most people post on here for their Jotul stoves is so frustrating bc they're either 7-10 years old or just flat out much cheaper than what I'm finding... no one and I mean no one around me is beating the $2350 price I was quoted for the Jotul 500 clean face in matte black. This the enameled stoves are even more and everywhere I call they are $3000+

 

[Game warden]

Honest he prices most people post on here for their Jotul stoves is so frustrating bc they're either 7-10 years old or just flat out much cheaper than what I'm finding... no one and I mean no one around me is beating the $2350 price I was quoted for the Jotul 500 clean face in matte black. This the enameled stoves are even more and everywhere I call they are $3000+

Yes....3K is going to be your round a bout price....but if it's part of the COMMANDER'S design....several hundred more keeps her a little happier!! If she doesn't mind....save the money....it's still the same stove.

 

[NateH]

Yes the wife likes the enameled ivory but that puts me $1000 more than the matte black stove... not going to happen I'm the cheapest person alive, so...

 

[tifferstwo]

Yes the wife likes the enameled ivory but that puts me $1000 more than the matte black stove... not going to happen I'm the cheapest person alive, so...

I'm on the same page as your wife...I want the ivory enamel as well, and here in AK are anywhere from $500-700 more than just the matte black...but sine I'm the wife doing the research because my husband would put in the big black ugly box, and I need it to look pretty, I'm having to compromise and not go with the white because of the extra cost but still going to go with something a little more pretty.

 

[Smoked]

Is enamel worth it? Not sure that is the only question here but it looks nicer to begin with. It is super easy to keep looking nice. And if you repaint stove black every year to keep that looking nice, you have to deal with the smell of burning it off. I would want a little compensation for chips on a new stove but once touched up, you will not notice it long term unless they are big or in a very prominent location.

 

[NateH]

Tiffers, we ended up getting the 500 Oslo in matte black and let me just say it's a beautiful stove. The black actually looks very rustic and perfect. We are very happy.

 

[begreen]

Is enamel worth it? Not sure that is the only question here but it looks nicer to begin with. It is super easy to keep looking nice. And if you repaint stove black every year to keep that looking nice, you have to deal with the smell of burning it off. I would want a little compensation for chips on a new stove but once touched up, you will not notice it long term unless they are big or in a very prominent location.

Cast clad steel stoves don't need repainting every few years. The cast iron doesn't get that hot. Ours is 9 yrs old and still looks great.

 

[tifferstwo]

Tiffers, we ended up getting the 500 Oslo in matte black and let me just say it's a beautiful stove. The black actually looks very rustic and perfect. We are very happy.

It's the one I'm leaning towards. But my hubby likes the grill feature on the Rangely. I think I'll win though, mine is a little less expensive

 

[NateH]

Ah, the Rangeley F50 is also one that I wrestled with. I liked the fact that it's a convection stove. In the end I felt I couldn't go wrong with either stove so we went with the one we liked the most, aesthetic wise. The Jotul F500 Oslo Clean face. Unfortunately I still haven't installed it, which is actually ok since we're having a crazy warm fall and winter, so far. 62 today