New Stove Install, Hearthstone Manchester

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mrd1995

Burning Hunk
Feb 21, 2020
199
North East, Pa
Just wanted to start a thread on our stove install. We are installing a Hearthstone Manchester model 8362. This will be a from scratch install, we will be working with a local installer to install the flue and the stove itself. Going to order block, ties, and decking for the hearth pad this week. I will get photos of the room tonight and post them tomorrow. We are building this as time and budget allows. I look forward to sharing this build with everyone on the site. The manual for the stove only calls for ember protection. We will put the decking on and do a 2 or 3" reinforced concrete pad with embedded stone, the face of the block will either be dry stack stone or natural sand field stone. This will continue up the wall to the ceiling(7 ft) This will give us a 32" clearance to the ceiling. This will be a secondary heat source for our home. If anyone has any questions or advice please ask or post them, I will be working with my dad on the masonry he use to lay block back in the day. We wanted the hearth pad to provide warm sitting for the chilly winter months along Lake Erie hence the two course block height.
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Why build the base out of cement block instead framed out of wood? All that block with the heavy slab on top + stove will be a lot of weight.
This will give us a 32" clearance to the ceiling.
The Manchester requires at least 68" clearance to the ceiling. An 84" ceiling height requirement is pretty standard for most (but not all) wood stoves.
 
@begreen Thank you for pointing that out we will adjust as necessary. I pulled the manual up and I seen it referred to alcove height clearances but not general ceiling height? Also if the ceiling is none combustible does the height stay the same?
 
@begreen, Never mind I see the 36" clearance call out plus the stove height of 32.125" minimum ceiling height of 68.125" got it.
Thank you again.
 
I have been awful in keeping this post updated, after updating the block layout to a single course of block and double checking our clearances. We started the project over the weekend we cut the carpet out laid the block and poured a reinforced slab. We got our natural stone delivered about 2 weeks ago and it is substantially thicker then we anticipated. Was supposed to be 2-3" ours is 2-6" thick, spoke with the supplier and they said "yep, natural stone" so we are going to make it work. I will be removing the paneling and putting concrete board and rock up the back of the wall. The radiator will get moved and the carpet will be changed to tile. Chimney will be the next step, the stove installer will be out at some point to put the wall thimble through.

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Started laying the stone over the weekend, no mortar yet just trying to see how we are going to piece them in...heavy rock! Going to cut out the paneling move or remove the outlet and put up hardie board. Then add a rock at some point.
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Started laying the stone over the weekend, no mortar yet just trying to see how we are going to piece them in...heavy rock! Going to cut out the paneling move or remove the outlet and put up hardie board. Then add a rock at some point.
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This looks like work, I love it. I did some similar things, but went down rather than up, so I could have a flush hearth. Happy building!
 
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Absolutely love it. It is super efficient and the ability to damper it down while maintaining a good burn is amazing.
What sort of burns are you getting between reloading? Not sure if you are burning 24/7 yet.
 
Got the stone in over the weekend with my dad's help, now have to finish the wall and the base. Next step will be to get the stove in and then work on the dry stack and finish deciding the wall covering. Sort of a build as we go, trying to decide whether or not we want to go with a modern rustic corrugated metal over the Hardy board and then finish it with a Heavy timber post and beam mantle or dry stack that as well... don't mind the carpet needs shampooed from muddy paws...

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Looks like the hound knows what's coming .
 
That's a seriously substantial hearth. It will look great with the Manchester on it.
 
@begreen, thank you again for pointing out height clearances and a few other things early on in our build I believe you saved us a big headache later down the road. We ended up with a single layer of 8" block with a 3" concrete slab and then about 5" of rock on top.

I will keep updating this as we go!
 
We had more progress on the install, got the thimble in and the 16' of Duratech up waiting on the flashing to pop through the eve. Got word the stove will be in by the beginning of next week and the installer will be out to finish up the install. We will have 22' of class A from the wall thimble to the tip. More pics to come, picking up the tile today that will be the transition from the Carpet to the Heath pad.
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