Newbie, need help with hearth install, Vigilant owners

[jeffxyan]

I have the manual for the vigilant stove 1980. I am getting ready to install a brick hearth with thin brick wall.

The clearances in the manual aren't very clear to me as to what would make it a rear heat shield or what constitutes as a safe clearances for this type of install. I am hoping to have the base made today. Getting ready to go outside and clean off some old bricks for the install.

Plan is to use concrete board base over wood floors with old brick on the bottom, and concrete board over sheetrock with thin brick going up the wall to the ceiling.

It is going straight up out the back, not horizontal and I am using double wall black stove pipe going up to the double wall insulated out the top of roof.

What is the clearance to the wall?

I am guessing 10"?

Any help would be appreciated. I will update this thread with progress pictures.

 

[jeffxyan]

Anyone, beuller? Or can I go less and do a 6 or 7 " that they say with the heatshield, even though it isn't a heatshield with gap behind the wall .

 

[begreen]

You may need the Installation guide. The installation manual goes into great detail on pages 3-5 on how to safely meet clearance requirements for this stove. First you need to determine if the stove has a rear heat shield or not. If not, the only way to reduce rear clearances from 36" to 10" is to build an NFPA 211 protected wall as shown on page 3. A thin brick veneer on cement board directly attached to the drywall is not a proper, ventilated wall shield. The cement board must be attached on 1" spacers, and open at least 1" on the bottom and the top to allow air to freely convect behind the wall shield.

I'll attach this guide to the post for you. Also visit the article for more info on proper wall shields.
https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/articles/stove_wall_clear

 

[jeffxyan]

Thanks begreen, I really do appreciate the response. I will update this thread as I go for others. I am guessing I need a thicker cement board than a 1/4 for the wall to add to the rigidness to mount it on spacers. Time to order some spacers. Thanks, Jeff

 

[begreen]

Yes, use 1/2" Durock NexGen. It will be nice and rigid. Ceramic spacers are made for this, but you can make them out of any non-combustible material like 1" sections of 3/8" copper pipe or 1" thick metal studding, etc.. Another trick is to snap off 60" x 3" strips of 1/2" Durock and double them up as firring strip spacers on each stud.

 

[jeffxyan]

My last thought is the resting the beastly vigilant straight onto the brick. I am worried it may crack over time. Is there some sort of metal saucer you can place to spread the weight around?

 

[begreen]

It's recommended to put the brick down on edge so that the hearth is 4" thick. Put a wood collar frame around the brick to stop it from moving. Brush sand over the brick to fill the cracks. The brick won't crack, but if you want to put a layer of 22ga sheetmetal over the brick, no problem.

 

[jeffxyan]

Brush sand huh?
No mortar or sand mixed mortar?

 

[begreen]

Sure, you can mortar the bricks in place if desired. No problem and no need for the sand or a collar frame then.

 

[jeffxyan]

One last question, in the manual it says top and bottom air circulation. Can we do both sides and top circulation for heat shield? Wifey is worried about asthetics of a 1" gap at the bottom.

 

[Fsappo]

It's recommended to put the brick down on edge so that the hearth is 4" thick. Put a wood collar frame around the brick to stop it from moving. Brush sand over the brick to fill the cracks. The brick won't crack, but if you want to put a layer of 22ga sheetmetal over the brick, no problem.

I always considered the ceramic spacers as conducting less heat (even with a metal screw holding them to the wall) than the old copper tubing trick. What do you think, not enough to make a difference?

 

[Fsappo]

Or we could use these at $20 per screw!
http://www.ortechceramics.com/store/cart.asp

 

[begreen]

I always considered the ceramic spacers as conducting less heat (even with a metal screw holding them to the wall) than the old copper tubing trick. What do you think, not enough to make a difference?

You can use the cement board. Just snap off 3" x 60" strips from the 1/2" Durock sheet. Double them up on each stud to create 1" thick spacers. The gap needs to be open at the bottom by 1-3" to qualify as a proper NFPA shield. It's ok to take the stud area down to the hearth if you want to create legs, with 12-14" wide vents in between.

 

[jeffxyan]

Alright, base is almost finished. Will finish tonight. I was curious with one thing, can I mount durock to wall with thin brick, then mount a heat shield over thin brick? and thank you begreen for all your help. I really do appreciate it. You are helping us do it yourselfers and making it possible for us to do it ourselves.

thank you sir. I will post pictures when done.