Progress Hybrid inside fireplace

[ReillyVA]

I recently purchased a Woodstock Soapstone Progress Hybrid (short legs)to install in my masonry fireplace with clearances that appear to be much like what you have. I was hoping someone could advise how far back into the fireplace I can place the stove and still maintain functionality. The stove is 25" in total depth so is recessing it into the fireplace 6" - 8" feasible and still be able to load, adjust the damper and open the top to clean the cat? My initial measurements provided more room to place it on the hearth and I'm hoping I have some room for error.
My fireplace dimensions are 29" (h) x 42" (w) x 28" (d). My hearth extends 19" - 20" past the lintel and is 10" off the floor. I understand it may be tight but can it work?
Any insight would be a great help. Thanks.

 

[begreen]

This sounds like a question for Woodstock support.

My recommendation would be to take the stove out onto the hearth as far as possible. The manual states:

We do not recommend placing the stove inside the fireplace, as it would be difficult to
access the control levers, load the stove, and much of the heat radiating off the stove
would not circulate into the room.

 

[EbS-P]

I recently purchased a Woodstock Soapstone Progress Hybrid (short legs)to install in my masonry fireplace with clearances that appear to be much like what you have. I was hoping someone could advise how far back into the fireplace I can place the stove and still maintain functionality. The stove is 25" in total depth so is recessing it into the fireplace 6" - 8" feasible and still be able to load, adjust the damper and open the top to clean the cat? My initial measurements provided more room to place it on the hearth and I'm hoping I have some room for error.
My fireplace dimensions are 29" (h) x 42" (w) x 28" (d). My hearth extends 19" - 20" past the lintel and is 10" off the floor. I understand it may be tight but can it work?
Any insight would be a great help. Thanks.

The operating levers are the critical point. Loading and can go in the front door and a blower can move air. I don’t want to reach back into a very hot small space to flip the bypass

 

[begreen]

The operating levers are the critical point. Loading and can go in the front door and a blower can move air. I don’t want to reach back into a very hot small space to flip the bypass

No front door on the PH and no blower. The bypass is on the front, but the air control is in the back.

 

[Rearscreen]

Looks like it will work with 1/2 to spare on height. Part of where the top stack plate is, will be tucked under the lintel.

recessing it into the fireplace 6" - 8" feasible

3 or 4 inches will work. 6 to 8 not a chance. All determined by your front legs solidly on the front edge and where the back ends up.
At 3 or 4 The soapstone will hinge back without hitting anything. You'll be able to get to the cat. I have the old style air control that is very close to the stove on the right side but I'm sure the new one won't be a problem as it too comes out the back side. Your front legs will be close to the edge. My first install with this stove had the stubby legs and an "ash" lip (which functions as a heat shield). It comes with a triple bottom shield. I was floor level and fairly close to the wood floor in front. Nothing underneath where the brick was or in front where the wood floor got remotely hot at all. At 10" up you'll be fine, except for lifting it up there! Just make sure you put those heat shields on regardless. This thing gets mighty hot.
My stove now is 2.5 inches in front of the face of the fireplace, and the opening is 42 inches wide. Even then, it's just enough room to do chimney maintenance. Shoving it in negates the functionality of the flip up soapstones for cooking and as Begreen mentions the heat issue. Is there any way you can bump out the front of the hearth in some fashion?

 

[ReillyVA]

Looks like it will work with 1/2 to spare on height. Part of where the top stack plate is, will be tucked under the lintel.

3 or 4 inches will work. 6 to 8 not a chance. All determined by your front legs solidly on the front edge and where the back ends up.
At 3 or 4 The soapstone will hinge back without hitting anything. You'll be able to get to the cat. I have the old style air control that is very close to the stove on the right side but I'm sure the new one won't be a problem as it too comes out the back side. Your front legs will be close to the edge. My first install with this stove had the stubby legs and an "ash" lip (which functions as a heat shield). It comes with a triple bottom shield. I was floor level and fairly close to the wood floor in front. Nothing underneath where the brick was or in front where the wood floor got remotely hot at all. At 10" up you'll be fine, except for lifting it up there! Just make sure you put those heat shields on regardless. This thing gets mighty hot.
My stove now is 2.5 inches in front of the face of the fireplace, and the opening is 42 inches wide. Even then, it's just enough room to do chimney maintenance. Shoving it in negates the functionality of the flip up soapstones for cooking and as Begreen mentions the heat issue. Is there any way you can bump out the front of the hearth in some fashion?

Thanks for the reply! We're remodeling our house so I can look at options for extending the hearth. I'm not sure how to do that aesthetically with it being raised 10". f

My stove is also 42" wide at the front, behind the current glass doors (going to be removed on installation). I spoke with Woodstock Soapstone and they told me the hinge for the top plates is 9" from the back of the flue as well as the hinge for the right loading door. Based on your stove is that accurate? Given the hinge locations, I was hoping to maintain functionality and recess the stove minimum 5" (rather than the full 9"). I'm getting the short legs so the height should work, as you mentioned. My chimney sweep is installing the stove so recessing it 5-6" was the plan.

As far as cleaning the stove, do I have to access the back flue or can it be swept and cleaned from inside the stove (given it's more difficult)?

I'm new to wood stoves so I appreciate the insight. Thanks again.

 

[ReillyVA]

Here is my thought. If 1/2 the oval flue is 4.5 inches then it should be 8" minimum to access the controls (except the air flow).

 

[EbS-P]

I would add the extension on or flush with the floor. Do you know if you need ember only protection or R value.

 

[jalmondale]

If it helps visualize things, I had a similar situation where I opted to extend the hearth on the floor, I posted some pics here: https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads...ve-in-front-of-fireplace.192288/#post-2584248. I suspect in most cases extending the raised hearth would be easier, but there was some brickwork original to the house that I wanted to keep exposed (specifically a date brick with the year it was built).

For extending the hearth, I'd probably go with concrete block or bricks, with backer board to shim things level if needed. Then tile over both the new bit and the extension to give it a cohesive look. You can easily get tiles from a big box store up to 2' x 4' (I used 1' x 2' ones) and premade trim and/or matching bullnose tile for the edges and corners (I just went with some door casing, but that might look odd on a taller hearth), which can give you a good approximation of a slab look (that's actually how I did my kitchen counters, although I opted for bigger grout lines for the hearth).

Honestly I wouldn't want my stove to be much closer to the firebox - getting to the tee for cleanouts and having space for a probe thermometer in an easy to read spot is really nice (*especially* with the soapstone where surface thermometers are not super useful). Reaching into a 9" wide space to get to the air controls would be pretty annoying, even if it was only inset by an inch or so, and more than that would probably run into issues with the loading door (the handle would start hitting the edge of the fireplace and keep you from opening the door all the way to 90 degrees).

 

[ReillyVA]

so I just ended up recessing the stove. I whitewashed the brick with acrylic that is holding up well. I can access the catalyst and damper well. Overall, I had about 7"-8" to recess the stove and keep functionality. Here are some pics for reference. It's tight but it can be done. I still have about 1"-2" to the edge of the hearth. I appreciate everyone's feedback.

 

[kiowa]

What is your early impression of the stove?

 

[koodjack]

so I just ended up recessing the stove. I whitewashed the brick with acrylic that is holding up well. I can access the catalyst and damper well. Overall, I had about 7"-8" to recess the stove and keep functionality. Here are some pics for reference. It's tight but it can be done. I still have about 1"-2" to the edge of the hearth. I appreciate everyone's feedback.

View attachment 302984 View attachment 302985 View attachment 302986 View attachment 302987

 

[koodjack]

Very nice