Re: Stone, fake stone and soapstone on the hearth walls

[firefighterjake]

I know some folks have put up stone, fake stone and in some cases even soapstone tile on the walls of their hearth surrounding their woodstove.

Due to the intense heat and constant cracking of the drywall in the corner I plan to do something as well . . . I am curious though . . . has anyone noticed if putting up any of these products has resulted in the stone, fake stone or soapstone sucking up and then slowly releasing the heat as a heat sink? I know my thin slate on the hearth doesn't really work too well as a heat sink, but then again it's a thin slate and not a lot of heat is thrown down below the stove.

 

[Hogwildz]

With the clearances of stoves, I doubt any stone real or fake is going to act much like a heat sink.
At best it will prolly be same temp as the room.
I may be wrong. Just my opinion.

 

[BobUrban]

x2 on the unlikely to become a heat sink. My hearth is solid 100+yr old brick pavers that weight 10lbs a piece and hold little heat as far as extending my warmth output post complete burn cycle.

 

[Ashful]

I have two stoves, each installed in a large stone fireplace. I can't say how much it acts as a heat "sink," in terms of making the room slower to heat up, and suspect this effect is minimal. However, it does stay warm and radiate heat at least a day or two, after the stove goes cold. Typical temp measured on stone a day after stove has gone cold is 85F. This is 18" - 24" thick solid stone, not veneer.

edit: (now that I have a real keyboard / not typing on a phone...) Given the clearances between the stove and the stone, the stone absorbs heat very slowly, over the course of a full day, or even many days. So, you don't notice it acting as a heat sink. However, once heated, it can radiate back for at least a day or two, at a relatively low level (an 85F surface is not much of a heater). It probably does help take the peaks off of the highs and lows to some degree, but think of it as a too-small capacitor on a low-impedance circuit, it only knocks the peaks down a bit.

 

[PapaDave]

Jake, we have a solid wall of brick behind our stove (not veneer).
Although it does get quite warm, I've never noticed it acting as a heat sink.
It must, to some degree (see what I did there?), but in the dead of winter, I don't notice since the stove is always running.
I got myself an IR temp reader thing with a gift card a couple months ago, and I'll find out how warm that brick gets soon enough.

 

[topoftheriver]

I know some folks have put up stone, fake stone and in some cases even soapstone tile on the walls of their hearth surrounding their woodstove.

Due to the intense heat and constant cracking of the drywall in the corner I plan to do something as well . . . I am curious though . . . has anyone noticed if putting up any of these products has resulted in the stone, fake stone or soapstone sucking up and then slowly releasing the heat as a heat sink? I know my thin slate on the hearth doesn't really work too well as a heat sink, but then again it's a thin slate and not a lot of heat is thrown down below the stove.

I am not sure this is on point but I will comment. I didn't use any drywall at all. Instead I ripped everything out and used cement board to avoid the heat, drying, and cracking problems. Then I placed 1/2' slates mortared to the cement board and grouted it accordingly. I find that it radiates fine. I didn't use a conventional fan that you buy from the woodstove guys. I researched the internet and bought a tangeal fan, mounted it on my own home built frame that slides behind the stove and wired it with switches and thermostat controls and it worked fine. Just my thoughts on the issue.

 

[jharkin]

My stove is installed in a brick fireplace. The lintel is something like 6 inches from the back of the stove, and thus when the stove is cranking the brick is quite hot to the touch, and similar to Joful's experience it will stay warm long after the stove goes cool.

It would require a lot of math that I don't remember how to do to figure out if it has any meaningful effect on continuing to warm the room after the fire dies down, but I share the suspicion that its minimal.

 

[madison]

jake,

~5" limestone and granite mixed on wall with pretty close to minimum corner clearances. One of the two walls is an exterior wall. stove is convective type (t6) the walls are warmer than the room - can not comment on heat radiating off the stone as the stove is burning 24/7.

It has held up well, no cracking or mortar breakdown.

Images in signature.

 

[firefighterjake]

I am not sure this is on point but I will comment. I didn't use any drywall at all. Instead I ripped everything out and used cement board to avoid the heat, drying, and cracking problems. Then I placed 1/2' slates mortared to the cement board and grouted it accordingly. I find that it radiates fine. I didn't use a conventional fan that you buy from the woodstove guys. I researched the internet and bought a tangeal fan, mounted it on my own home built frame that slides behind the stove and wired it with switches and thermostat controls and it worked fine. Just my thoughts on the issue.

Do you have any pics? I am looking for ideas.

 

[xman23]

My fake stone gets real warm. It holds some heat for a short time after the stove cools.

 

[cwill]

Mine hardly gets over 100 degrees next to and behind the stove. I don't think it would hold heat real long after. I would think the amount of shielding on the back and sides would have a lot to do with how much heat is absorbed by the walls. Mines fully jacketed so most of the heat is out the front or on top. My alcove stonework is cement board with high adhesive strength mortar, no cracking so far in two seasons of use.

 

[ScotO]

Jake, I don't notice any heat radiating out of the natural stone veneer behind my Napoleon 1900p in the kitchen, but the natural stone above the NZ3000 fireplace in the living room DOES hold a little bit of heat. Definitely NOT enough heat to count as a heat sink, though....