Rock/Mineral Wool where to buy?

[burleymike]

I am slowly trying to get my fireplace ready for the insert which will be here Thursady. I want to put a blanket of rock or mineral wool around the firebox and on the block off plate. Only problem is I have called nearly everybody within 100 miles and nobody knows where I could get some.

I remembered when I gutted one of the bedrooms a few years ago having a batt of rock wool fall out of the ceiling when I tore it down. I went up in the attic and it turns out they used a few more of them. This is from the late 1950's and it is wrapped with paper. I got a sample of it and put a propane torch flame to it. Only the tip of the flame would melt it. It did have a slight plastic burning odor so I have a feeling it has some binders in it. It did not smell or melt as badly as fiberglass does though.

Am I crazy for thinking about taking that batt of wool out of the attic, removing the paper and using that to insulate the fireplace and block off plate?

 

[DAKSY]

As long as you take the paper off you will be fine.
We actually gave up on the block off plates & cram unfaced
insulation in the damper area & under the cap - around the SS
liner & we have NEVER had any issues.
Fiberglass does not burn, melt or out-gas at wood stove operating temperatures.
If it did, it wouldn't be considered safe for door gasketing material.

 

[phil san]

You want to feel safe and secure, use rockwool. I can put a propane torch to it and it does nothing. Used it for insulating the backwall of my fireplace and in addition to a metal block off plate stuffed batts of rockwool in there. Air tight and going on 3 seasons for a pellet FI.

Google - acoustacal rock wool. Comes in 24" x 48" firm bats. Cuts easy, holds shape and works. For 6 bats expect to pay about $70 shipping included. Youl'll get it in 3 days.

Then you will know what you have as oppossed to some old stuff from the atic.

 

[jstellfox]

Search Ebay for Kaowool. There is a guy on there that sells it by the square foot. I purchased 2 sqft from him to use against my ss pipe. Its good to 2100 degrees and I can put a torch to it and it does nothing...no burn, smoking or melting!

 

[johnsopi]

We use cremic wool/KO wool at work. Good at 1000c

 

[oconnor]

As long as you take the paper off you will be fine.
We actually gave up on the block off plates & cram unfaced
insulation in the damper area & under the cap - around the SS
liner & we have NEVER had any issues.
Fiberglass does not burn, melt or out-gas at wood stove operating temperatures.
If it did, it wouldn't be considered safe for door gasketing material.

Daksy, do use a supplier of fiberglass that produces batts with no binding agents in it? Anytime I've applied heat to regular fiberglass batts it makes an awful smell. The glass isn't what stinks, its the rest of the stuff they use to make it.

If you want rock wool, your local building supply store will stock fire rated rock wool used in commercial buildings when walls need a fire rating. One brand name is Roxul.

 

[Rudyjr]

A local insulation contractor in our area gave me a piece of Roxul (rock wool) left over from a commercial job for my install. Just stopped in and told them what I was getting ready to do and asked if I could purchase some. I still put in a block off plate, probably overkill but really not too tough to do. It has worked perfectly for me

 

[burleymike]

Every bit of spare time this afternoon went to calling insulation contractors, commercial construction companies, and building supply houses. Only one supply house could order some and it would have to be a minimum order. I went ahead and pulled the batt of rock wool out of the attic. I pulled the paper off of it and rolled it up it will be better than nothing. I will not have enough batt to do behind the insert but that is ok. I do have 4" of loose fill rock wool in the attic I could use for behind the insert but I don't want all that dust floating around the house.

 

[ddddddden]

www.atsacoustics.com/cat--DIY-Acoustic-Materials--12.html Bah! Looks like they redirect the link to their home page. . .anyhow, what you seek is in their DIY section.

 

[joefrompa]

(broken link removed to http://cgi.ebay.com/Kaowool-Ceramic-Fiber-Blanket-1-4-x-24-x-25-8-Dens-/130342020480?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1e58fd6580)

It's 1/4" thick but 25' long, so I'm guessing this might be perfect to layer in the firebox and shove up around the liner too. For me, it's $51 shipped to me.

I'd line the FRONT of this (side closest to the firebox) with heavy duty aluminum foil.

Just my take!

Joe

 

[firefighterjake]

Every bit of spare time this afternoon went to calling insulation contractors, commercial construction companies, and building supply houses. Only one supply house could order some and it would have to be a minimum order. I went ahead and pulled the batt of rock wool out of the attic. I pulled the paper off of it and rolled it up it will be better than nothing. I will not have enough batt to do behind the insert but that is ok. I do have 4" of loose fill rock wool in the attic I could use for behind the insert but I don't want all that dust floating around the house.

I realize you probably are all set . . . but I had good luck checking with the local plumbing and heating company that professional plumbers use to buy their supplies . . . bought a 3 x 5 rigid sheet of rockwool (or similar product) for less than $15 . . . the stuff is easy to cut with a utility knife and stays in shape with very little dust. The guy at the counter called it zero clearance insulation . . . can't recall the exact brand name though.

 

[midwestcoast]

I had the same issues and did the same thing; pulled batts of rockwool out of my attic for over the block-off plate and walls of the fireplace. If it saves a hassle and a few bucks, why the heck not? Attic is 18" deep with cellulose now so no harm done there.

 

[phil san]

Here is a link. Ships next day. As I said the stuff is unburnable, no fumes etc. Get the rigid batts. Easier to deal with.

http://www.atsacoustics.com/cat--Fiberglass-and-Mineral-Wool-Batts-and-Boards--106.html

 

[joefrompa]

Nice. Thanks for the link. Any reason for NOT using the soft stuff besides easier to deal with? I'd just shove it in there around the stove as much as possible with the soft stuff (and up around the chimney liner).

Joe

 

[johnstra]

The Roxul from ATS Acoutics is what I got... great stuff. The bats seem much easier to work with than the boards.
-john

 

[hct4all]

McMaster Carr. You can have it next day.

Have a great day.

Rick