Rules for making mantel shields

[Ashful]

1. Best materials, and why? (Steel, copper, aluminum)
2. Mounting? (tight vs. air space, and spacer materials)
3. Shape? Width? Other?

In my case, I'll be fab'ing them to shield heavy wood lintels on the back side of the mantel, which are roughly 30" from the front top edge of the stove.

 

[begreen]

Any non combustible will work. The material choice is base on aesthetic. It can be high-temp painted steel, stainless, copper, brass, etc.. If they will be unseen, then 24 or 26 ga sheet metal is fine. They make spacers or you can make your own out of 1" long sleeves. One easy way to make them is to cut up some short pieces of 3/8" metal tubing. Might as well make it full width, no harm in a little overkill here.

 

[Ashful]

I'm assuming 1" air gap behind, and at least a 1" gap around all perimeter edges?

I didn't know if it was recommended to run screws thru the spacers into the wood, thus conducting heat from the sheild into the wood, or if the spacers were supposed to act as insulators.

Also, I assume polished copper has a far different emissivity than painted steel, and didn't know if one was preferred to the other for reflecting heat / not conducting to the wood behind.

Thanks!

 

[begreen]

The screw question comes up at least once a year. If you want to be skookum correct they sell ceramic insulators and one keeps the metal screws off to the sides and not directly above the stove. But I have not heard of a charring incident around the screw threads yet.