Hello everyone, I am new here, and I am glad to find such an informaive forum on a subject I have always been interested in but know little about. I am a handyman and I am in the process of bidding a bunch of jobs for a new client. The first job on the list invloves her wood stove, which she uses as her primary heater in the winter.
The stove itself is a modern, heavy duty, efficient unit that was installed last winter. I will try and get the brand name for you if that helps. The stove is free standing, on four legs, not an insert, however it is installed somewhat like an insert, eg. the front of the stove is flush with the hearth opening. It sits on a brick pad and there is a 12 inch gap between the hearth wood and the stove on the top and both sides. The homeowner wants to fill that 12 inch gap with a natural stone border, leaving enough space between the stone and the stove so the stove could be removed if necessary, about 1.5". In other words, she does not want it to look like an insert, where the stone work butts up with front of the stove, but she wants something more decorative than the empty space there now. In other words, this stove is on a box with one side open, and a fan in the back to blow heat out into the room. I am being asked to make that opening even smaller and want to know what is the best way to safely do that.
Can I simply frame in that opening with 2x4's, cover the fraiming with cement board and do my masonry work? Or are there safety issues with having exposed wood boxing in the stove?
Also, are there any good tutorials that you all know of that may help me out here?
I may be over thinking this, but the only experience I have working with wood stoves were all installed in the open with stone work going right onto the wall of the house behind the stove, so I am a little nervious...
Thanks in advance, Joe
The stove itself is a modern, heavy duty, efficient unit that was installed last winter. I will try and get the brand name for you if that helps. The stove is free standing, on four legs, not an insert, however it is installed somewhat like an insert, eg. the front of the stove is flush with the hearth opening. It sits on a brick pad and there is a 12 inch gap between the hearth wood and the stove on the top and both sides. The homeowner wants to fill that 12 inch gap with a natural stone border, leaving enough space between the stone and the stove so the stove could be removed if necessary, about 1.5". In other words, she does not want it to look like an insert, where the stone work butts up with front of the stove, but she wants something more decorative than the empty space there now. In other words, this stove is on a box with one side open, and a fan in the back to blow heat out into the room. I am being asked to make that opening even smaller and want to know what is the best way to safely do that.
Can I simply frame in that opening with 2x4's, cover the fraiming with cement board and do my masonry work? Or are there safety issues with having exposed wood boxing in the stove?
Also, are there any good tutorials that you all know of that may help me out here?
I may be over thinking this, but the only experience I have working with wood stoves were all installed in the open with stone work going right onto the wall of the house behind the stove, so I am a little nervious...
Thanks in advance, Joe
