SOAPSTONE

[JotulOwner]

I've heard many good things about soapstone stoves. My question is whether or not the owner of a cast iron wood burning stove (such as my Jotul Castine) can place a slab of soapstone on top to partially replicate the benefits of an actual soapstone stove.

 

[Heat Miser]

Probably not. I think you'd be better off having a stone hearth near the stove. It will capture the heat of the cast iron and radiate it outwards in a similar way. I run a soapstone stove and have a stone hearth and find that the hearth stores quite a bit of heat for many hours after the fire has died down just like the soapstone stove does. When I had a cast iron stove it performed the same function.

 

[struggle]

Everybody deep down wants to be like us and have a soapstone stove :lol: :lol: ;-P

 

[relax]

yah man;;; :coolsmirk:

 

[Risser09]

I've heard mixed opinions about this topic which came up last week. I have a Woodstock Keystone and had them make a soapstone top to sit on the existing top. I can only imagine that by adding more heat retaining mass, that my stove can radiate heat longer (even if only slightly) than it could without the top. Woodstock makes a Classic stove, which is the exact same thing as the Fireview, minus the ceramic glass window. They themselves say this adds to the thermal mass, therefore stretching every BTU further.

I say, go for it.

 

[Todd]

I doubt you would feel much of a difference from a small slab on the top. It just wouldn't be the same as a 500lb soapstone stove. If you want soapstone sell your Jotul and by a Woodstock or Hearthstone.

 

[Risser09]

I agree, but what percentage of that weight is iron and what is stone?
If my stone top is 1/10th or even 1/20th the total stone mass, that's still an increase in heat retention & thermal mass.

Buy a woodstock, you'll be glad you did.

 

[frwinks]

trade the Jotul in for a Hearthstone problem solved...