Stove "feet" for installation on tile

[qyota]

Howdy y'all.

I'll be laying new 12x24" porcelain tile on top of the basement slab very soon, in preparation to move the new Ideal Steel into place. With concrete as the substrate, I know the tile should be pretty tough against cracking tile that might happen under the stove legs. But, I wonder if there would be any benefit to making or buying some "feet" for under the stove legs to help reduce the PSI. They would need to be non-combustible, of course, so I was thinking of just a simple steel square pad under each leg. Not sure that would do much to reduce PSI, though.

Your thoughts?

 

[begreen]

There's no harm, but porcelain tile is pretty tough. Our stove is heavy and there has never been and issue. The key is to be sure that the tile is installed on a flat surface and with the proper bedding in thinset.

 

[sportbikerider78]

There's no harm, but porcelain tile is pretty tough. Our stove is heavy and there has never been and issue. The key is to be sure that the tile is installed on a flat surface and with the proper bedding in thinset.

Yes. Get a very thick "butter" of thinset and make sure it is complete and even. Hit the floor and the back of the tile evenly. You're starting very easy with putting the tile directly onto a slab. That's easy and quick work.

Run a 4' level over the top as you are setting them down. Look for gaps and tap them level.

I'm a tile novice and didn't take much care with mine and it still came out fine. Stove does not rock.

I looked it up. Compressive strength of tile is 25,000-50,000 psi.

I skid'd my stove into place on thin plastic shims. Otherwise known as sour cream containers.

 

[Squirrel1410]

If your thinset dries completely before weight is applied, It shouldn't be an issue. Unless placing the stove creates an impact against the tile... just need to be careful setting it down.

Maybe tape wood shims under the legs until you get it in place, so they absorb any shock, then take them out one by one...

 

[djkeev]

Big ceramic tiles crack....... its a fact of life, yet people love them for some reason........

Dave

 

[sportbikerider78]

Big ceramic tiles crack....... its a fact of life, yet people love them for some reason........

Dave

Ceramic is not porcelain. Huge difference.

 

[Squirrely]

Ceramic is not porcelain. Huge difference.

Absolutely.
Ceramic tile is weak compared to porcelain. I tiled all our floors in porcelain and I can drag our wood stove around on them without leaving so much as one tiny scratch.

 

[qyota]

Great! Thanks for all the responses. I'll be figuring out the tile layout this weekend, and prepping the concrete for thinset adhesion. From what I've heard, a guy should use a 1/4" square-notch trowel when laying 1/4" tile, and I think I like the look of a smallish grout line (1/8" or so). Do I put my cut tiles near the carpet (closest to us as viewers), or toward the wall behind the stove (parallel with it)?

 

[sportbikerider78]

Its all about the layout. Take the tile you want to use and create your plan from the most visible to the least visible. I would think that the front would be what you see the most, So snap a square line in the front and work your way back...making sure to center it to where the stove will rest.

The front of my pad was hardwood flooring. So, I measured the center and just started dropping tiles down to see how it looked (no cutting yet). After I like how it looked, I prepped the area and started at the front and worked back.

If you are methodical, you will not have a any surprises.

 

[jetsam]

One thing that might take some pressure off: Make a template of your stove feet. Before you mix the thinset, lay out the tiles and put the template on top. Rearrange the tiles to keep the feet away from the edges of the tiles. Then do your cuts.

I don't really think this is necessary, though. I'd say the most important factors are having a level surface and a good thinset application, and a reasonably small tile size.

Even ceramic should be able to do the job (but get porcelain, it's so much tougher and the cost difference is tiny for a small job).

 

[sportbikerider78]

You don't have to use small tiles. Use whatever you'd like! Just be gentle letting it down. You have zero concerns with flexing because it is going on a slab.

There is probably less PSI on your tile under the stove than your tubby mother in law walking into the kitchen.

 

[qyota]

Ha! That would be funny if my MIL was tubby. She'd get blown away in a stiff breeze!

Tiles have been purchased, and they're big. 12x24. Good thinking on the stove outline/template. If possible, I'd like the stove feet to not land on any grout lines at least. Now I just need a few free days to work on this! Oh, and a tile cutter.

 

[Rearscreen]

I've always wondered what it's like to install a stove in the summer. Do you just sit and wait looking at it in anticipation? Would drive me nuts! Me being the jerk I am I'd get multiple air conditioners in the room just to fire it up!

 

[Charles1981]

We just had porcelain tile placed on our concrete slab basement floor. I had the same debate as you. I honestly did not want the stove sitting on top of the tile directly. I purchased that inexpensive "Imperial Stoveboard - Black" it was like 50$ for a 35x45 inch sheet. I lay that directly on top of the tile and put the stove on top of it. I think it looks great.

It certainly is NOT necessary, but I also didn't want to purchase a 400$ hearth pad (when you don't need one...but some of them are very nice and would make a very nice accent to the stove placement).

 

[Ashful]

Big ceramic tiles crack....... its a fact of life, yet people love them for some reason........

Dave

Tile size is only an issue on floors that deflect under load, or with the seasons. A slab on grade ain't flexing.

 

[qyota]

I've always wondered what it's like to install a stove in the summer. Do you just sit and wait looking at it in anticipation? Would drive me nuts! Me being the jerk I am I'd get multiple air conditioners in the room just to fire it up!

Yeah, it's tough! Luckily, I have enough going on with the hearth build and several other summer projects that I can keep my mind off it. I am hoping to fire it up on a chilly September evening with the windows open. Only 3 months to wait! ;-)

 

[Highbeam]

I Just tiled a closet two weeks ago. I was irritated that the tile stores have nothing but slate and then 12x24" tiles in very light colors. It must be the latest style but I wanted darker 12x12 tile. They had plenty of that stupid looking (IMO) fake wood tile.

The tile at 30,000-50,000 psi is 10 times stronger in compression than the concrete at 3000-5000 psi compressive strength. Your only method of tile failure is if you have a moving crack in the slab under the tile, if you fail to thinset adequately (I want bigger than a 1/4" notch), or if you drag the sharp metal foot across the tile.

I think my tile setting notch trowel for 12x12 is a 3/8" notch. Like 3/8 tall by 1/4" wide. Remember that you drag the trowel at a 45 degree angle so the rows of mud will be thinner than the notch height. For the big 20x20 hearthstones I got a way bigger notch trowel. The notch size has more to do with tile size than tile thickness. Just be sure.

I set the entire tile floor on the ground beside the final location and looked at the tile layout, patterns, fit, and made sure it would be nice. The cut tiles always go in back since you don't want to see the cut edge. Then I put down the thinset and set the tiles quickly. Use the little tile spacers for even lines.

 

[sportbikerider78]

They had plenty of that stupid looking (IMO) fake wood tile.

It looks amazing in my new master bathroom! I like the wood/warm look without the worries of moisture on wood.

 

[Squirrel1410]

I've always wondered what it's like to install a stove in the summer. Do you just sit and wait looking at it in anticipation? Would drive me nuts! Me being the jerk I am I'd get multiple air conditioners in the room just to fire it up!

I'm going to have the same problem At least it will look awesome.

 

[Highbeam]

It looks amazing in my new master bathroom! I like the wood/warm look without the worries of moisture on wood.

I'm just so afraid that it will be a fad with a very short life. Totally subjective, just an opinion. It has become popular though.

 

[BrotherBart]

I've always wondered what it's like to install a stove in the summer. Do you just sit and wait looking at it in anticipation? Would drive me nuts! Me being the jerk I am I'd get multiple air conditioners in the room just to fire it up!

Any time I install a new stove or do venting modifications, even in August, my wife says "It is about to get really hot in this joint.". Because it is gonna get tested long before it is needed for heat.

 

[Ashful]

I'm just so afraid that it will be a fad with a very short life. Totally subjective, just an opinion. It has become popular though.

It is a fad. Wood is wood, and tile ain't. It may look amazing today, and I'm not even saying it's a bad choice for those who don't mind frequent renovation, but it will look as hip as parquet or shag carpet in a few years. Enjoy, while it lasts.

 

[sportbikerider78]

But that is almost everything. Wood and tile color all go out of style.
The wood looking tile I have in my mud room is nice and dark and subtle. They are not all created equal..bery tight grout lines as well.

 

[Ashful]

But that is almost everything. Wood and tile color all go out of style.
The wood looking tile I have in my mud room is nice and dark and subtle. They are not all created equal..bery tight grout lines as well.

The master bath in my house is exquisite, ca.2000. The prior owners spared no single expense, buying the best materials, and undoubtedly spending a small fortune on it. It's still very nice, but styles have changed a bit in the 17 years since, and so this bathroom will be changing sometime in the next few years. So, I have no doubt that your wood tile looks very nice, but I do believe you will look upon it with a different eye in 20 years.

What's always funny to me is that once you get past maybe 80-100 years, things hit a nostalgia point where they seem to become forever stylish. Folks always seem to like the 18th century part of my house, although it's nothing special for its time. Primary construction spanned the American Revolution, and it was last renovated in the 1820's. I'm sure it just looked old and dated to Civil War era visitors.

 

[sportbikerider78]

No doubt.

I'll be moving well before 20 yrs.