Tall, non-combustible, 18" tall hearth

[Highbeam]

So I'm planning my garage stove which will be an Englander NC30 requiring an R-1.5 hearth 18" above the slab. I have a couple of options.

1) Wood framed raised hearth with a bunch of micore under durock and tile. Probably redheaded to the floor and then tile on top.
2) Non-combustible hearth made of cmu block, steel, something else? Bonded to the floor somehow and topped with some sort of pavers.

This hearth will be pretty big and heavy. Probably 4 foot square. Do you think it needs to be attached to the floor?

Last I checked, we don't have micore readily available. If any northwest members have a source, please let me know.

I can weld, never stacked CMU, I can frame and tile too. Any ideas or examples of tall hearths?

 

[begreen]

If you make a CMU hearth I wouldn't worry about it going anywhere. But I like the welded frame version better, attached to the slab (watch that pex!) That way you can build in wood storage under the stove.

 

[My Oslo heats my home]

I agree, I don't think it's going anywhere.

 

[begreen]

We are in earthquake territory. I would bolt down the stove to the hearth and if steel-framed then bolt that to the floor. The last thing you want in a big shake is to see that beast walking across the floor with a bellyful of fire.

 

[Highbeam]

We are allegedly in earthquake territory. My house stove is certainly not bolted down. Is your's?

 

[fossil]

Why not just build the whole thing out of masonry?

 

[begreen]

We are allegedly in earthquake territory. My house stove is certainly not bolted down. Is your's?

Been meaning to do that. It should be. Nothing alleged about it. Our stove danced a few inches during the 96 quake. The brick chimney top twisted 45 deg held in place only by the rigid stainless liner.

 

[Highbeam]

Why not just build the whole thing out of masonry?

That is an option. I really don't know how. I like masonry and it is certainly non-combustible. Can you point me to any examples? Seems like mine and others on this site are low hearths and framed with wood.

If I wanted to learn how to pour a concrete countertop I could make an awesome slab hearth. I do know a granite man....

I am not worried about earthquakes. We allegedly get them but in my last 35 years here I haven't felt more than a slight shake once. More likely to have the house burn down or get killed on the drive home. I will meet code though which does not require bolting down a woodstove.

 

[fossil]

Both of mine are nothing but masonry. The brick that you see is all the brick there is. With x-ray vision, you'd see a whole bunch of concrete blocks stood on end, and lots of mortar slathered all over. They're not "solid" masonry...lots of air inside. Mine are 12" high, but if you wanted 18", you could just build up with more brick. Rick

Shop:


House:


ETA: Shop hearth's on a concrete slab. House hearth's on a wood subfloor.

 

[begreen]

I like the shop cats.

 

[Hogwildz]

I'd build the base out of concrete block, then a nice slab of stone on top, and real or cultured stone on the vertical faces.
A few 1/2" holes drilled into the slab, rebar in then holes vertically centered into the blocks, then fill the blocks with cement. That thing will be plenty earthquake proof. The rest of the place will fall in before the hearth moves.
Of course in a shop, you could skip the stone on the faces.
Built high enough, you could have a little storage area underneath for splits.

 

[jharkin]

Mine are all brick on top of a roughly 6x6 foot mortared fieldstone base that goes all the way down to the basement floor.


But its been there a while

 

[mfetcho]

I'm a fan of the metal. 1 clean sheet for the top. Base made from 2" square tubing with legs. It's a garage, make it industrial. Why do you need an R1.5 for the hearth? Concrete floor, no combustibles?

 

[begreen]

Why do you need an R1.5 for the hearth? Concrete floor, no combustibles?

You don't when there are no combustibles involved.

 

[Highbeam]

So is it easy to stack block?

You don't when there are no combustibles involved.

But you do it you use any wood in the hearth system.

When you build an elevated platform like this, is there any reason that it has to be tight against the combustible wall behind it?

If I were to go with a steel platform, how thick would the top need to be? 1/4"? Would the legs be braced?

 

[Woody Stover]

I am not worried about earthquakes. We allegedly get them but in my last 35 years here I haven't felt more than a slight shake once.

Oh, well, you should be fine then.