Wood burning Insert project

[uofsbolts35]

This is my first post to the forum and I am a newbie to woodburing so I will aplogize for my lack of knowledge first.

My situation is that I recently brought a house with a fireplace and am looking to install a wood burning insert for astetics and supplemental heat. My current box is 37x24x26.

I am looking to cover most of the exposed wall to add two build in units on each side and a TV above the mantel. As a result, I lowered where the new mantle will go compared to the original. I was originally recommended to look into a quadra-fire. After much research, I am learning that in order to use a mantle below the recommended clearance I would need a noncumbustable and the manufacturer would need to explicitly state that. THe quadra-fire does not.

I was hoping I could get some suggestions of an insert and mantle ideas from experienced burners as it is not very popular in my area.

I attached a pic of my current fireplace with my new walls studded out.

Thanks in advance for those that read through my lengthy question.

 

[double-d]

Mantel height is not a standard dimension, but is dependent on many factors, and not only NFPA codes, but many local codes may have their own dimensions. It is more than the height of the mantel, but also how wide will the mantel be, (from the wall into the room) and what material will it be, combustible or non-combustible. Insert manufactures will give you their requirements in their specifications manual,on each particular insert. As an example a wood-burning fireplace:
2-inch depth must have a minimum height clearance of 11 inches.
4-inch depth must have a minimum height clearance of 13 inches.
6-inch depth must have a minimum height clearance of 15 inches.
8-inch depth must have a minimum height clearance of 17 inches.
Not only is the mantel that should be considered, but using metal studs instead of wood, and will you be using drywall, even if it is covered with a stone material, there may be an issue.

 

[Nick Mystic]

In case you haven't researched it, placing a TV above an insert isn't usually a very good idea due to the fact that most electronic equipment doesn't respond well to heat. Also, you don't get a very good viewing angle for TV viewing with a set placed that high up unless you sit quite a distance away.

 

[lml999]

Welcome to the forum!

If you are new to burning, you should take a couple/three/five days and just go face down in this forum. Read every thread. Twice. Read all the threads about seasoned wood a third time.

Then...plan your wood strategy. Depending where you are on the Island, you may not have a lot of options with regard to wood sources. Find a local, reliable provider, call them early, and measure what they deliver...before they dump the wood on your property. Then stack and season it for two years.

Oh, by the way, reread the threads on seasoning wood.

And be prepared to explain to your spouse/partner/kids/parents/neighbors/police/etc. why you have huge, well organized stacks of firewood in your backyard (that you won't burn for two years).

 

[uofsbolts35]

Double-d, my plan was to use fireproof rock. My town code is very nonspecific; it only says "Wood mantels and trim on fireplaces shall be placed and attached so that they cannot be heated to unsafe temperatures or be ignited by sparks or embers from the fire." I was looking for suggestions as to what guys used ie a fabricated cement mantel or diy durock and ceramic tile.

Nick, my room is setup that I don't think the angle will not be an issue the room is long and narrow.there are a lot of mixed reviews regarding TVs over a fireplace. I am going to go for it and just monitor the temperature. From my research mantle depth is a big factor.

ImI, I have a few good contacts for wood. I have already stocked up (to my wife's dismay) and split about three cords of cherry and white oak. There is certainly a wealth of knowledge in the forum. I am hoping to absorb as much as possible and I am sure the rest will come through trial and error :/

Any suggestions for a good quality insert for a beginner?

 

[lml999]

Any suggestions for a good quality insert for a beginner?

Sure. The Kodisk Enviro is well regarded here and has been a champ for me. Easy to use, good looking, reasonably priced.

That having been said, I'd love to swap it for a Blaze King catalytic insert. The BKs give very long burn times and are also highly regarded!

 

[yooper08]

You may want to check out brands from SBI. I know for their Osburn, Drolet, and Century Heating brands they have an optional part for inserts that lowers the clearance requirements to the mantle.

What are your clearances on the framing?

 

[BrotherBart]

10-4 on the Enviro inserts. 11 years of life wasted on this site and not one bad word and many good words about their stoves/inserts.

 

[prezes13]

If you are looking for esthetics and only supplemental heat plus lower height mantel and a tv above I would look into a flush inserts. They look great and don't stick out into a room therefore there is much less of a radiant heat out of them which keep lower temp around mantel area.

 

[double-d]

Here is a company Fieldstone Products and Masonry, that makes Permacrete products. It is a decorative concrete coating that goes over all kinds of substrates. It is a non-combustible coating, and they fabricate custom hearths, mantels, patios, and all sorts of custom applications. It gives you the non-combustible mantel and a heat shield for your TV all in one. It's not a DIY but one that will work.

 

[uofsbolts35]

What are your clearances on the framing?

I have 14" from the top of my box to the frame.


The kodiak looks good. There is a dealer not too far from me. The specs for mantle height look like they might work.
Type of protection

A minimum of .013” (0.33mm) sheet metal spaced out 1” (25mm) by non- combustible spacers.

Ceramic tiles, or equivalent non-combustible material on non-combustible supports and spaced out 1” (25mm) by non-combustible spacers.

Ceramic tiles, or equivalent non-combustible material on non-combustible supports with a minimum of .013” (0.33mm) sheet metal spaced out 1” (25mm) by non-combustible spacers.

What does the 'spaced out' refer to? That's not referring to spaced out from the wall right?

 

[uofsbolts35]

Here is a company Fieldstone Products and Masonry, that makes Permacrete products.

thanks for the advice. looks like that might be exactly what i was looking for. i emailed the company. shipping might be an issue.

 

[begreen]

It's too late now, but it looks like the brick may be just a veneer on a stud wall. If so, removing it might have been a better flush option.

 

[Apprentice_GM]

If your fireplace / insert has a fan or blower, then the space above it is usually quite cool. I have a TV mounted directly above the fireplace, which is flush "in-wall" on one side (my fireplace is a Duo and goes through the wall to heat 2 large rooms). The fan blows out, horizontally, the hot air rises, and cool air drops to replace it at the fireplace, which means my TV gets a steady stream of cool air flowing down it. If you don't have a fan or blower then I would suspect as another poster said that the TV would get hot being above the fireplace. I strongly recommend an insert with a blower, it dramatically improves heat distribution and output anyway, and has the bonus of keeping a TV above it cool

 

[uofsbolts35]

It's too late now, but it looks like the brick may be just a veneer on a stud wall. If so, removing it might have been a better flush option.

Negative regarding veneer. Full bricks all around.

 

[uofsbolts35]

So considering everything, here is what I am thinking. Feel free to give your input.

We like the enviro cabello. And then have a piece of granite cut to create an 8" mantle that is undermounted to the lowest horizontal stud. I am going to ask the stone shop if adding a metal sheet under the granite might help derelict the heat.

 

[begreen]

A sheet of metal with an air gap of 1" off of the underside of the granite will deflect the heat and shield the wood that the granite would be attached to.

 

[yooper08]

A sheet of metal with an air gap of 1" off of the underside of the granite will deflect the heat and shield the wood that the granite would be attached to.

Agreed, your question earlier of what does 1" mean...you need that 1" air gap to meet the spec for the studs and any other wood you're using to build the mantle. The clearance requirement is for any combustible material, including studs.

 

[uofsbolts35]

So finally finished my project and just wanted to give you guys a big shout out and thanks for the input.

We went with the Cabello 1200 and are extremely happy with results. The entire project took longer than expected, but I guess they all do.

Had our first Burn last night. Radiant heat up does not appear at all an issue. Granite mantel deflect the small amount of heat that radiates up. The fan pushes almost all the heat out from the face of the unit.

 

[jscs.moore]

Welcome to the forum!

If you are new to burning, you should take a couple/three/five days and just go face down in this forum. Read every thread. Twice. Read all the threads about seasoned wood a third time.

Then...plan your wood strategy. Depending where you are on the Island, you may not have a lot of options with regard to wood sources. Find a local, reliable provider, call them early, and measure what they deliver...before they dump the wood on your property. Then stack and season it for two years.

Oh, by the way, reread the threads on seasoning wood.

And be prepared to explain to your spouse/partner/kids/parents/neighbors/police/etc. why you have huge, well organized stacks of firewood in your backyard (that you won't burn for two years).

Isn't that the truth brother! I have almost 3 cords sitting neatly, in single stacked rows, on nice wood racks in my backyard. But, since the wood dealer gave me a line of BS about how seasoned his wood is...and I bought that line of BS and wasn't able to be there the day he delivered it...I probably can't burn this stuff for two years I'm also quickly burning thru my supply of seasoned cord wood and will likely be faced (again) with scrambling to find some seasoned wood this time of year (next to impossible)...or forced to buy the rip off, overpriced kiln dried stuff.

So listen well to the advice on seasoned wood...all the wood dealers will tell you it's seasoned, but it almost never is....trust all that you read on this site about that!