Advice on raised tile floor for stove
I will be installing a freestanding wood burning stove in our new home in the next few weeks. The plans is to tile an area approx 4’x4′ with 30cm marble tiles and a patterned border tile. My subflooring is Warmboard and I do plan on installing radiant tubing in the grooves directly below the stove.
I want to raise the tile area 1 1/2″ or so above the other floor surface in order to make the transition and trim to the other floor area a little easier and to lift the stove up to slightly more comfortable height. Room flooring will be either Teragren Studio Bamboo floating or a cheaper laminate or engineered flooring. Idea is to butt flooring to raised platform and finish with wood trim strip up to tile border. I don’t really like the look, price, or longevity of the various trim profiles available for the floating floor systems.
What is the best method for providing this height? Layers of Hardi Backer? Sleepers and plywood + Hardi?
Stove has a pedestal base and is relatively lightweight ~350lbs I’d guess.
Thanks for your input!
Replies
My first Franklin stove I installed, I used paver brick and slate. Maybe pavers and hardie then the marble.
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Pour a mudslab to get the ele3vation to where you can continues your baseboard profile around this monster.
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The stove will be in a central area of the house, no base trim to continue with but that is a great idea. I'm not sure about the added weight of the pavers or such, should be fine but I did not spec framing for stone or masonary. I doubt there would be any issue though, 11 7/8" TJI floor joist 16"o.c. over basement foundation and the stove sits ~2' off the center load bearing beam in the basement.I am really thinking I will rip a sheet of 1 1/8" plywood and stack that for a 2 1/4" base then 1/4" or 1/2" underlayment then tile. Probably some good GE construction adhesive between the ply layers and thinset under the hardie backer. Simple 1/4 round cedar trim. Also, bringing in an outside air duct for intake air right under the stove pedestal = 4" round hole through the base materials.
Why not pour concrete to tile on top of, and add thermal mass while you are at it?
once you get that much weight warmed up, it should help hold the heat a while after the last log burned.
Dan
Pouring a mud bed would be SOOOO much cheaper and better and safer than stacking all that ply and glue.
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Alright, alright, alright you've got my attention...:)Pouring the base is starting to sound easier all the time. My main concern was adding extra weight over the framing. Stove is already purchased - Pacific Energy "Fusion"From the instruction manual:"The stove may be installed on a combustible floor provided
noncombustible ember protection is used.
This protection must extend as follows:In USA: 16" (406 mm) to the front and 8" (203 mm) to the sides
of the fuel loading door opening. See Figure #4, below. This
protection is also required under the chimney connector and 2"
(51 mm) beyond each side.Thanks for your input
Double check your local on that hearth sizing. Many places require more. I am familiar with 18" front and 12" sides.
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Well that's the thing, no "local" here...No codes, no building inspector, no building department, no city government, only county government and their public works department could care less what I was doing. They did sign off on a flood zone waiver based on the house location on the property though. Flood zones are another topic altogether though! What a sham! But i digress...Only inspections were for electric meter install on pole, that took 30 seconds and a 2 minute inspection by the State Dept of health for a septic permit. After that I was issued an final permit for the septic, which serves as occupancy certificate basically, faxed a copy to the power co and am on residential rate.So my project is much more of a "what works, what is prudent, what is best" rather than trying to satisfy a code or arbitrary inspector.Thanks!
"Non combustible ember protection" is kind of vague. I know on metal fireplaces sheet metal is required where the fireplace meets the hearth because grout can crack and embers fall in there.I realize a wood stove is different but the same principle applies. Tile grout can crack so I would vote for a poured hearth so that you really have a fire proof installation.John
with that in mind, after I have owned a wood stove store and installed over a thousand units, I think prudent is to pour the base and to lay it out so that you have 18" front and 12" side of openning, and a minimum of 8" side of the appliance itself.Distance to combustible wall behind or on side depending much on the stove itself. These get designs that allow anywhere from 8" to 36" clearance there.
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The only combustible within 24" of my stove is a glulam post. Immediately behind the stove is the railing along stairway to the basement. The railway will be cut from steel plate to resemble wrought iron and might get a little warm but the handrail will be set another 4" off the railing and will most likely be steel as well.Just checked the tile layout, looks like we are plenty safe on minimum distances. I plan on 54" square and that leaves some room for wood storage and tools beside the stove. The pedestal base of this stove also serves as kindling/tool storage.Combustible air will enter beneath pedestal in a 4" duct from outside.I still cannot understand how this is a code req. for mobile homes but not for stick built. I know some locales have a code req but why isn't it national? Doesn't make much sense to try to pull 20K btu out of your windows and doors.Thanks!
Mobile homes are theoretically built tighter than stick built.That said, when somebody builds well, and uses spray foam or other means of controling infiltration in a stick site built, they are wise to use intake also.54" sq is a standard fits most
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A lot of the newer units also require a vent for outside combustion air. If yours does don't forget about that when you pour the hearth.
"My main concern was adding extra weight over the framing."A 4'x4'x1" chunk of concrete isn't going to weigh that much--probably less than a fat lady. I'm with Piffin on this.
Agreed ... mudbed. Just do it. Cheaper, faster, and better than any other alternative. All three keys to a great project, right? Add to it the heat sink capabilities and you have a home run. (Oh yeah, make it a little bigger than you need, esp in front of the stove - we heated our home for years with wood and those sparks have the damdest way of making it exactly 1 inch past the brick tiles!)
Edited 2/2/2009 10:44 pm ET by BradG
It depends on what R-value is required for that model of stove. Some can get by with a simple fireproof ember protection layer, and some need extra insulation.
Things have changed, every fpl/stove has specific installation instructions, do anything else and your insurance co. won't cover you. Go out and get the stove first, then you'll know the size of the area and type of materials that you can get away with ..