edit Installing a new wood burner, what do we do around it?

4 years ago

last modified: 4 years ago

We’re installing this wood burner in the corner (unless convinced the stone wall would be better) and need help deciding what to do on the floor underneath it and surrounding it. The house is stacked stone on the walls behind the wood burner so nothing needs to be done to them for the heat. The heater in the corner is just a place holder for visualizing. The piece of flooring in front of the heater marks how far out the floor covering needs to come per building codes. The built in cabinet to the right of the “burner” is what we imagine to be wood storage, perhaps? (It used to be a door, now it’s a window + cabinet)
Let me hear those ideas! Should we build up a proper hearth? Flush-ish with the carpet? What colors/material? And should we expose the stone on the finished wall? Should we consider putting it in the center of the stone wall? No idea is too wild.

the last photo is the actual wood burner. It has blue-ish gray stone on all sides and the top.

Featured Answer

tangerinedoor

4 years ago

Where are the photos?

What you put under the stove depends on your color scheme, e.g. your walls and flooring. I imagine it would be stone, slate, or brick. There are also some practical things to consider.

Personally, I like a bit more room to kneel and stoke than is strictly required. Wood debris gets scattered everywhere. I would not like a raised hearth for that reason. Also, consider a way to stack kindling or logs, so they don’t end up scattered on the floor or generally messy. And you definitely wouldn’t want muddy wood bits to get all over everything.

If you have children or pets, you may need to surround the stove with a pet fence or something sturdier. Keep this is mind design-wise so it is on a hard surface, preferably on the hearth.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (13)

Sharon Fullen
4 years ago
Installing any flammable device requires that you meet local building codes. From you query here, it doesn't sound like you are a qualified DIYer. Recommend that you hire a pro. As they say pay now or pay later. A mistake can be deadly.
Sammi Vance
Original Author
4 years ago
I, myself am not qualified. My brother and father are. I am asking for design input, the thing they aren’t so great at. Lol. Besides, any ideas given can be disregarded if they don’t meet applicable building codes.
Related Professionals
Natchitoches Architects & Building Designers · Sioux City Architects & Building Designers · Watertown Architects & Building Designers · Sugar Land Home Remodeling · Monroe Home Remodeling · Kingman Home Remodeling · Pullman Home Remodeling · Hilton Head Island Kitchen & Bathroom Designers · Plymouth Kitchen & Bathroom Designers · Lewiston Kitchen & Bathroom Designers · Kalamazoo Kitchen & Bathroom Designers · Elmira Kitchen & Bathroom Designers · Stockton Kitchen & Bathroom Designers · Mesquite Kitchen & Bathroom Designers · Kalispell Kitchen & Bathroom Designers
Sharon Fullen
4 years ago
Good just didn't want you to take on something that prove to be disastrous! Good luck and be sure to post finished pictures.
vinmarks
4 years ago
What do the installation instructions for your wood stove say about clearances and r-values? I have Jotul wood stove and installation did not go by building codes but by the minimum clearances to combustibles and a minimum size for floor protection stated in the installation manual. It includes minimums for protection in front, behind and on both sides of stove. The minimum clearances to combustibles also included what was behind any non combustible surfaces. Every stove has their own particular clearances.
Angel 18432
4 years ago
Pictures would help, otherwise we are all guessing about your home.
Sammi Vance
Original Author
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
Thank you for that input! we’ve never had all this to deal with so all the practical advice is helpful. I don’t know why the photos didn’t post originally.
acm
4 years ago
I would match the color and feel of the stone wall in choosing a stone (or cement) for under the new fireplace. Beyond that, I have to admit that I don't really understand how this wall relates to the rest of the space, nor how often you plan to use the heater, so it's hard to recommend placement!
Sammie J
4 years ago
Can you explain where the wood burner will be in relation to the sofa area?

If you center it on the stone wall, you eliminate much of the "usable" part of the entry space due to heat/burn risk, so I like the corner location. Is there stone on the wall behind the finished sheetrock? If so, I'd be tempted to open it up to reveal the stone. I would use slate or brick on the floor, no hearth.
PRO
Joseph Corlett, LLC
4 years ago
Never store firewood in the house.
Angel 18432
4 years ago
If you google wood burning stove pictures there a lot of pictures that may give you

some ideas.

Attached are a couple.

If I may ask, why are you doing this?
vinmarks
4 years ago
Here is what we did with ours. Having the stove elevated makes it much easier to load the stove. It also allows the stove to be seen easier from other rooms. The top of the hearth is poured cement. Our hearth had to be bigger due to the stove having both a front load door and a side load door. We do not store wood in the house. We have a rack right outside the sliding door to the right where the Christmas tree is. Whatever you use for the hearth be it tiles, stone, or brick the joints have to be filled to prevent embers from slipping through.

Your stove looks like a Hearthstone. Make sure to check corner installation clearances.
jrb451
4 years ago
I would remove the sheetrock to expose the rock if it’s the same as the other wall. Carpet and woodstoves are not a good pairing; any type of solid surface flooring would be preferable. Storing wood in the cabinet may seem like a good idea but it is one you will come to regret.