# Do I need fireboard or is drywall ok?



## joecool85 (Nov 11, 2010)

Alright, after much frustration, I have found that the Jotul 602 isn't approved for my installation due to ceiling height constraints.  However, I have found that the Englander 17-VL fits.  Just barely.  It requires 11" on each side and is 20.375" wide.  This brings the required minimum width to 42.375".  The spot I want to put it in is 43" wide.  I'm curious if I should be ok leaving the (what I assume to be) 1/2" regular drywall, or if I should install code X or C 1/2" drywall.  

I've attached a picture to better portrait what is going on here.


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## begreen (Nov 11, 2010)

Drywall is drywall as far as a woodstove's clearances are concerned. The unit was tested at the clearances in the documentation. That said, we sometimes get folks that are a bit nervous if the walls are continually hot, but at a safe temp of say 140 °F. This is an individual thing. An option would be to add a wall shield with air space could be added later for greater peace of mind if you find the walls are too hot.

Personally I like to exceed clearances if possible. Another option might be to install the stove on the diagonal (corner install) so that it could come a bit more into the room and exceed minimum clearances.


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## joecool85 (Nov 11, 2010)

BeGreen said:
			
		

> Drywall is drywall as far as a woodstove's clearances are concerned. The unit was tested at the clearances in the documentation. That said, we sometimes get folks that are a bit nervous if the walls are continually hot, but at a safe temp of say 140 °F. This is an individual thing. An option would be to add a wall shield with air space could be added later for greater peace of mind if you find the walls are too hot.
> 
> Personally I like to exceed clearances if possible. Another option might be to install the stove on the diagonal (corner install) so that it could come a bit more into the room and exceed minimum clearances.



Aesthetically I don't think the wife would be happy with that option (cornering the stove).  Good to hear that drywall is drywall in this case.  We are exceeding the minimums by .3125" on each side, what more could you ask for?  (My brother is an engineer, so to him that is PLENTY of "extra room").

I do think we will probably put the stove out 12" from the back wall rather than the minimum of 8", to bring the stove "out of the nook" some.  We are also planning on using the optional blower to help kick the heat out of that corner and into the rest of the house.  I'm thinking maybe we could put a pipe on the inlet side of the blower and have the air come from the living room (wall right behind the stove) so that it would take the cold living room air and warm it instead of warming the kitchen air more.  Also, this would create a slight vacuum in the living room and a slight pressure in the kitchen.  Couple this with the large door way and the temperature differential between the two rooms should stay pretty reasonable I would think.



_** I should note that all clearances I have been mentioning are for when you are using double wall pipe, not single wall. **_


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## Highbeam (Nov 11, 2010)

You could use plywood if you wanted. The clearance is to combustibles so they assume something that can burn. You could also sheet the wall with durock.


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## tiber (Nov 11, 2010)

Drywall is OK so long as you're honoring the clearances. The clearances are 2" to combustables for class A pipe and double wall stovepipe is usually 6".


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