# Post up pics of your homemade heat shields



## AK13 (Sep 25, 2014)

I need to construct some heat shields for my woodstove (old Morso 2B, but soon to be new EPA version Morso 2B!). My last plan was to simply use corrugated steel roofing with 1/2" copper pipe as standoffs. I still might do this, but after I bought it I realized that the edges are really sharp. And because they are corrugated I don't think I can simply bend them over. Too bad because I liked the look of them. At this point I am thinking of just having a metal shop make up some sheets of aluminum in the size that I need so that they can make something with smooth edges. Another question is whether or not to use cement board as a backer and wrap that with metal just to give it some additional structure. I do not want to deal with anything such as tile, etc. The stove sits on a tile floor in the kitchen and I just need heat shields on the sides to reduce the clearance to combustibles requirement. 

So with all that said, please post up your suggestions and especially the PICTURES of your heat shields! Thanks.


----------



## brenndatomu (Sep 25, 2014)

A few minutes with a file will reduce the sharpness of those edges dramatically. Use a half round file on the corrugated ends. A 4" angle grinder with a cut off disc would work good for rounding the corners.


----------



## Ford850 (Sep 26, 2014)

Have that metal shop make a frame for the corrugated metal.  An angle iron or u-channel frame could hold the metal sheeting to support it and also hide the sharp edges.


----------



## fire_man (Sep 26, 2014)

This is what cement board on metal studs looks like. It's not my setup - personally I think its too bulky looking.
if you go with just  sheet metal, a sheet metal shop could easily crimp the edges (fold over a short lip) so they are not sharp.







I used 18 gauge for a pipe shield, the thicker stuff is not too sharp.


----------



## R'Lee (Sep 26, 2014)

This is 1/2" durarock (sp?) using ceramic electrical insulators from TSC (1.5" & 25 to a box).  I used all 50 of them.  The backing is painted with high temp BBQ grill paint until I get around to doing something different.


----------



## R'Lee (Sep 26, 2014)

Dupe


----------



## R'Lee (Sep 26, 2014)

Dumb ph multi post


----------



## R'Lee (Sep 26, 2014)




----------



## osagebow (Sep 26, 2014)

What dimensions do you need? This painted stuff from the depot comes in 38" by 6-8'. Seams can easily overlap to whatever width sections you need, and you can hide lengthwise cuts behind in the overlap.

I did a corner bend. Isn't 
	

		
			
		

		
	




	

		
			
		

		
	
 perfect but it worked ok. Used 2x6 lumber and clamps as an improv metal brake. Think that's the term, that C- in shop class was a long time ago. Cut a piece of cement board into doubled 4" strips as standoffs. Kinda messy. Get the black fiber blade to skilsaw the metal.


----------



## Simonkenton (Sep 28, 2014)

This is a hammered copper heat shield. This is on a crowded, tight wood stove install that I am currently using. Crowded and tight, which is why, I am going to build an addition to the house next year and make a good install with a Jotul Oslo.

At any rate, this copper is held an inch away from the walls with copper nails. Copper makes a great heat shield because it reflects about 99 percent of the heat that strikes it. With the stove running at 550 degrees, you can grab the heat shield with your hand, and hold on to it, and your hand will not be burned. It is no more than 80 degrees.

In two other houses I have made free-standing copper heat shields. Get the 3x5 foot copper sheet, and bend it in a "U" shape, cut the corners round so it looks good. Then, lay it out on a beam, and hammer every square inch of it with a ball peen hammer. It really looks good! Sorry I don't have pics of my free standing copper heat shields.


----------



## fire_man (Sep 28, 2014)

Simonkenton

That looks absolutely fantastic.

Where are you getting copper sheets that large and what gauge area they? Looks expensive. I have trouble finding even the  tiny rolls of heavy gauge copper flashing which used to be easily available before copper got so expensive.


----------



## begreen (Sep 28, 2014)

A good sheet metal shop will have or be able to order sheets of copper or stainless. It can also be ordered online. Sit down before reading the price list. 

http://www.onlinemetals.com


----------



## Simonkenton (Sep 28, 2014)

Thanks for the compliment, fire man. I invented the hammered copper heat shield. I bought this one at the local sheet metal shop, this was 17 years ago, copper was cheaper.


----------



## fire_man (Sep 28, 2014)

Wow a 36"x48" sheet of roofing grade 24 gauge copper is $150!


----------



## begreen (Sep 28, 2014)

And that's the cheap stuff!


----------



## AK13 (Sep 30, 2014)

Wow thanks for all the responses so far. That hammered copper looks really great. 

It sounds to me like getting a local metal shop involved might be my best bet. I'd have to check the gauge of the roofing that I was planning to use, but its fairly thin which makes it sharp.


----------



## begreen (Sep 30, 2014)

The edges can be hemmed over if it is available in flat sheets.


----------



## Simonkenton (Sep 30, 2014)

I love the hammered copper. It looks better in person than the photo.
For my Jotul install next year, I will do the install myself. Still, I will have over $3 grand in costs. If a 3x5 copper sheet costs $150, that is 5 percent of the total cost. Who cares?
Sorry I don't have pics of the free standing copper shield but it looks better than the copper nailed to the walls. I just form the copper myself, bending it into a U shape, then cutting the corners round. You cut the top corners round with tin snips. Just file down those corners to make them smooth.

To give you an idea of how good the hammered copper heat shield looks, as I said, I sold the house that had the VC Resolute with the free standing hammered copper heat shield.  When the buyer offered me the contract, the first Special Stipulation that they put into the contract said "Wood stove with hammered copper heat shield stays with the house."

In my install next year, with my new Jotul Oslo, I will  have plenty of room, in fact, the new log cabin will be designed around the new wood stove. I will make a big hearth, and probably will meet clearance to combustible spec without a heat shield. I am going to put in a free standing hammered copper heat shield anyway, because it looks cool.


----------



## hoverwheel (Oct 1, 2014)

fire_man said:


> Wow a 36"x48" sheet of roofing grade 24 gauge copper is $150!



A shield used for decoration or comfort protection "beyond" the minimum required doesn't have to be solid, does it? If you like the look of copper, you could take "many" pennies, drill a hole near the edge and string them like beads or medieval chain mail.

It would take ~ 2000 ($20) pennies to make a panel of that size, although it would not be completely solid. Still it would block a lot of heat. And be totally unique.

Something like this: (not my work - random image search found this)


----------



## Cari-butte (Oct 19, 2015)

This wasn't cheap, but I decided to turn the masonry wall (old fireplace) behind our Princess into a feature wall, as it's in the living room of our ranch house. Purchased copper ceiling tiles and had tiles installed using construction adhesive. Amazed that the copper behind the stove stays cool, unlike the plaster-covered brick behind it used to.

Just thought I'd share this in case it is useful to someone else. (Could have used tin tiles for way less, but wanted to make it a selling feature for the future.)


----------



## GreenKachelofen (Oct 17, 2016)

I have been planning to make a copper heat shield for my Morsø 2b. It is installed under a stair and the clearances are okay, but I'd like to not worry about it since they are close. I am planning to run the copper up under the angle of the stairs and I am curious what gauge copper other folks have used for their hammered heat shields. I am especially curious Simonkenton if you used the same gauge copper for the freestanding screens you mentioned and the nailed-on shield pictured. My only experience with hammered copper is in copper jewelry making not sheet stock and I am trying to figure out what gauge would work best given that I am planning to use fasteners only at the edges of the 36" wide sheet.


----------



## Simonkenton (Oct 18, 2016)

Yes I used the same copper for the free standing heat shields as I used for the nailed on shield.
I don't know what gauge it is and I haven't bought any copper in 20 years and the shop I bought it from has shut down so can't learn what gauge it is.
It is pretty heavy.
With this heavy copper you could use fasteners only at the edges of a 36 inch wide sheet, you could bend it straight so that it would hold about an inch from the wall.
I was buying this copper in 3x5 foot sheets from a sheet metal shop in Asheville NC.


Here is a pic of the new heat shield install.




I just took the copper from the old install and moved it into the new living room.
I don't have a good pic of the heat shield but even if I did the shield looks better in person than in a pic.
A hammered copper heat shield is a beautiful thing.


----------



## Easy Livin’ 3000 (Oct 19, 2016)

Is steel a bad idea?  How does it reflect compared to copper?


----------



## ddahlgren (Oct 19, 2016)

A steel 2X3 stud makes a really simple standoff with one flange for the wall and one for the heat shield. Yes it can conduct heat in theory but won't with the air circulation over it. Bought some 0.093 brushed aluminum panels from local metal supplier as 'cut offs' so basically scrap price and were 48" X 16" had the last 6" bent on the aluminum on a 30 degree angle. Screwed them to the steel studs and real easy not fooling with spacers behind the heat shield. Works great and reflects heat back into the room like crazy. Will see if I have some pics if anyone curious and no did not paint it as wanted the reflected radiant heat.


----------



## Easy Livin’ 3000 (Oct 19, 2016)

Thinking about lining the sides of the brick fireplace with steel sheet as there is not enough space for roxul, which is what we have behind the insert. Wonder if it would reflect enough of the heat away from the bricks to be worth the effort?


----------



## GreenKachelofen (Oct 19, 2016)

I can't speak to how effectively it would reflect heat as in my case it will be a standard heatshield with an air gap which is more of a convection situation. Thanks Simonkenton! The new heat shield looks good. It's nice to know someone else has actually done this. I just figured it would look a lot nicer overhead than cement board.


----------

