# Do I need a hearth pad if I have a tile floor?



## Diana627 (Jul 22, 2008)

My P68 is being installed next week, and my dealer said that since it's going on my kitchen tiled floor, I don't need a hearth.  He said the stove needs to be placed on a non combustible floor, which it is.   Of course, underneath the tile floor is a wood sub floor.  Can I have any opinions?  
Thanks,
Diana


----------



## orangecrushcj7 (Jul 22, 2008)

As long as it is real ceramic, porcelein, or stone based tile, not "peel'n'stick" vinyl, you should be all set with your existing floor. under every "hearth pad" there is wood somewhere... framing, subfloor, etc


----------



## begreen (Jul 22, 2008)

Read the hearth requirements in the manual first. A lot of pellet stoves just require a non-combustible barrier. If it meets the stove manufacturer's specs, you are good to go. If not, a pad may be required.


----------



## mkmh (Jul 22, 2008)

Hi Diana, that is the setup i'm running in my kitchen/dining room with my St Croix stove. This installation was ok by the manual and the installer.
I've had this set-up for 3 years with no issues. Honestly the floor does not even get hot under my stove, but I suppose the floor needs to be non-combustable in case some hot ash were to fly out as I was scraping the burn pot.


----------



## Diana627 (Jul 22, 2008)

Thanks everyone!  I just wanted to verify what I was told by the dealer;  that being, as long as the floor under the stove is non-combustible, I'm all set.  It's going on ceramic tile.  Can't wait for my Harman!  I guess I'm one of the lucky ones.  
Looking forward to winter so I can have a toasty home.


----------



## Res5cue (Jul 22, 2008)

Call the code enforcement guys that are going to be inspecting your installation and ask them. My code guys are black and white. Even though it says non-combustible, tile is not "listed", so I have to be sure I have cement board under the tile instead of plywood. Cement board is "listed". I was pretty dumbfounded with that phone conversation, rock is not listed, so I now have to add another layer to my hearth pad.

I'm just glad I called them before I had them come out and before I started building it. Just call them and find out. It should be an adventure.


----------



## orangecrushcj7 (Jul 22, 2008)

Resc5cue: That is rediculous. There is no gray area in the "non-combustible" statement.  Non-combustible is what it is - a surface that does not support combustion.  The Intent of building inspectors is to aid and protect the layperson, so they don't get "burned" literally and figuratively.  As an architect/construction manager, I deal with inspectors on a daily basis.  95% of them are spot on, but every now and then you get a jerk on a powertrip.


----------



## Res5cue (Jul 23, 2008)

orangecrushcj7: It is ridiculous, I don't have a wood stove and I don't want something 3" thick. My suggestion was to just call your code guys because they are the ones that will inspect it, if its required in your town. In my city I'm required a permit and city inspection, so ridiculous as it seems, if their interpretation is stupid, better to deal with it now, then later. I was pulling my hair out during the conversation because it was like talking in circles. I still don't know what the heck he meant by "listed". But it is very clear to me, when I build my pad I better be tiling over cement board.


Here is another one, a bit off topic though. Their definition of non-opening window, for the purpose of clearance for the terminal vent, was "a window that was manufactured as non-opening". You can not modify an existing window to make it, non-opening.
Apparently in the towns around me, that's perfectly acceptable, according to installers, but not in my city.


----------

