I need some advice, on installing a new wood stove

[slickschoppers]

ok, I'm confused,, doesn't the Lowes brand still require the same size hearth pad? why would it have a smaller hearth pad reading the manual it looks like it still takes the same 16" to the front and 8" sides and back....


is it a smaller firebox?

it's about $200 more than the Englander nc-30, but I don't see any ratings for BTU, or how big the firebox is.

 

[RandyBoBandy]

Thank you for not buying the volgelzang or us stove. Every time I walk through tractor supply I look at those boat anchors and cringe. If you remodeled your house then you can build a hearth. Just ask and the fine members here will walk you through it. Welcome to heating with wood.

 

[brenndatomu]

http://pdf.lowes.com/useandcareguides/794909501545_use.pdf
The Madison is a different stove than the 30...a little smaller I think, but is ember only requirement for hearth...so a sheet of glass or steel will do, instead of having to build or buy a high R value hearth for the cheaper NC30 stove. The 30 is a bulletproof brute of a stove though...just has high R requirements...guess you just have to decide where to spend the money, stove or hearth...no "freebies"

 

[slickschoppers]

i'm ok with no freebies

looks like I need to figure out how to build a hearth!!

 

[edyit]

this list helped me a lot when we built our hearth

(broken link removed)

 

[kennyp2339]

So the un asked question is, how does your wood supply look? While your out buying materials spend the $40 and buy a moisture meter to test the splits, all these new stoves need seasoned wood that is around 20% moisture content. The idea of cutting a dead standing tree and splitting it to burn for dinner doesn't really bode well with these new stoves, the wood needs to be dry for them to work properly and not fight you with smoke or low stove temps.

 

[Woody Stover]

The idea of cutting a dead standing tree and splitting it to burn for dinner doesn't really bode well with these new stoves, the wood needs to be dry for them to work properly

If you're lucky enough to have access to a wood lot, you can usually find some small 6-8" dead trees with the bark fallen off and those will be pretty dry. Pass on the Oak as a rule. It takes a bit of work to harvest this small stuff but it can add up to a decent stack after a while.

 

[slickschoppers]

I have a friend that owns a campground that they closed down (permanently) last year that said I could have the two truck loads of seasoned elm they have. I don't foresee burning through two truckloads of wood. I might, but I'm not heating the room constantly, it is a great room separate from the house that has not been heated at all in the past. there is no plumbing etc, so it is not required to keep it heated, it will just be heated when we want to use it.

If I burn through the two truck loads of wood, I plan to buy ( I know dirty word) seasoned wood from my neighbor. He heats his whole business with two wood furnaces.

this coming spring i plan to start my first wood stores knowing they take a full year to season.

 

[jwfirebird]

never believe anything is seasoned.

I have the lowes one its big. I had al my stuff cut for a big furnace like 18-22 or 24, no problem fitting this in there.

its got a few things better than the normal 30

I had a us stove was only a few years before it was all cracked

 

[firefighterjake]

I was hoping the dough saved on the wood stove made this a for sure thing........ LOL.. that would cover alot of chimney....

so? how hard is it to build a hearth? I am a mechanical and carpentry idiot . . . I still have problems starting the hammer. If I can build a hearth, pretty much anyone can . . .

I built a whole house in an old armory, studs, drywall, electrical, plumbing, windows, refinished the flooring, so I like to think I'm handy enough..... I just have no experience with hearths........ or material. Trust me . . . you will have no problem. Just read the threads on building a hearth, research what you need for materials and R value and if need be ask questions . . . I think the hardest part with the whole deal is deciding what to finish the top off in . . . stone, tile, glass, metal, etc. Making one's own hearth is actually pretty rewarding as it will be something seen every day and one can take pride in a decently made hearth.

 

[firefighterjake]

I have a friend that owns a campground that they closed down (permanently) last year that said I could have the two truck loads of seasoned elm they have. I don't foresee burning through two truckloads of wood. I might, but I'm not heating the room constantly, it is a great room separate from the house that has not been heated at all in the past. there is no plumbing etc, so it is not required to keep it heated, it will just be heated when we want to use it.

If I burn through the two truck loads of wood, I plan to buy ( I know dirty word) seasoned wood from my neighbor. He heats his whole business with two wood furnaces.

this coming spring i plan to start my first wood stores knowing they take a full year to season.

It's always better to have more wood and not need it . . . and use it for the next year when it is even more seasoned . . . than to run out and wish you had more wood.

Besides . . . a lot of folks find that once they start burning wood they naturally tend to gravitate towards the room with the woodstove during the winter months as the heat is hard to beat.