R-value of concrete plus slate?

[Slow1]

Nonsense! You have the entire Hearth.com community here to guide you, and the required tools are not expensive. I have watched many here build raised hearths with success, even when it was clear many of them had zero prior experience. Figure out what you want it to look like, describe what you want here, and we'll guide you thru the process. You can do this.

Very valid point. I had never built anything like this before, never done tiling etc. Borrowed a wet saw for the tile, but rest was new tools but not expensive. I ended up with a very nice loking raised hearth (about 6" raised). Probably took me a bit longer than the experienced folks would have done but I managed to get it in place. Very likely less than a commercial pad and MUCH nicer in the end - besides I don't think they make anything like this in pre-fab (especially as I did some "odd" dimensions so it would look good in the space I had.

 

[Jon1270]

So because my current hearth is slate can I ignore the need for a 6.6 r factor?

Absolutely not. If there's wood framing somewhere underneath that hearth, then you need noncombustible materials with a total R-value of 6.6 between the stove and any supporting wood that's down there. Unfortunately most stone, concrete, brick and similar materials are very poor insulators. It takes just oodles of rock to add up to R6.6. The only way that existing hearth might be sufficient is if your house happens to be slab on grade, and the hearth is built directly on the concrete slab foundation.

 

[begreen]

dback, welcome. You would be better off to start a new thread specific to your installation. That way it will be less confusing and we can answer your specific installation's needs.

 

[dback]

dback, welcome. You would be better off to start a new thread specific to your installation. That way it will be less confusing and we can answer your specific installation's needs.

Thank you for the feedback and I will gladly accept your advice. I was a bit anxious as this site was the first source that I found that could clarify so many questions. I'm a total novice in this arena but in three pages of threads I've got a much better handle as to what's needed. Thanks again for getting headed in the right direction! Dave

 

[raybonz]

6.6 for hearth R-value is insane!! What were they thinking when they designed this stove?? I am all about ember protection only stoves for this very reason! Here is a list of ember protection only stoves which I compiled but is by no means complete..

All Pacific Energy Alderlea stoves
All Pacific Energy models
Lopi Endeavor
Lopi Revere
Blaze King Chinook
Blaze King Princess
Blaze King Sirocco
Blaze King Chinook 20
Hampton H200 (unsure, manual gives conflicting information)
Regency CS1200
Jotul F55 Carabasset
Jotul F100
Drolet Myriad
Englander VL17
Century stoves
Quad Isle Royale
Osburn (2200)
Jotul 400 Castine
Hearthstone Mansfield
Hearthstone Heritage
Hearthstone Tribute
Jotul Oslo 500
Jotul Rangely
Hearthstone Bari, Tula and Mansfield
Hearthstone Manchester
Vermont Castings Encore (with bottom heatshield)
All Enviro freestanding stoves
Napoleon 1100, 1100L, 1100C, 1150, 1400, 1400L, 1450 & 1900
Most Lopi and Avalon lines including the Sheffield, Leyden and Arbor
Most Buck and Country stove lines (3/8" non-combustible) etc.


Ray

 

[gyrfalcon]

Ray, the Homestead was designed and is intended only as an in-fireplace stove. Not a particularly good use of a stand-alone woodstove, IMO, but they apparently have enough demand for it. It has also the advantage of pushing most people like me up to the larger and somewhat more expensive Heritage when they see the hearth requirements, I suppose.

 

[raybonz]

Ray, the Homestead was designed and is intended only as an in-fireplace stove. Not a particularly good use of a stand-alone woodstove, IMO, but they apparently have enough demand for it. It has also the advantage of pushing most people like me up to the larger and somewhat more expensive Heritage when they see the hearth requirements, I suppose.

Odd they would limit a stand alone stove as an in-fireplace stove.. Guess that explains the insane R-value requirements.. If one builds a hearth to suit this stove you could put any stove on it..

Ray

 

[gyrfalcon]

Odd they would limit a stand alone stove as an in-fireplace stove.. Guess that explains the insane R-value requirements.. If one builds a hearth to suit this stove you could put any stove on it..

Ray

I agree, but they must have some corporate sales strategy or something in which it makes sense to them. But they apparently have no intention of modifying this stove with the same sort of bottom heat shield most or all of their other stoves now have, even as an option. There's quite a gap between the little Tribute and the mid-size Heritage in size and hearth requirements, but Hearthstone apparently has no interest in filling it.

I'm actually glad I was pretty much forced into getting the Heritage because even it is struggling to cope with the series of polar vortex events we've had and are going to continue to have this winter, and the Homestead would have been seriously inadequate for that.

 

[cableman]

Im surprised the hearthstone shelburn needs the r value of .8, after using mine the underneith never goes over 100
Its also just like the manchester but prolly lower to the ground! O well

 

[bluedogz]

Nonsense! You have the entire Hearth.com community here to guide you, and the required tools are not expensive. I have watched many here build raised hearths with success, even when it was clear many of them had zero prior experience. Figure out what you want it to look like, describe what you want here, and we'll guide you thru the process. You can do this.

I concur. As DIY skills go that job is maybe a 3 out of 10. Any tools you might not have are tools you'll use again anyway as a homeowner.

 

[gyrfalcon]

Im surprised the hearthstone shelburn needs the r value of .8, after using mine the underneith never goes over 100
Its also just like the manchester but prolly lower to the ground! O well

All the manufacturers, and the code writers, put in an extra margin of safety, figuring some people will screw it up, intentionally or accidentally.

Insurance companies, however, are not kind. If you didn't follow the code or the specs and you have a fire, tough luck on getting paid.