Wood Stove Installations?

[OlJarhead]

I've been thinking, reading and talking to folks about installing my wood stove and though that enough of you have done it here that perhaps a discussion it might help me out   Hopefully I'm not starting another thread on the same subject ad nauseam.

So here's the scoop, we bought a Vermont Castings Aspen stove (thanks Don) for our 14x24.  When I first began this quest I fell in love with the Nash cabin and one other -- both had stoves in the corner of the cabin with pipes coming out the side and not passed the roof.  I was concerned about this installation and even sent emails out to ask about it (no response) so I began to research and found the chimney must be installed to extend two feet past the highest point within 10 feet -- which in my case is the peak no matter where you install the stove.  I was told that the best installation in through the interior but if that cannot be done then an end wall near the center to provide the most support possible.

I began to give this serious thought and not wanting to put a hole in the roof (and the potential leakage) decided to go out the end wall but with the window in the loft in the center of the room the stove would need to be offset from center a few feet (3' to center of chimney would give 2' from the window frame to the center of the pipe) -- but I'm not 100% certain I want to do that.

I thought of other options but always came back to this:  either up through the loft and ceiling thereby losing loft space, or out the end wall off center.

Anyone have thoughts on this?  I like the idea of the stove in the center or near center of the end wall or a corner (corner is more or less out now though since the pipe would have to extend 9 feet above the top of the wall to get 2 feet above the highest point.

My other item is the hearth.  I'd like a stone hearth and am wondering if the rock used (when doing rock and mortar) matters?  Lots of granite around the property could be used to make it indigenous and that might look nice but will it have the properties I need?  Or does it matter?

Lastly, insulation in the wall -- when putting the pipe through the wall what do you do?

Lots of questions I know! 
Thanks in advance.

[ScottA]

You're better off keeping the flue inside since it will stay warm better and have less cresote buildup. You can go through the wall if you want using a wall thimble. Be sure to use all insulated pipe except for a short run up to where you turn outside. As for the rock...some rock will fracture if it gets hot so test some out with a campfire first.

[MountainDon]

IIRC the VC Aspen manual provides at least three options to the through the wall question.  My manual is in the cabin, but you can download the manual from Vermont Castings website.

Granite should be good stone as it does not retain much/any moisture like limestone or sandstone can. It's the water within the rock that can lead to exploding rocks. With the bottom sheet metal heat shield installed the floor actually does not get real hot. You may have to work at getting the surface level for the stove legs.

As for through the wall or through the roof, through the roof keeps most of the pipe in the warmed space and as Scott stated does help with less creosote production. Another advantage is a better draft as more of the pipe is warmer and there is no 90 degree bend. However through the wall can provide an easy to access a cleanout where the insulated pipe transitions to the vertical run. You just need to buy the right parts.

If placing the chimney in the corner is your design preference then I would do that. You will have to provide bracing from the insulated pipe to the roof to keep the pipe from being blown over and away.

[OlJarhead]

IIRC the VC Aspen manual provides at least three options to the through the wall question.  My manual is in the cabin, but you can download the manual from Vermont Castings website.

Granite should be good stone as it does not retain much/any moisture like limestone or sandstone can. It's the water within the rock that can lead to exploding rocks. With the bottom sheet metal heat shield installed the floor actually does not get real hot. You may have to work at getting the surface level for the stove legs.

As for through the wall or through the roof, through the roof keeps most of the pipe in the warmed space and as Scott stated does help with less creosote production. Another advantage is a better draft as more of the pipe is warmer and there is no 90 degree bend. However through the wall can provide an easy to access a cleanout where the insulated pipe transitions to the vertical run. You just need to buy the right parts.

If placing the chimney in the corner is your design preference then I would do that. You will have to provide bracing from the insulated pipe to the roof to keep the pipe from being blown over and away.

Thanks Don, I've pretty much moved off the 'corner installation idea and have settled for end wall location but wanted to see what folks though -- besides I put a windor near the corner so don't want to move it

[OlJarhead]

Given more thought and investigation and I have the install planned down to everything but the hearth.  Since I will install the stove to manufacturer's spec (away from wall) I can build a cosmetic (really) hearth without worrying about putting in air gaps etc..  So my thinking is to collect as many stones from the property as I can that look to be about the right size, shape and height once laid on the floor.  My thinking is that with hardy backer board / cement board on the floor encased with oak trim (maybe) or pine (more likely) I will be able to set the stones inside the frame on top of the hardy board and mortar them in.

Of course I will have to work specially hard to ensure I have the 4 legs sitting on flat stones that are level but I think this can be done.

For the wall I'm thinking that I could do the same thing (framed in hardy backer board) with maybe some chicken wire affixed to the backer board () in order to provide a good surface to mortar the natural stone too.  Then basically stacking the granite rocks up the wall until I have them mortared in place.

My hope is to create a natural stone hearth that will look good as well as serve the function of a hearth for the VC Aspen stove.

Any thoughts on this?

[MountainDon]

Sounds like that will work as long as you measure stove to combustible surfaces through to the wood or whatever behind the hardi and rock on the walls. The floor will be fine as long as you have the heat shield for the bottom of the VC Aspen. I don't recall if that came standard or if I paid extra for it. But I do recall that without the bottom heat shield all bets are off unless the stove sits on unpainted concrete over bare mineral earth.

[OlJarhead]

Sounds like that will work as long as you measure stove to combustible surfaces through to the wood or whatever behind the hardi and rock on the walls. The floor will be fine as long as you have the heat shield for the bottom of the VC Aspen. I don't recall if that came standard or if I paid extra for it. But I do recall that without the bottom heat shield all bets are off unless the stove sits on unpainted concrete over bare mineral earth.

Thanks Don,

I have the heat shield so should be good there

Why measure to behind the hardy and rock?  I figured I'd set the distance to the rock face as that would be further away....right?

[OlJarhead]

Had a thought on stove setting

I can take 2 red bricks, cut them in half and then set the 4 half pieces where the legs will sit on the hearth   This should give me 4 solid flat surfaces to set it on which will be easy to keep level...then the rock around them won't have to be perfect

[MikeT]

One idea of how to easily ensure the stove sits on stones or something the same size and thus would be level is use four pieces of some manufactured product: bricks, pavers, or something and then mortar these exactly where the legs will land and then put the other field stones as you find aesthetically appealing.

Just an idea....

mt

[Redoverfarm]

Given more thought and investigation and I have the install planned down to everything but the hearth.  Since I will install the stove to manufacturer's spec (away from wall) I can build a cosmetic (really) hearth without worrying about putting in air gaps etc..  So my thinking is to collect as many stones from the property as I can that look to be about the right size, shape and height once laid on the floor.  My thinking is that with hardy backer board / cement board on the floor encased with oak trim (maybe) or pine (more likely) I will be able to set the stones inside the frame on top of the hardy board and mortar them in.
Of course I will have to work specially hard to ensure I have the 4 legs sitting on flat stones that are level but I think this can be done.

For the wall I'm thinking that I could do the same thing (framed in hardy backer board) with maybe some chicken wire affixed to the backer board () in order to provide a good surface to mortar the natural stone too.  Then basically stacking the granite rocks up the wall until I have them mortared in place.

My hope is to create a natural stone hearth that will look good as well as serve the function of a hearth for the VC Aspen stove.

Any thoughts on this?

I would set the stones in mortar rather than just fill the grout joints.  They will not stay in place unless then are bedded down. Then grout between the stones, tuck point, rake and then brush.  Since it is a floor I would overfill the grount by 1/4" then when you tuck point (compress) the grout it should almost come flush with the stone.  If there is a great deviation between the stone and the grout joint is will curse you everytime you have to sweep ashes and bark off the hearth.  Also pick you up a grout bag it will make the job a lot easier to fill the joints.  Then again if you want a more strenous work out you could just grout like you would tile and keep cleaning off the stones until you reach the edge of the stone and they would be flush withthe grout lines.

I would probably not use chicken wire.  It is too flimsy to be able to secure it as needed. If the wire is not extremely tight against the substrait the rock will not adhere and cause a failure.  I would just buy regular lathe wire (extruded) which you can securely attach to the substrait. The last I bought was about $7 for a 24 X 96" piece.   Feel the lathe it has (this side up feel) in that it will catch your hand more easily one direction than the other when you wipe across it.  

[MountainDon]

Why measure to behind the hardy and rock?  I figured I'd set the distance to the rock face as that would be further away....right?

Right, that gives you more clearance to the combustible, but the clearance dimension given in the manual is the stove to combustible surface, not to the rock or whatever. It's fine to have more clearance if the cabin space allows it.