# New project- Wood stove related



## MAFoElffen (Jun 8, 2012)

Current project- Put a wood stove back in the house.

Background- When we looked at this house, it was a repo, poor shaped, but had a great wood stove. That was the selling point. Closing day, no wood stove. We beared through electric heat, but last winter, the power bills...

Found a small wood stove in need of repairs. Cut off the left side, heated it up, straightened it flat, welded it back together, ground and welded up the cracks, fixed the vents and hinges. Sanded and painted.

Got an old hearth pad from the neighbor, who had a custom tile hearth put in. Striped all the tile off. Collected scraps of granite and Marble. Cut a piece of cdx for the base of the back wall hearth.

Attached is a picture of where I am with that now. You can get an idea of what I'm doing. Nothing is attached yet. cutting everything out, then will shift things as needed before I set them in with thinset.


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## Roloff (Jan 30, 2009)

Looking very good. Interesting stove too. How large are these pieces?


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## MAFoElffen (Jun 8, 2012)

Roloff said:


> Looking very good. Interesting stove too. How large are these pieces?


Here's the scale:
The wood underneath is 41"x41"x1".
The squares are 8"x8". The borders are 4-1/2" wide.

Yes, that stove is sort of unique, but it had tags on it... so some "company" made it. It is sot of on the small side. The firebox will only take 17" or shorter wood.

On the attached pic, on that one I need to make the trim, which will be wood.

Now I how to make the hearth for the wall.


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

I have a wood burning fireplace insert in my house in BC which is the primary source of heat although I tell the insurance company that it is just backup to electric. No gas lines where the house is and electric and propane are too expensive. In order to get insurance the last time we had to change companies, I had to have it inspected. Despite that there was a hearth about 12 inches in front and to the sides, I had to tile another 12" around the hearth. Had it been a freestanding heater like yours, I believe that the distance is 24" around it and you have to have a non-combustible surface (like cement board and tile) behind it that has a 1" airspace to the wall with a gap at the bottom so that it will draw air when it warms up. Of course you need the doubled walled stainless steel chimney, thimble, etc to go with it. 

At least those are the codes where I live. We also don't have fire protection. If you do, the rules might be slightly different. 

Most of the newer stoves that I am familiar with have fireboxes about that size. They seem to be more efficient and produce less emissions. My father-in-law bought a heater about 30 years ago that was made by a guy who was a very good welder but not an engineer. It had a firebox that was about 3' x 3' x 3'. When he filled it up he couldn't control it and it went through about 3 times as much wood in a winter as a heater 1/3 its size.


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## MAFoElffen (Jun 8, 2012)

Charles,

The reg's here say 18"... That is why I have to add the wall hearth. Small town and I live on the same grid as the hospital. The fire station is about 4 blocks away. There are fire plugs near. It had a wood stove in it already. It had been put in by a wood stove dealer around 1993. The neighber next dor had theirs put in by the same delaer at the same time. So some things have changed since then... So when they had it put in at that time, They didn't need a wall hearth. It's like replacing the old existing stove. It's still listed with the county as dual heat. Wood and electricity. But you know me, I always over-build things to make sure I'm well within the reg's..

I do have one decision I haven't set on yet. She wants to add one of those heat powered fans:








Her, growing up (and later years), she said she always had something like that. She says it works pretty well. It sets on top of the stove and the fan turns powered by the heat of the stove. I can't imagine that the fan could push much air, powered that way. But I have no experience with those.

I don't think that would be as efficient as a stove pipe reclaimer:








This is the type I have experience with, whether it's in the pipe, tubes through the top chamber of a double chamber stove or tubes directly in the top of a stove, with air forced through the pipes.

I guess if the power were off, the first might be better, because it would still work. But I do have a generator, that I keep the frigs and freezer's going... So I'm trying to decide which one I'll go with.


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

Mike; my major complaint with my Regency air-tight insert is the stupidity and bull headedness of the installers. I told them I wanted a make-up air port to the exterior of the house but they basically told me I didn't need one/I didn't know what I was talking about. Now, when it's running there's a bloody gale coming down from the top floor to the lowest level where the fireplace-insert is. %$%#@&*!!!
I'm using air that I just paid for heating up as combustion air.
And folks up here wonder why the good citizens prefer to travel down to Vancouver to shop, or bring contractors up from, to do their trades work.


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## MAFoElffen (Jun 8, 2012)

DaninVan said:


> Mike; my major complaint with my Regency air-tight insert is the stupidity and bull headedness of the installers. I told them I wanted a make-up air port to the exterior of the house but they basically told me I didn't need one/I didn't know what I was talking about. Now, when it's running there's a bloody gale coming down from the top floor to the lowest level where the fireplace-insert is. %$%#@&*!!!
> I'm using air that I just paid for heating up as combustion air.
> And folks up here wonder why the good citizens prefer to travel down to Vancouver to shop, or bring contractors up from, to do their trades work.


Thought about floor vents? I know that's old school (centuries old), but effective. 

Mine is single story. Sharon and I both have knee troubles... in the same-side knee. If a problem here, I thought about adding wall vents from room to room. If I have a draft shortage, I thought about going from the below floor crawlspace... But this stove really isn't setup for outside venting.

The house here is really, really, really well insulated. In the summer, one small a/c window unit (when I do need to turn it on) will cool the whole house. That, and it's only 1100 sq./ft.

Hey, if this stove "isn't" good enough to heat this house, then a different stove with a different strategy... My old mentor had a wood furnace for radiant heat. Wrong type of construction here to do that. For something like this, I have a picture in my head of internal tubes, a back-burner, switchable drafts and a central hvac type of ducting delivery from floor vents. 

I have another bigger, also "free" one waiting in the wings. One of my shoeing customer's replaced theirs for something more modern... but. it heated their house which is 2500 sq/ft on 2 stories and was built around 1900. (Thinking the walls are probably only 4 by construction on that.) But it could be something I wouldn't have any reservations about modifying. Of course I might have to build ramps and use my pallet jack to get that one into the house...


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

DaninVan said:


> Mike; my major complaint with my Regency air-tight insert is the stupidity and bull headedness of the installers. I told them I wanted a make-up air port to the exterior of the house but they basically told me I didn't need one/I didn't know what I was talking about. Now, when it's running there's a bloody gale coming down from the top floor to the lowest level where the fireplace-insert is. %$%#@&*!!!
> I'm using air that I just paid for heating up as combustion air.
> And folks up here wonder why the good citizens prefer to travel down to Vancouver to shop, or bring contractors up from, to do their trades work.


I have a Regency insert too and it isn't built for outside air intake.


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

Mike, those heat operated fans do work. A powered one works better. The heat saver can put out a lot of heat but there is one downside in that cooling the exhaust can promote creosoting above the device and even in the device.


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

Charles; I know. How'd it ever get past CSA as an energy efficient appliance?

Mike; Our place is an up and down split level. The fireplace is on a cold East exterior wall on the lowest level (family rm.) That's the worst possible place to put the thing.
Unfortunately it's at slab level; no floor vents possible...but the old existing chimney _did_ have combustion air vents to the exterior, in the brickwork. Instead of working with me to retro fit some alternative, they just did it _their_ way...
I can honestly say that's the only complaint that I personally have had with the trades I've used up here. (I have heard some horror stories from others, mind you.)


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## MAFoElffen (Jun 8, 2012)

*Update*

Update-

I was going to use PL Premium (construction adhesive)... but someone gave me some advice and I had to try it. For thinset I used Marble, Granite and Travertine medium mortar. Friend said it bonds well to cdx... about 200 lbs/inch bond to cdx. Set the stone yesterday. First 2 Pics.

Grouted it today. Used non-sandled grout to get it floated down between the stone. Remeber, 1-1/4" stone... Next 2 Pics.

Tomorrow will pick up the stove pipe and stock to make the trim. After that, I'll clean one last time and buff before sealing and applying the finish. sand, stain and finish the trim. Then trim it out.

I'll bring in the stove on Tuesday and hook it all up. (includes moving the printer and TV.) Sharon said she didn't care if it was 100 degrees here... first day it's in, she's stoking up the first fire.

I may have to make another narrow piece/strip for the right side (the side the door is on). We'll just have to see.


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

Looks great Mike. Murphy's Law= it will be the hottest, driest day of the year the day you finish the install.


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## MAFoElffen (Jun 8, 2012)

Problem. Got it cleaned and ready to seal. Good thing I read the instructions... What I got was not for granite or marble. So tomorrow, will have to go to Olympia to trade this in for the right stuff.

What would seal marble and granite (plus grout), bring out the colors and give a good shine? Should be something I can get at Home Depot or Lowes,,,


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## MAFoElffen (Jun 8, 2012)

Well, gGot it all polished up... Started making the trim and found that when it was drying, two of the back wall stones had shifted. So trim against it would hsow quite a deformity. Marked it with a straight-edge. Put a diamond disk on one of my angle grinders. Ran hoses in from the commercial wet/dry vac of mine. Trimmed it, while having Sharon hold the vacuum close to catch the dust.

The big problem with that, after I got it trimmed, I grabbed some joint coumpound (spackle) to touch up the wall where I gouged it... and Sharon was vacuuming up the living room. She's fallen it love with the suction on that commercial vacuum. Although she does realize it doesn't filter dust well and it is way loud. (been looking for some way to filter it batter.)

Install the stove. There was some challenges, but it is in. Still have to finish the trim, but that now has to wait on the car, which broke down while getting parts for the stove. (major rattling, something in top-end, valve train or camshaft...)


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

Mike; go to a Tile wholesaler to get your sealer. Another option is a Stone/marble wholesaler. 
I used to use these guys products...
Sealers
(The Tile wholesaler will carry stone tile, hence the need for supplying the full range of products.)


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## MAFoElffen (Jun 8, 2012)

Thanks Dan. Got it sealed with a sealer/enhancer on the 23rd. Left it dry for 24 hours. Put the polish on the 24th and buffed it out. Installed the sotve on it the 25th (yesterday).

Have lots of that left, but the sealer/enhancer I used was to brings the colors out in that. But that sealer is not good for the countertop (foodstuffs.) Sharon wants me to make another rectangular piece to go beside the wood stove on the door side.

I got another half gallon of sealer specifically for the countertop... but I can now see that sealer goes a long way and I could get by with a lot less.

But will keep that link for reference... I guess I could have gone to the marble/granite stoneworks where I acquired all that scrap stone... That was actually fun/different, so I might keep doing things like that.


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

Nice job. Finished just in time to get ready for Winter.

Now the firewood......


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## OutoftheWoodwork (Oct 4, 2012)

Wow Mike Kewl project. We had a wood stove in the house where I grew up. I miss it.


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## MAFoElffen (Jun 8, 2012)

jw2170 said:


> Now the firewood......


Richard gave me 4 big Alders from his ranch that last years floods loosened up and he thought next winter the river would claim. That was a little over a month ago. All cut up, split and stacked. I have about 5 cords from those. He said if I need more, just let him know. He also has a lot of fir, cedar, poplar, etc.

I'm also friends with a person that owns a 600 acre tree farm who occasionally needs trees thinned, roads cleared, trees pruned and has clearcuts and landings that need cleared out

I got about a cord of cedar from a tree that have to be removed from a neighbor's yard... that I can also cut down further into kindling.

Now looking at getting a firewood permit with a local timber company to cut firewood from their clearcuts.

In October, the state and national parks here sell firewood cutting permits for $20 for 4 cords of wood, that have to be tagged, each load, like a deer. They tell you were to cut and when. You have to be in the vehicle you told them you would be in.

Then again, as a Carpenter, I never have a shortage of endcuts from work and personal projects.

On wood that I don't think is good enough for firewood inside (or has so many darn knots I can't get split!!!), I have 2 fire rings in the yard. Cut those out of plate with my plasma cutter.

Barb... Yes. I love a good indoor fire also (fireplace or woodstove). ...and cheap heat (at least here in the NW).


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

D. Fir is going for about $220 a full cord here, split and delivered.
Alder about $185. Birch usually just thrown in the mix at the same price.
Cedar is pretty much free...lots of it around from people having to cut it down/have it cut down in their own yards. Damn stuff grows like a weed around here...very messy tree as landscaping.
The Arbutus are dying like flies from that disease; makes nice firewood, if you don't mind the twisted grain.


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## MAFoElffen (Jun 8, 2012)

DaninVan said:


> D. Fir is going for about $220 a full cord here, split and delivered.
> Alder about $185. Birch usually just thrown in the mix at the same price.
> Cedar is pretty much free...lots of it around from people having to cut it down/have it cut down in their own yards. Damn stuff grows like a weed around here...very messy tree as landscaping.
> The Arbutus are dying like flies from that disease; makes nice firewood, if you don't mind the twisted grain.


Dan-
The Madrone (arbutus) is dying up there from disease? What disease? Haven't heard that down here...

I've had feelers out for years for a round big enough for an anvil stand and more for resaw. I love the look of the grain in Madrone. ...and burns long and hot as firewood.

Guess I should call Tom and ask (friend with that large tree farm) if any of his died.


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

Yeah Dan, what disease? I went to a cousin's place in Lake Cowichan years ago and we went out and cut a couple of nice ones down. I still only got about 4 foot sections that were straight enough. I agree with Mike. It is nice wood and fairly hard. 

Do either of you have Hawthorne where you live? It is really nice and very hard but even harder to find large enough and straight enough. And then you have to work around the thorns which are very painful but the wood is gorgeous.


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

Charles; Absolutely. A few older homes in Vancouver feature mature Hawthorne in their landscape, but you don't really notice them until they're in flower. Beautiful tree in flower.
Lots of hybridized varieties now (Crataegus species)...
Family: Rosaceae, Genus: Crataegus

Mike; the Arbutus decline might actually be limited to the Pacific NorthWest North of the border...
Arbutus trees dying at an alarming rate in West Van
I sure hope so!
It was in its early stages on Saltspring Island about 10 years ago; that's when i discovered what lovely firewood it made.


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