Have any of you guys installed a wood stove in your homes? I’m looking to install a Vermont Castings stove in my basement. Need some guidance.
- Thread starter Jigstick
- Start date
Im a former stone masonry contractor and have built chimney's and fireplaces from the ground up. Installing a stove should be pretty simple...unless its one of those free standers and you have to cut a hole in your roof.
Got a picture, what do you need to know?
Got a picture, what do you need to know?
My wife and I have been talking about this for some time now. Curious what others have to say as well.
We talked to our insurance agent and our rates obviously will go up but not really as bad as I figured it would be
Venting is of the utmost importance. Make sure to maintain proper clearances to combustibles at all times. The pipe is ridiculously expensive, but don’t run it shorter than 2’ above any part of the roof within 10’ laterally. Bout all I can say without specifics.
I’m currently finishing our basement. Poured concrete foundation reinforced with fiber, wire mesh, and rebar. Entire basement is under grade.
Current status of the basement is concrete floor, framed and sheetrocked walls which are finished painted. Ceiling isn’t in yet.
My plan is to pour a concrete pad for the hearth. Maybe dye it and put a smooth finish on it so…or put slate tile over it.
For my chimney I’m going to have to core drill through my foundation wall…and run class 3A triple wall chimney pipe up the outside of the house above the roof. And secure it with stand off brackets and supports. Down the road I plan on constructing a chase around the chimney pipe to box it in…and cover it with Hardyboard.
My first question is this…do I need to remove the sheet rock and wood studs in the corner where the stove is going and replace them with metal studs…cement board…and stone veneer….or can the current combustible walls stay in place as long as I follow the clearance guidelines from Vermont Castings?
Current status of the basement is concrete floor, framed and sheetrocked walls which are finished painted. Ceiling isn’t in yet.
My plan is to pour a concrete pad for the hearth. Maybe dye it and put a smooth finish on it so…or put slate tile over it.
For my chimney I’m going to have to core drill through my foundation wall…and run class 3A triple wall chimney pipe up the outside of the house above the roof. And secure it with stand off brackets and supports. Down the road I plan on constructing a chase around the chimney pipe to box it in…and cover it with Hardyboard.
My first question is this…do I need to remove the sheet rock and wood studs in the corner where the stove is going and replace them with metal studs…cement board…and stone veneer….or can the current combustible walls stay in place as long as I follow the clearance guidelines from Vermont Castings?
Let me give you the best piece of advice you will EVER get if you plan on putting a stove in any basement.
First, it's a very good choice. It will heat your home very efficiently.
Make sure you install a chute of some type above where you want your woodbox/woodrack to be. Think of an old fashioned coal chute. I think they still make something similar. This will cut down on work significantly and will make you much happier.
I heat my house with wood alone and have some experience with different setups over the years.
Basement with the chute option is my dream one day.
I’m a gc that specializes in wood and pellet stoves. Follow the installation manual for clearances. Remember it’s to finished facing so account for anything you plan to add onto drywall. Any other questions feel free to ask or send me a pm
yes
So even if I standoff the stove away from the walls the distances shown in the Vermont Castings installation book I still need to remove the drywall and studs and replace them with non combustible material? That’s what is tricking me up.
I could understand if I want to tuck the stove closer in the corner. That I would need to remove those walls. But if I follow the stand-off guidelines why do I need to remove them?
I could understand if I want to tuck the stove closer in the corner. That I would need to remove those walls. But if I follow the stand-off guidelines why do I need to remove them?
In Louisiana I had to have my stove installed by a licensed chimney sweep or insurance didn't want to cover it. My stove came with a standoff heat shield that bolts to the back of it. Went straight up through the ceiling, attic, and roof with triple wall insulated pipe. Mine drafts extremely well. I bought a bristle brush to clean the pipe with and usually clean it two or three times during the season. The humidity here seems to contribute to more creosote buildup.
I've seen other stoves installed with horizontal runs of pipe out through a wall and there was always a tee outside where the pipe turned upward that had a cap or cover on the blank end. The cover could be removed to clean out the horizontal portion of the pipe. I do not know how well this type of installation will draft nor how troublesome it may be maintenance wise.
I don't think you'll have to rebuild your wall with metal as long as you maintain the recommended clearances, especially if you have the heat shield installed on the back of the stove.
I've seen other stoves installed with horizontal runs of pipe out through a wall and there was always a tee outside where the pipe turned upward that had a cap or cover on the blank end. The cover could be removed to clean out the horizontal portion of the pipe. I do not know how well this type of installation will draft nor how troublesome it may be maintenance wise.
I don't think you'll have to rebuild your wall with metal as long as you maintain the recommended clearances, especially if you have the heat shield installed on the back of the stove.
No, absolutely not. Just install non combustible material over the drywall and follow the manufacturer’s specs for separation.
I would ask your local code officer/fire chief and insurance company . You may be able to double up fire code drywall , etc . and still leave wood framing at proper clearance distance . There are many variables
Vermont Casting is good for little rooms , if your looking for heat check out :
ironstrike.us.com
Grandview 300 - IronStrike
As elegant as they are efficient, the Lodge Collection wood burning stoves have raised the standard for home heating with their proven, Thermal Fin Technology (TFT™). This innovative cast-iron heat exchanger delivers the perfect amount of heat. Expansive, durable ceramic glass gives you...
ironstrike.us.com 
What he said
Keep the creosote cleaned out of your stove pipe / chimney. You do not want a chimney fire. Let me repeat, You Do Not Want A Chimney Fire. Make sure you floor area/walls are well protected, insulated and keep plenty of distance between the wall and the stove. Cumulative heat damages wall structures. The longer the exposure, the easier it will catch fire. And don’t go cheap on stove pipe / components.
We heated our little farmhouse in North Louisiana for over a decade with nothing but wood heat. It is true that wood heats twice, once one you cut it and again when you burn it, Wood stoves are great, but poorly installed they are simply dangerous.
Final thought. Always keep some magazines with slick paper coveres close by the stove. When the fire starts to run away, covering the fire with these magazines will cool down the fire and bring it back under control.
They make all sizes . I get temps 40 below zero here and live in a drafty old farmhouse. I can tell you from experience you have no clue what you are talking about when it comes to Vermont casting stoves . Little rooms? , c'mon man , stop that shit .Vermont Casting is good for little rooms , if your looking for heat check out :
Grandview 300 - IronStrike
As elegant as they are efficient, the Lodge Collection wood burning stoves have raised the standard for home heating with their proven, Thermal Fin Technology (TFT™). This innovative cast-iron heat exchanger delivers the perfect amount of heat. Expansive, durable ceramic glass gives you...
I have seen manufacturers’ installations instructions that require steel stud framing if enclosed (built ins etc). Typically, manufacturers installation instructions will trump local code. There have been times when a manufacturer will submit certain requirements with their application for UL listing. Read up on the ifs, ands or buts in the manual. I always breeze over the instructions and miss a few caveats.
I'll sold more Vermont casting stoves then you have owned.They make all sizes . I get temps 40 below zero here and live in a drafty old farmhouse. I can tell you from experience you have no clue what you are talking about when it comes to Vermont casting stoves . Little rooms? , c'mon man , stop that shit .
Of two regrets I have about my current home, one is that it has no natural fireplace. I looked into a stove and the cost to install to meet code was simply not worth it.
I'll not be around long enough to move again, but if I did, a stove would be mandatory.
I'll not be around long enough to move again, but if I did, a stove would be mandatory.
This is similiar to what I’m trying to accomplish. But right now my corner is all painted drywall with wood framing behind it.
What is like to do is instead of brick like in this picture is to remove the drywall and replace it with cement board. Then stone veneer over the top of it. But that leaves me with wood studs behind the fire resistant cement board / stone veneer. I’m not sure this is allowed…do I need metal studs to do this type of install?
No need to remove anything. You can add hardi board and stone on top of existing drywall. This becomes your new combustible face. You’d measure from stone face to stove for clearance.
No, and no… no need to remove the drywall
Got it. So the only reason I would have to remove my current drywall and wood studs is if I wanted to really cram the stove into the corner. Theoretically I could put the stove like 6in from the bare concrete wall if I wanted to correct?
For example if I wanted the stove 12in away from the walls. I could replace my studs with metal ones, and my sheet rock with cement board and stone veneer. And I could achieve getting the stove tighter in the corner because there’s no combustibles now?
For example if I wanted the stove 12in away from the walls. I could replace my studs with metal ones, and my sheet rock with cement board and stone veneer. And I could achieve getting the stove tighter in the corner because there’s no combustibles now?
Most modern stoves have very tight clearances already. My last was a corner install and manufacturer requirement was 6 1/2 inches from stove corner to wall. You have pipe and stove clearances to maintain. The manual figures for whichever is bigger. Any material that touches a combustible is now considered combustible. If stone is installed on top of drywall the stone is now a combustible and clearance must be maintained.
any other particular stoves I should be looking at? The Vermont Castings seem pretty “decorative”. My buddy has a Hitzer at his hunting camp and that thing is a beast…just not “fancy looking”. Being in PA I do have Anthracite coal readily available and cheap. I’d like something that could burn hardwood and / or coal.
Kuma stoves are really good. They hold a fire forever.
If you install the stove and it is not permitted ( if required) or professionally done and your house burns down, your insurance company might tell you to go pound sand. I'm not saying do not do it, I've done a couple. But I had the last two professionally done to avoid problems.
Clearances are critical. We did a ceramic tile floor installed in a room with a woodstove to avoid the crappy looking base under the stove, it made for a very clean install.
I also went with an install that draws the air for the stove from outside the house, this creates positive pressure and helps keep the house a bit more air tight. We went with a Blaze King, burns for nearly 24 hours when dialed down. It is cast iron and holds a ton of heat and when we use it, the furnace never cuts on and that saves 20 bucks a day in the bitter cold part of the winter. Wood heat it nicer.
Clearances are critical. We did a ceramic tile floor installed in a room with a woodstove to avoid the crappy looking base under the stove, it made for a very clean install.
I also went with an install that draws the air for the stove from outside the house, this creates positive pressure and helps keep the house a bit more air tight. We went with a Blaze King, burns for nearly 24 hours when dialed down. It is cast iron and holds a ton of heat and when we use it, the furnace never cuts on and that saves 20 bucks a day in the bitter cold part of the winter. Wood heat it nicer.
This was already answered, no. You can have any material you like but clearances from the manufacturer must be maintained. If minimum clearance to wall behind the stove is 10”, then 10” to drywall or shiplap or bare studs is the minimum. Your wooden framing is fine.
I installed mine this summer. I heated with wood my whole life but when we moved here permanently, this house didn’t have a stove.
It’s a Century FW2900, made in Canada. I used Duravent double wall interior pipe (inside is stainless) and triple wall stainless exterior. The ceiling box is Duravent as well. Watch some videos, read a bit and figure out a game plan.
My stove has very good minimum clearances with double wall pipe as it has a built in rear heat shield and of course fire brick lined.
Not today Fed !
I lost my wood stove in a snowmobile accident out on the lake .
I lost my wood stove in a snowmobile accident out on the lake .
As someone mentioned CHECK YOUR CODES and ask the inspector to take a look and advise you of any problems he might falg you for.
Twer it me Id pull she shitrock and studs and do a 5"-8"stone or brick veneer. The masonry should be plenty of support so you shouldnt need any studs.
do you want heat or pretty. The best stove I ever had was called a Warm Morning. If I filled it with wood and turned it down low, t would hold fire for 36 hours or more. Not pretty but they work.
Looks like Warm Morning is out of business but Ashley makes the same type. Again if youre looking for pretty, click amd move on but if you want controlled heat this thing heats up to 2000 ft sq.
Where I live if it's going in front of drywall you have to leave an "airgap" of like 3/4" between the wall and the brick, hardboard, etc. Where I used to live, no regulation for adding, etc. So long as the clerance was utilized. So definitely check with local ordinances. I got a wood/ coal burner stove through tractor supply years ago. I've got to Crack a window if I'm not careful how much fuel i put in or you'll sweat bulletts it heats up so much.
Went to a local stove shop today to ask some questions. While they were helpful in discussing stove options / technology they were hesitant to answer my questions regarding installation of my thimble through the wall. Hopefully you guys can help me out.
My poured concrete foundation is 10in thick. The interior wall will be metal stud + cement board + stone veneer. Which is going to add 5-6in. So total wall thickness is about 15-16in.
The thimble only extends out to a maximum of 10in. Which leaves me 6in short. It’s says in the installation manual that I can use sheet metal to add more length to the thimble. Which doesn’t seem difficult.
However…the black colored Duratech chimney pipe comes in a max length of 12in. And I need it to extend a minimum of 6in into the room. So I need a total length of black Duratech chimney pipe of around 28in. There’s no way for me to achieve that unless I use 3 sections of 12in pipe, and have a connection buried in the thimble. I’m not sure this is allowed.
Any guidance?
My poured concrete foundation is 10in thick. The interior wall will be metal stud + cement board + stone veneer. Which is going to add 5-6in. So total wall thickness is about 15-16in.
The thimble only extends out to a maximum of 10in. Which leaves me 6in short. It’s says in the installation manual that I can use sheet metal to add more length to the thimble. Which doesn’t seem difficult.
However…the black colored Duratech chimney pipe comes in a max length of 12in. And I need it to extend a minimum of 6in into the room. So I need a total length of black Duratech chimney pipe of around 28in. There’s no way for me to achieve that unless I use 3 sections of 12in pipe, and have a connection buried in the thimble. I’m not sure this is allowed.
Any guidance?
Yeah I don't fully understand this interior wall in addition to the 10" concrete but I'll throw this out there anyway, What if you cut a perimeter around the pipe by cutting away the interior wall and leaving just the concrete with 1" of pipe sticking out both sides? Then the 2 connections inside/outside would not be enclosed.
Also, search for longer pipe sections. I have insulated pipe between my heater and ceiling that is in 4 foot sections.
Also, search for longer pipe sections. I have insulated pipe between my heater and ceiling that is in 4 foot sections.
You say 'thimble', what do you mean by that? To me a masonry thible looks like this:
A masonry thimble is a round, terracotta cylinder extending through the chimney wall into the flue. The hole is usually 6 or 8 inches in diameter and is designed to accept stove pipe.
Ive used them up to 24 inches but if youre going through solid concrete you could use two 8" or 12" as needed and butter the ends with mud with in the wall. Cuts easy with a diamond blade on your grinder, but fill it with sand before you cut it to avoid vibration and cracking. Forget the stove store for this, they want to sell you an installation and will be hesitant to give you advice that could come back to bite them in the ass if you burn your house down, go to a place that sells cinderblocks and other mason's supplies.
Then you run the inside metal pipe into that and same on the outside. We usually ran them straight into a masonry chimney but I reckon metal pipe wotuld work. Again, talk with the inspector before you do anything.
Ive used them up to 24 inches but if youre going through solid concrete you could use two 8" or 12" as needed and butter the ends with mud with in the wall. Cuts easy with a diamond blade on your grinder, but fill it with sand before you cut it to avoid vibration and cracking. Forget the stove store for this, they want to sell you an installation and will be hesitant to give you advice that could come back to bite them in the ass if you burn your house down, go to a place that sells cinderblocks and other mason's supplies.
Then you run the inside metal pipe into that and same on the outside. We usually ran them straight into a masonry chimney but I reckon metal pipe wotuld work. Again, talk with the inspector before you do anything.
I've done plenty or the free standing type woodstoves using the regular double wall type metal piping up through the roof. There's regulations on the height of the pipe in relation to your roof, the type of pipe (vent, flue etc) depending on locality and stove brand. Your stove will also need to be a certain distance from the wall, basement I am guessing cement floor so you are OK there.
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