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wood stove?

5K views 13 replies 7 participants last post by  pyper 
#1 ·
I am getting ready to have my basement finished and want to put a small wood stove in the basement for an alternate heat source. Living in the forest, it's not uncommon for us to lose power. I can buy the stove at Home Depot, but what is required for prepping the floor and walls? I've searched a bit on line, but mostly find products that sound like they go in front of the stove rather than under and behind.

Thanks for all the help. I've learned a lot about what to ask contractors by lurking.
 
#2 ·
I am getting ready to have my basement finished and want to put a small wood stove... what is required for prepping the floor and walls?
The common theme is "non combustible materials"within X feet...
secondary is what might help to reflect heat back toward the room.
So, what materials do you have or plan to have?

Also... you didn't mention a flue or combustion air.
I hope you get these figured out too.
 
#3 ·
The biggest thing (literally) to consider is the chimney you'll need. I've added a woodstove to three of my houses over the years. I built one of the chimneys myself just because I'd never done it before. Trust me, after doing it, I have no desire to ever do it again.

As for the wall and floor, since they are probably concrete or cement block, you technically don't have to do anything since these are not combustible. But that doesn't look very nice. What I did was put ceramic tile beneath and behind the stove. There are lots of other options, like veneer stone (real or concrete-based) depending on your budget. If you don't want a masonry chimney, there are metal alternatives (very expensive depending on how tall your chimney needs to be).

I strongly suggest putting in some kind of hearth. It's much easier to load and clean a stove if it's raised up a bit. Oh, and check with your homeowner's insurance carrier - they may want to inspect the installation. And count on your premium going up some.
 
#4 · (Edited)
Thanks for the feedback. I'm having a bathroom tiled, so tile may be the best option. I was just going to have stove pipe go outside the wall and up (is that even possible?). I have a propane fireplace on main level so I don't think they could use the current chimney.

It sounds like I might be better off (money wise) to just have a small propane stove there rather than the wood stove if stove pipe is that much. I live in a forrest, so wood is easy to come by which is the reason I'd thought of a wood stove.
 
#6 ·
Unless this home was built with the intention of having a stove down there and they built in a chimmney with a flue in the basement this can get real expencive. You would need double line insulated stainless steel pipe ran up and out the wall and have to have it run all the way up over the roof line. Not a cheap job at all to do.
Even if your gas fireplace was closer you could not use the same chimmney.
 
#14 ·
If you have a good source of free wood, then put the stove on your main floor and heat with it.

Our gas bill last month was $35, and that's for hot water too. True it hasn't been terribly cold this winter, but still :thumbsup:

If you pay someone to put in your chimney, it will probably cost more than $1000. It will be less if you do it on your main floor, because Class A chimney parts are costly.
 
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