Do you need a hearth for an electric fireplace?
A hearth is not required for electric fireplaces but can be used to enhance the aesthetics of owning an electric fireplace that looks like other types of fireplaces, such as wood burning stoves. Gas fireplaces don’t typically require a hearth, but gas fireplaces with glass fronts require a hearth.
What is the best material for a fireplace hearth?
Hearths need to be constructed from a fire-resistant material, such as concrete, granite or stone, so that the floor of a home is protected as much as possible from the heat of a fire. Wood stoves can commonly be installed within existing open fireplaces.
Do you need a hearth pad for a wood burning stove?
If you’re planning on installing a wood stove anywhere else in your home that isn’t within an existing fireplace then you’ll also need to have a sufficient hearth located underneath it. You can have one constructed if you’re looking for a more permanent solution, or you can buy a hearth pad on which to place your wood burning stove.
Where is the hearth on a wood burning fireplace?
With traditional open wood burning fireplaces you’ll typically find a hearth located at the base of the fireplace, which helps to provide a barrier between the heat of an open fire and the floor of your home.
Can you have a fireplace without a hearth?
No hearth: this is also referred to as a hole in the wall fireplace where there is no fireplace hearth, only a firebox built into the wall. Raised firebox: the fireplace hearth is below the firebox opening and extends a few inches high off the floor.
Why do you need a fireplace hearth?
The main purpose of the fireplace hearth is for safety. Obviously, open flames can be a hazard when around combustible materials, so a fire must be placed upon a fire resistant surface that wont crack. The part of the hearth that extends outwards serves a purpose, too.
What can be used as a hearth for a wood burning stove?
A hearth needs to separate the open flame from your furnishings and combustibles. The best materials to use as a hearthstone for a wood-burning stove are: Stone or Granite. Slate.
Do you need tile in front of a wood fireplace?
An apron of marble or granite tile directly in front of your fireplace is common, but not necessary.
What is code for a fireplace hearth?
Per California fireplace hearth dimensions code as published on UpCodes, if the firebox, or the opening of the fireplace, is less than 6 feet square, then the requirement is that the hearth must stick out at least 16 inches to the front and 8 inches on either side of the opening.
What can I use as a hearth?
The most common and best hearth material for a wood burning stove is stone, especially slate and granite. However, you will also find hearths made from glass and steel. These can withstand high temperatures without cracking or posing a fire hazard.
Does a wood stove need a hearth pad?
All wood, pellet, coal and corn stoves require a hearth protector. Most require only protection from falling embers. But some stoves produce enough heat directed down and forward that a Type 1 – Ember Protector won't stop the heat from passing through to the floor beneath the stove.
Can a hearth be flush with the floor?
A flush hearth is level with the floor. Most fireplaces have flush hearths. A flush hearth uses fewer materials than a raised hearth and is less expensive to build than a raised hearth. It also saves you more space.
What does a wood burning stove sit on?
A hearth is therefore essential for any wood burning stove. Our stoves are installed on existing concrete and stone hearths that were present within the existing open fireplaces, both of which were deemed of sufficient size and depth to accommodate the stoves when they were installed.
What do you put on the floor in front of a fireplace?
For a solution that is less invasive but just as effective, purchase a hearth pad or fireplace rug to lay in front of the hearth. Pads made of tile or other hard materials can often act like a hearth extension, but even a decorative fire-retardant rug can add some protection.
How do you build a hearth for a wood fireplace?
0:514:44How to Build a Wood Stove Hearth - Framing a Hearth - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipMaking sure the two boards are square and symmetrical screw the ends together using four inchMoreMaking sure the two boards are square and symmetrical screw the ends together using four inch exterior screws slide into place and secure it by screwing it into the wall studs and the bottom plate.
How far off ground should fireplace be?
about 40-42″To achieve the electric fireplace's visual effect at eye level from a seated position, the floor's recommended distance should be about 40-42″ off the floor. This is a comfortable enough distance and precisely places the flames in your line of sight from a seated position.
What is the function of a hearth?
A hearth (/hɑːrθ/) is the place in a home where a fire is or was traditionally kept for home heating and for cooking, usually constituted by at least a horizontal hearthstone and often enclosed to varying degrees by any combination of reredos, fireplace, oven, smoke hood, or chimney.
Do I need a hearth in front of a gas fireplace?
Natural vent gas fireplace inserts will typically have an open front so that the fireplace can use the air within the room and vent it up through the chimney. An open front means that natural vent gas fireplace inserts typically require a more suitably sized hearth for safety reasons.
Can fireplace hearth be flush with floor?
A flush hearth is level with the floor. Most fireplaces have flush hearths. A flush hearth uses fewer materials than a raised hearth and is less expensive to build than a raised hearth. It also saves you more space.
What does a hearth symbolize?
At the center of the home, the hearth provides warmth and LIGHT, food and protection. Symbolizes love, fertility and life.
What Fireplace Hearths Do
The main purpose of a fireplace hearth is to protect the floor in front and to the side of your fireplace from heat and combusting materials that ultimately keep your house safe. In short, the hearth acts as a barrier between the flame, embers, and heat of the fire and your home.
Which Types of Fireplaces Need a Hearth?
Wood – The majority of wood-burning fireplaces require a hearth as fireplace and chimney temperatures can get up to 2000ºF. So, it’s a good idea to have a barrier between this and the rest of your home.
Pros and Cons of Fireplace Hearths
The pros of a hearth come down to the safety of your home and belongings as well as an added feature to your interior design. Having a hearth in front of your fireplace will benefit you and your home by providing a safety net between the open flame and heat and your floor, while still providing ample heat in your living space to enjoy.
What Are the Requirements for Building a Hearth?
Hearths are required to be made out of non-combustible materials and at least four inches thick while being able to hold their own weight. They must extend at least 16 to 20 inches beyond your fireplace, and at least eight inches on both sides of the firebox.
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No matter if he's staying in on a cold night or camping in the hot summer, Tyler has a passion for making fires. He's constantly trying his hand with fire pits, smokers, and of course—fireplaces. You can find Tyler getting outdoors whenever he can and nerding out about fireplace technology in his free time. Read more.
Where is the hearth located in a wood burning fireplace?
With traditional open wood burning fireplaces you’ll typically find a hearth located at the base of the fireplace , which helps to provide a barrier between the heat of an open fire and the floor of your home.
What is a wood stove hearth?
The body of a wood stove is designed to get very hot and a hearth provides a barrier between a stove and the floor of a home. The required size of a hearth will be dictated by your local and national building regulations, but a hearth must extend a certain distance away from a stove.
What is the NASD for a wood burning stove?
The NASD provides details on clearances and requirements for a hearth when installing a wood burning stove. If you’re in the in the UK you can find what size of hearth is required and offset distances for wood stoves in Part J of the Building Regulations.
Why do stoves need to be positioned on a hearth?
A stove also needs to be positioned on a hearth so that there is sufficient distance between the stove and any surrounding non-combustible materials . Required offset distances to combustible materials typically require further offset distances. A hearth also needs to be of sufficient depth to provide the right amount of space between a stove ...
How do hearth pads work?
Hearth pads work just like a real hearth and help to protect the floor of your home, but can be placed and removed more easily. Hearth pads also come in a range of sizes and styles to suit the location of a stove in your home. You can find the complete range of hearth pads available here.
Do you need a hearth for a wood burning stove?
A hearth must be sufficiently sized and deep to provide a safe barrier between the floor of your home and a stove, for the hearth to extend a certain distance away from each side of a stove, and for the stove to be a safe distance away from any nearby combustible ...
Can a wood burning stove be placed in a fireplace?
Wood burning stoves are commonly installed within open fireplaces, but can also be placed in many other locations around a home that can safely support a stove. A fire inside a stove is contained behind a metal body with no access to the flames without opening the stove door, so does a wood stove need a hearth?
What Is A Fireplace Hearth?
A fireplace hearth is the area located at the base of the fireplace on which a fire is built, or a fireplace insert or stove is placed. The hearth is made from a non-combustible material and typically extends out into the room and to the sides from the fireplace opening.
What is a hearth in a fireplace?
The hearth is an integral part of a fireplace and helps to protect your home from the heat of a fire, thanks to a layer of non-combustible material separating the floor of your home from the hot coals, ember s and flames of a fire. A hearth’s extension into a room acts a safety feature when having a fire in your home.
How far should a fireplace hearth extend?
InterNACHI recommends that for fireplaces that have an opening of 6 square feet (0.56 square meters) or smaller, a hearth should extend at least 16 inches (406mm) out into the room from the opening , and by at least 8 inches (203mm) away from the sides. For fireplaces that have an opening of greater than 6 square feet, the heath should extended at least 20 inches (508mm) out from the fireplace, and at least 12 inches (305mm) to the sides.
What is the floor of a fireplace called?
In some cases the hearth is the floor located outside of the firebox, while the inner floor of the fireplace can sometimes be known as the ‘firebox floor’. The extension of the hearth into the room from the fireplace opening is also referred to as the ‘hearth extension’.
How far outwards should a hearth be?
In the UK, Building Regulations state that hearths must extends at least 150mm to the side of a firebed and at least 300mm outwards into the room for an open appliance. For closed appliances the 300mm can be reduced to 225mm. For open fireplaces, the hearth must project at least 500mm out into the room.
Why do fireplaces extend out into the room?
A fireplace hearth extends out into the room in order to help prevent any soot, ash or burning embers from spilling or spitting out onto the floor of the room.
Why do you need a fire guard on a fireplace?
A hearth’s extension also provides a suitable and flat area for which a fire guard can be placed, in order to protect both users of the fireplace and furniture of the room from any hot embers that are released by the fire, and to help prevent young children and pets from getting near the fire.
What Materials Should Be Used For Your Fireplace Hearth?
While wood can not be used for your fireplace hearth, there are a lot of great materials that can be used for this area of your fireplace. We’ll go over some common materials here.
Are There Any Other Hearth Requirements You Need to Consider?
Hearths need to adhere to certain requirements and standards, but this will depend on the country you live in. For example, your hearth will have to be a certain size and thickness. In the United States, hearths need to be at least four inches thick and go at least twelve inches out.
Do You Need A Fireplace Hearth and What Do Hearths Do?
If you have a fireplace that is used to burn solid fuel, then you will need to have a hearth. Electric fireplaces don’t really need to have a hearth, but many people choose to install a hearth as it makes their fireplace look more complete and pleasing to the eye.
Can Wood Be Used For Your Fireplace Hearth?
Wood is not the best choice for a fireplace hearth. Really, hearths need to be fire-resistant, they should be able to handle high temperatures and heat, they cannot combust easily, they should not crack, and they need to be durable. And finally, the material used for your fireplace hearth needs to look good, but this of course not as important as the other requirements.
What is the hearth floor?
You got it. The hearth is the firebox floor. The extension is everything infront
What is the back of a fireplace?
What you see in the back (of fireplace) is the top of the foundation wall. If you look closely, you can see where the tips of the arch joists sit on top of that wall. Kinda scary...they have maybe 2” on the edge of the wall!
What is the most important tool in the wood burning process and the largest variable?
The most important tool in the wood burning process and the largest variable is the one that is running the stove.
What is hearth.com?
Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.
Do you need to form a hearth slab?
You need to form and pour a proper hearth slab. And either do it with metal forms or wood forms that can be removed.
Can you take out wood under a hearth?
No take out any and all wood under the hearth or hearth extension.
Can you use a stove as a fireplace?
The problem with just doing it for a stove is that once it is all built and covered up it will just look like a fireplace. In the future no one will be able to easily tell it isn't safe to use as a fireplace. Really at this point it doesn't seem like it will take all that much extra work to do it right. So it makes sense to me to do it properly
How far should a constructional hearth be?
The constructional hearth should jut out a minimum of 500mm into the room and be wider than the recess by 150mm within the room.
Do hearths have a function?
A modern day gas fire, which does not require a chimney, is not considered in building regulations a real fireplace. A gas fire is seen as an appliance, just like a fridge or a dishwasher.
How many different styles of fireplace hearths are there?
There are four different styles of fireplace hearths. (Click on the diagram below for a closeup visual reference)
Why do we need a hearth?
A hearth helps protect your home from errant sparks that could turn an evening of roasting chestnuts into a traumatizing visit from the fire department. Whether you use your hearth for a gas-burning or wood-burning fireplace, there are many other ways that a hearth can be useful in your home.
What do you need to put around a fireplace door?
Some things to keep in mind is that on masonry fireplaces, the measurements of inside fit doors have to take into account the rough, uneven stonework around the firebox. Grout or masonry cement will need to be applied around the door to fill in the gaps.
What is a hearth?
Hearth (härth) n. The floor of a fireplace, usually extending into a room and paved with brick, flagstone, or cement. The hearth has been a part of the home for as long as humans have been able to put walls and a roof together. For over 300,000 years the hearth was where the fire burned for cooking and heating.
Can you stain brick on a fireplace?
You may not be able to recreate the look above exactly, but spending a DIY weekend with brick stain can create that beautiful aged look on the brick, and our hearth accessories can help add an old-world, fantasy air to your beautiful fireplace. You can even check out some of the mantels we have available at our other site, CJ’s Log Mantels, and pick out what will look great with your refreshed fireplace!
Do you need a gas fireplace?
Gas burning fireplaces and electric fireplaces don’t need one but very often they are built with one anyway for aesthetics. Most homeowners would like their vented fireplace to look like a traditional one.
Is it necessary to have a fireplace in the winter?
In today’s modern age a fireplace typically isn’t necessary for cooking or keeping warm during cold months; it just feels good to cozy up in front of a warm fire with a mug of cocoa, even if you are in an area where there’s no such thing as winter.
The Truth About the Hearth
Most people refer to the area in front of their fireplace as the hearth. In truth, the hearth is the floor of the firebox. The area in front of the firebox is called the hearth extension and serves several purposes.
The Types of Gas Burning Fireplaces
Many people are unaware or uneducated about the parts of their fireplace. Each part of a fireplace performs an important function in a fireplace. There are some misconceptions about the different parts of a fireplace. You should understand how these parts work together to create a safe environment in your home.
What is a Zero-Clearance Fireplace?
Zero-clearance fireplaces are prefab fireplace units intended to be installed in homes without the need for expensive and heavy masonry. This type of installation allows builders much more flexibility to place a fireplace while controlling costs.
How Safe are Zero Clearance Fireplace Inserts?
Zero clearance fireplaces have an excellent safety record in the United States. Most zero clearance fireplaces have a certifying label from a qualified testing laboratory. These certified fireplaces are extensively tested to ensure they perform as the manufacturer asserts.
Is a Zero Clearance Fireplace A Good Way to Hear Your Home?
Most zero clearance fireplace units won’t provide sufficient heat for your entire house. Many other factors affect how well a zero clearance fireplace can provide heat. Some of these factors include:
Which is Better – Wood or Gas?
Arguments can be made on both sides of this argument for the environmental questions. It is hard to tell which way the scales tilt. There are many other factors to consider when choosing between gas or wood as the fuel for your fireplace. In many instances, personal feelings and opinions are as big a factor as environmental issues.
Where and When Do You Need a Hearth Extension?
In general, if your fireplace burns wood, it should have a hearth extension. Some prefabricated fireplace units that are fully enclosed and burn only gas don’t need a hearth extension. However, in some jurisdictions, local building codes may require different installations.
