Fireplaces, Heating Stoves, Flues and Chimneys - Base for Woodstove

Hi Everyone,
We are putting in a new woodstove. We asked our local building code inforcer what we need to put down under the stove and behind it. He told us to do whatever the manual says and the manual says to follow local building code - ugh! We are installing a Vermont Castings with heat shields and we would like to put down a brick base and brick the wall behind it, but no one seems to know if this enough. The place were we bought it? They say follow local code as well. Last woodstove we had, had a premade hearth that we just laid on the floor, and used the clearance for a combustable wall. Unfortunately, for the size we need for the new one, this isn't an option. Please help!!!

Yup, follow the manual. In our house we need, say, 18" clearance on the sides and back from stove to combustable materials according to the manual. I want to put in a clay tile surround. So I measured where the stove will go relative to the combustable wall, and built the non-combustable cement backer board surround inside those dimensions. (The clay tile is still being fired, but it will, of course sit on top of the backer board.) The installers double-checked and confirmed this, and the county confirmed this, so I know I'm good.

So if your manual says X" to combustable materials, make sure you are X" or more from those combustable materials, and do whatever you like with the brick.

If you *must* have closer clearances to combustable materials, you need to find a stove that meets those clearances.