fireproof wall for behind my wood stove

[john, carmel, ny]

Hi All, Recently I had the perimeter of my house dug out and replaced with gravel and drainage pipe, Afterwards I tore down the basement walls to cinderblock to check for mold / rotted wood, mouse damage? you name it! I am now ready to rebuild my walls. My question is?. I have a Quadra fire wood stove in a downstairs corner, and I am considering a nonflammable wall product for around the stove area instead of drywall and heat shields? Can I use brick or stone directly on the cinderblock? What is the best way to attach it to the existing cinderblock wall? Do I need to put anything on the cement slab floor under the brick / stone? Are there products you recommend?

Thanks in advance for any advice you can share...., John

[PeterD]

Fireresistant sheetrock. Walls up to eight ft from the edge of the stove. Ceiling should be further if possible.

[itc]

John, you can use metal wall ties. They are fastened to the block wall, then lay in the mortar joints of your brick tying the two walls together. You might want to ask your insurance company what they require when installing a wood burner. Most companies usually have a set of requirements regarding clearances, backing, etc. that you need to follow to be OK with your homeowners policy.

Tim

[AndyS]

Andy comments:

You might consider durock, the cement version of sheet rock, which is used normally for floors that will have tile put on them.... Perhaps it can be fastened to the cinder block with liquid nails, and a half dozen cement anchors at strategic places..... If this works, it will be simple to tile it over......and nothing there to burn....

Andy in Eureka, Texas

[tmurpha1hi]

There is no reason to put anything over the blocks if you want to install tiles or brick. I would want to be sure that you use a thinset type of tile cement rather than mastic just un case. The big thing is to keep the fire inside the stove.

[Steve Barker]

these stove are not near as dangerous as people would have us to believe. I've got a freestanding stove and there is a styrofoam chicken incubator about 18 inches from it. It's still in it's original form. I put a sheet of galvanized sheet metal on the wall next to it, because it thought it would perhaps keep some heat off the wall, well the sheet steel is still cool to the touch. 18" away also.

[PeterD]

That is the attitude that gets houses burned down. Complacency, failure to undertand the hazards of the heating system, and (potentially) misuse of the unit.

The sheet metal doesn't get hot because it reflects radiant heat back into the room, not because there is no heat there.

I suspect that wood stoves result in more house fires than any other single cause in areas where they are used.

[hebinwi]

Is the greatest resource for information you need. The moderators are wood burners with many years experience and write a blog with tons of info that you can consult as well. My guess is there is probably a local code that will have to be adhered to, and most certainly clear your project with the insurance company to make sure you don't step on their toes.