Woodstove Hearth and Surround Design

Introduction:

Many woodstove installations are installed on a hearth or platform that is elevated from the floor. This style of woodstove installation is called a surround. A surround gives a setting similar to a fireplace hearth and the brick or stone area surrounding the fireplace.

Woodstoves can be installed in a similar way. The advantage is that the woodstove sets up off the floor on a brick or stone hearth and the surrounding area is constructed of the same or similar material. The woodstove hearth and surround design can be any style you wish to fit any décor.

Before settling on a specific design, the woodstove hearth and hearth design should be solidly fixed in your mind before beginning work. The reason is because it becomes a permanent structure that can’t be easily redone. Redoing the woodstove hearth and surround is not like reupholstering a chair. It takes a considerable amount of labor and money to construct the project.

The type of material that you use for your hearth and surround should be taken into consideration. Most homeowners tend to go with something that is a little bit more traditional such as stone or brick and a wood shelf mantle. Contemporary hearth and surround designs can do a lot for the beauty of the room and your home. Your design should be such that it won’t go out of fashion. This is especially important because the design is a permanent addition to the home. You can’t simply change it every couple of years or whenever the interior decorators decide what may be in or out of style. Take the time to look at pictures and discuss ideas with a mason to determine what is possible.

The hearth for the woodstove is built flat on the floor and should be large enough to accommodate the woodstove with additional space on both sides. The surround should extend at least halfway up the wall behind the stove. I recommend that it extend to the ceiling so a mantel shelf can be attached. Not only does the hearth and mantel add beauty to the setting it also offers considerable fire protection. A woodstove should normally be installed no closer than two feet from the wall and placed on a fireproof mat. These requirements can be ignored if the stove is setting on a hearth and surrounded by brick or stone.

This summer I helped a friend install a woodstove hearth and surround in his basement recreation room. The final installation is seen in the attached picture. The surround is constructed from stone (rock) and the hearth is constructed of cement with bluestone for top finish. The mantel is a wood shelf. It came out great and changed the setting of the entire room.

Building a wood stove hearth and surround can be a DIY project if you have the talent to lay brick or stone. It is a more backbreaking task than a technical task. It does take patients and a clear design plan for a successful outcome.

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