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Dont know if this is the right place for this, but.....

I live in an upside down house, so the living room is upstairs on a wooden floor.

I was wondering how much work would be involved to get a wood burner. I am assuming it wouldnt be safe unless I get a concrete hearth stone or something similar.

Also. I would need to get a chimney put on.

AND all this would have to be done on a budget.

Does anyone have any thoughts on this? Thanks

cj

Yes, you're right. You have to have a plinth, and I think (you'd need to check) there are restrictions on the minimum dimensions it, including depth.

you need to check the sise of your beem, and floor joists below, if there are suitable (ask a local builder, dosnt meen he has to do it tho) then basicaly take up the floor boards in the area located, and lay a 2-3 inch flag in its place, and you will want a large falg, at least two thirds larger than your chosen woodburner, to stop ashes messing up/burning your floorboards or carpet.
then you have the problem of a chimney, there are two options, 1) buy several lengths of coresponding flue pipe, and go up through your roof, but doing this yourself, can prove to be risky, as you have to have the correct heat defenders in your roofspace, and also leadwork at the top of your chimney on top of your slates, but the one id recomend is option 2) again buy several sections of flue pipe, matt black for the inside, and 45 degree bend, and then go through your wall, 2 to 3 feet above your fire, but not neer your cieling, then on the outside of your wall, a second 45 degree bend, joint via a piece of flue pipe, and then pointed up around it, and then on top of the bend, several pieces of flue pipe, with brackets holdong it on to the wall this should be a 'glosy finish flue pipe, and finally on top of that, an apropriate fitting to prevent down drafting and birds, either a 't' shaped piece or another type.
Behind your woodburner, to protect you plaster from cracking you can buy an aspestos substitute (fake aspestos not the real stuff), from your local builders merchants, and cut to fit, and then fasten to the wall with brass screws.

hope that helps
but be carefull, if in doubt call a builder/stove specialist.

Thanks both. I think I will look around for some prices on chimney pipe and see how much it is going to cost.

I used to have an open inglenook in my last house, and kept it burning on mainly skip wood.

5 years on, I still cant walk past a skip without looking to see if there is any good wood in there. Seems such a waste.

Plus, you cant beat a real fire

cj

this website should help you.

Yes there are minimum distances, you might be able to lay a hearth over a wooden floor and positive point is that you won't need as much flue pipe put in

Remember, you don't need to put in a chimney, just a flue.

But yes speak to a professional, if you have the time try going in for a chat (sales pitch), or try to wangle a free survey done by a stove fitting company. You might get lots of good information and you don't need to buy

i tell you what, you could try advertising for some second hand pipe work, and then just touching it up with sprayable paint

a good place to look, talking bout skips, you could go to your local skip/reclemation yard, then see whether they have some flue pipe for you.

jenko wrote:i tell you what, you could try advertising for some second hand pipe work, and then just touching it up with sprayable paint

a good place to look, talking bout skips, you could go to your local skip/reclemation yard, then see whether they have some flue pipe for you.

If you do this, make sure it's airtight before thinking about using it. If it is, you'll then have to make sure that the assembled flue is airtight (a slightly dented junction will leak) before using the stove. A leaky flue is one way to release carbon monoxide, which kills.

Personally, I think it's just not worth the risk.

yeh the newer the pipe the better
and it would be better to ask a builder/stove specialsist to do the job for you, as it would be a shame if anything did go slightly wrong

Having seen some criminally high installation quotes, I'd disagree that getting a professional in is a worthwhile alternative - unless you're a walking DIY disaster zone. Installing a woodburner is really very straightforward, so long as you don't skimp on materials and understand the safety issues. In this case, building regs are not only worthwhile, but invaluable.

Thanks everyone.

I think I'll contact the council and check on building regs.

cj

incidentally does anyone know if you have to get planing permission for a chimney?

Some places have restrictions based on you changing the roof line, which a chimney would do, but again, there might not be a chimney required, just a flue - and I think, I think that you can get flues that go horizontally out through a wall - of course, that might have been a dream

Installing a wooder burner in NZ on a wood floor is a fairly standard proceedure. Ours was here when we moved, but the house has a wood floor and sits on wooden piles. The logburner although new ish, is old fashioned in design and sits on metal feet about 4 inches above a tiled base. Not a hearth as such, but obviously insulating. It sits several inches away from a wood framed wall, has a flue going up and straight out of the roof.

I've just had one fitted, and we nearly got caught out with the reg's.

I was about to go into great detail there, but have deleted . Basically in the UK you need to have a HEATAS approved "smokeless zone" stove,if you live in a smokeless zone like we do.

AND this has to be fitted by a HEATAS approved installer, other wise you will have to apply for building control from the council. And this applies to if you are in a smokeless zone or not...I think.

AND you need all the paper work on model type, fitter etc, just incase someone from the council smells the wood stove and wants to check that it's approved (if in a smokeless zone this is), if you don't have the paper work you may have to remove it.

There are models which do not need much plinth and can be stood on wooded floors. And as some one has said the flues can be fitted horizontally out through a wall , then up on the out side rather than having a chimney fitted.

It is not recommended to burn anything which has been treated for anything other than "sticks", as the chemicals and tar deposits build up in the flue and rapidly shorten the life span. And since the flues cost anywhere from £45/m, it's not something you want to replace anytime soon.

Looking at it, I think it is going to be too expensive to make sense.

I only intend on being at my house for about 2 years more, so I dont think it is going to pay for itself in that time.

Thanks for all the advice everyone. It is good that I found out before I started the ball rolling

cj