***Wood Floor Alert***

[MapLewis]

We got the answer to the question yesterday of "how hot do you think it gets under the fire box?"
This damage is over a 3 year period, through 1 layer of fireboard, 1 layer of 1/2 firebrick, 1 galvanized ash pan sitting on more 1/2 bricks.
Leader 2x4 w/ larger size firebox... yes we ran it HOT.

we were VERY lucky.

[red maples]

So basically it looks like your arch was sitting on the floor? What I did with mine: 3/8 inch hardy backer concrete board on the floor and in front. the the arch itself sits up on firebricks and has about a 4inch air space under the fire box, I put a metal bottom on the firebox, with arch board and split bricks and sealed it all in and I can put my hand underneath and it doesn't get transfer heat to the floor its warm to hot to the touch but with the air space the floor is always cool!!! This was recommended to me by the fire chief at the time. he's long gone now but it made sense and it works.

[jasonl6]

Probably the only reason it didn't blaze up was lack of oxygen. Your a lucky man.

[holey_bucket]

I would definitely go with an air gap. I love DuraBlanket, too. Another brand is Kaowool. For even more isolation, use multiple air gaps between bricks/sheets/tiles/whatnot.

[xyz5150]

Exactly why i like concrete floors, there level they can be cleaned and ....... they dont burn.

[ennismaple]

Thats frightening. I'm glad it didn't burn the place down!

We realized the intense heat beneath our Force 5 this spring. With the blowers running it can be very loud - so we put rubberized floor mats beneath the evaporator. This was fine beneath the flue pan and we didn't do it beneath the firebox - for obvious reasons! The first year we only put in a few of the mats but last season we added a few more towards the back where the smakestack joins the arch. A few days when we were firing hard we noticed a bit of a funny smell but thought nothing of it. When we took the mats out at the end of the season the back two were distorted and partly charred! We definitely won't do that again!

[Flat Lander Sugaring]

no sense of adventure thats what keeps sugaring exciting:O jk would deffinately pour a small concrete pad onder fire chsmber

[maple flats]

I ran for 3 years with a wood floor and no ill effects. I laid 10" concrete blocks on their sides, built a full apron in front and under the arch. Then I capped it with 20 ga galv. steel sheet metal. The cap was 1 piece with 1" lips down on all sides. Then I set the arch on the metal. I kept at least 4" ash in the base of the arch (as soon as I generated enough) I removed excess ash every day and removed it all at season's end. After 3 years I took it apart and poured a concrete floor. The sheet metal had some slight corrosion but no heat or burn issues. The wooden floor underneath was as good as new. Sparks did worry me and that was why I now have concrete.

[lastwoodsman]

Over the years I have found that a piece of flashing arched not flat under the firebox keeps it cool enough you can put your hand under the flashing and it is not hot. Even with cement backer board the heat goes through. With the added reflection of heat with the flashing I have never had a problem.
Woodsman