How to fire proof a wood floor???

[Polish Wizard]

I noticed threads from folks that wanted to build a "portable" or "not permanent" sugar shack, whether it was due to local regulations, property taxes or personal choice.
I'm considering a similar idea -- using a structure built on skids or concrete pads to avoid installing support piers.

If I include a wood floor, how do you folks suggest "fire proofing" under the evaporator so I don't burn the floor with continuous heat?
A friend suggested building a frame around the evaporator to hold vermiculite, and place the evaporator on the vermiculite.

I'm only in the hobby class, and I'm currently using a 2-drawer lateral file cabinet greatly modified into a 3-buffet pan evaporator.
Rough guess on dimensions --- 24" front to back; 40" side to side.
Based on my one-and-only cooking experience to date, I think this evaporator will last many years.

I'm trying to learn how to post pictures of my current tarp shack and evaporator, but I'm not the least bit computer literate.

Any thoughts or suggestions for fire proofing a wood floor?

[wobbletop]

I was thinking of building something similar. My first thought was to use cement board for the flooring, but now I think just a cement board laid over the wood floor would suffice.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/DUROCK-Next-Gen-1-2-in-x-3-ft-x-5-ft-Cement-Board-172965/202263276

[billyinvt]

You could just build a pad for it out of bricks or patio pavers. Seems like people are giving that sort of thing away on craigslist from time to time.

[tcross]

cement board over wood flooring would suffice... I'd use some fire proof caulking in between panels. HOWEVER... cement board is pretty fragile stuff and probably wouldn't last long! patio pavers are a good idea however I'd cover them with a good layer of sand or vermiculite to keep the heat off them as they tend to crack and split up if they get too hot!

[CharlieR]

I had some extra fire bricks left over that I placed under it, and it seems to work fine. The only issue I have had so far is hot coals rolling out of the ash pan when I stoak the fire during cool down.

[mitten mapler]

Extra fire bricks under the arch is what I did and a piece of steel in front of the fire box catches any coal that happen to come out when we open it up

[Sinzibuckwud]

I used a large sheet of steel probably 20-22 gauge, never had an issue.

[Cedar Eater]

I made a pad under a woodstove that I put over wooden floor joists in my deer camp. I used a piece of leftover pole barn metal siding with the ridges pointed down and then concrete 4 X 8 X 16 blocks. Any embers that come out and fall in the cracks still have the metal between them and the wood. This is overkill, but my deer camp isn't insured, and the locks only costed $1 each at Home Depot. Probably more now.

[Sugarmaker]

A fellow trader has placed aluminum diamond plate through out his wood floor building. Very nice!
Regards,
Chris

[Cedar Eater]

A fellow trader has placed aluminum diamond plate through out his wood floor building. Very nice!
Regards,
Chris

That sounds like not such a good idea. Aluminum conducts heat very well.

[Sugarmaker]

That sounds like not such a good idea. Aluminum conducts heat very well.

The arch probably has a closed ash pit bottom and may set on some fire bricks too? Maybe he will chime in? GaryR you out there?
Regards,
Chris

[blissville maples]

try some durrock or cement board, sheetrock would work well but would get wet and dicinigrate

[maple flats]

In my early years I had a layer of concrete (regular 8x8x16 blocks) blocks under the arch and in front. Then I capped them with a sheet metal cover, bent down on each side to keep any sparks or coals from the wood below. Then after 3 or 4 seasons, I put in a concrete floor after removing the old blocks and tin.