Multi Fuel Burner 21 February at 4:43PM in In my home (includes DIY) MoneySaving 25 replies 627 views

stuart45

Are you worried about it being structurally sound, or is it just the looks?

FreeBear

ThisIsWeird said: I did build a chimney breast for sil, to take a slightly larger, 5kW, fire, sides, top and front finished with a double skin of normal p'board, and finished in normal skim. No cracks, no issues. I did, tho', line the back with the heatproof board as per the instructions. 

Plasterboard is not rated as fireproof, so should never be used close to a stove.

Primmie

Thankyou again for all the advice.   

The stove installer advised me that the walls were brick and I assume he is correct (I am happy with the actual installation of the stove and hearth).  As mentioned he also advised me that in his opinion it was not necessary to have the heat boards installed which is the reason I am in this predicament of having to find a further £700 for him to return and install the boards.  I have not used the stove since last December as on each of the four occasions I have lit the fire more cracks kept appearing and aesthetically it is not pleasing.  I am also concerned in case the plaster starts falling away.   

Unfortunately I am not able myself to remove the stove to reach the area at the back. 

I am grateful for the input from all the posters.   

ThisIsWeird

FreeBear said:

ThisIsWeird said: I did build a chimney breast for sil, to take a slightly larger, 5kW, fire, sides, top and front finished with a double skin of normal p'board, and finished in normal skim. No cracks, no issues. I did, tho', line the back with the heatproof board as per the instructions. 

Plasterboard is not rated as fireproof, so should never be used close to a stove.

A giant pile of poo. When was the last time you heard of p'board going on fire? Precisely.

The circumstance that would have caused p'board to burst into flames would have already destroyed the house.

Technically vs reality.

ThisIsWeird

Primmie said:

Thankyou again for all the advice.   

The stove installer advised me that the walls were brick and I assume he is correct (I am happy with the actual installation of the stove and hearth).  As mentioned he also advised me that in his opinion it was not necessary to have the heat boards installed which is the reason I am in this predicament of having to find a further £700 for him to return and install the boards.  I have not used the stove since last December as on each of the four occasions I have lit the fire more cracks kept appearing and aesthetically it is not pleasing.  I am also concerned in case the plaster starts falling away.   

Unfortunately I am not able myself to remove the stove to reach the area at the back. 

I am grateful for the input from all the posters.   

It certainly wouldn't be your job to do! :-)

IF the walls are brick, then you have little to worry about - they are more than capable of handling the ~200oC surface temp, that even then would be an extremely rare occurrence (this is radiated heat, with a constant current of fresh air flowing over it. I've tried placing my hand on the internal surfaces of sil's 'breast, and - whilst 'hot' - it was never at a temp that I couldn't keep my hand on it. That equates to, I dunno, around 60-odd degrees?). If plaster skim starts falling off, then it's only a cosmetic issue - a a dusty one. But clearly not good.

So, if that were mine, and I wanted to use it, I would. If it becomes cosmetically worse, then it'll need sorting for that reason. 

Since you followed the advice of the pros, and this has been found wanting, I would suggest the fairest way forward would be for you to pay for the boards (as before), but for them to fit them foc - as before.

It's not straight-forward, tho', as in many (most?) cases, their advice could have been fine. There must be room for compromise, surely.

stuart45

ThisIsWeird said:

FreeBear said:

ThisIsWeird said: I did build a chimney breast for sil, to take a slightly larger, 5kW, fire, sides, top and front finished with a double skin of normal p'board, and finished in normal skim. No cracks, no issues. I did, tho', line the back with the heatproof board as per the instructions. 

Plasterboard is not rated as fireproof, so should never be used close to a stove.

A giant pile of poo. When was the last time you heard of p'board going on fire? Precisely.

The circumstance that would have caused p'board to burst into flames would have already destroyed the house.

Technically vs reality.

Plasterboard is really hard to burn, as anyone who has stuck some on a bonfire knows. 
However, because a plasterboard wall is usually built from timber studwork, or metal framing, it's fire resistance is looked on overall as part of the walls construction. 

ThisIsWeird

stuart45 said:

ThisIsWeird said:

FreeBear said:

ThisIsWeird said: I did build a chimney breast for sil, to take a slightly larger, 5kW, fire, sides, top and front finished with a double skin of normal p'board, and finished in normal skim. No cracks, no issues. I did, tho', line the back with the heatproof board as per the instructions. 

Plasterboard is not rated as fireproof, so should never be used close to a stove.

A giant pile of poo. When was the last time you heard of p'board going on fire? Precisely.

The circumstance that would have caused p'board to burst into flames would have already destroyed the house.

Technically vs reality.

Plasterboard is really hard to burn, as anyone who has stuck some on a bonfire knows. 
However, because a plasterboard wall is usually built from timber studwork, or metal framing, it's fire resistance is looked on overall as part of the walls construction. 

Absolutely.

In reality, my double-layer of p'board is never ever going to be an issue. When the rest of the house has burned to the ground, my breast will still be standing.

Ok, poetic exaggeration, but you know what I mean :-)

In any case, my main point was that the plaster skim was also coping with no issue whatsoever, largely because these surfaces - given the correct air gap - just do not get that hot.

It's a shame that the OP's plaster surfaces are cracking, as otherwise there would have been no issue or concern - nigh on 100% certain.

Primmie

Thankyou. I would be happy to pay for the boards and the trim but unfortunately the company are not happy with this compromise and advise I either pay their invoice or they will not do the work. I am however grateful to all the posters.

ThisIsWeird

Primmie said:

Thankyou. I would be happy to pay for the boards and the trim but unfortunately the company are not happy with this compromise and advise I either pay their invoice or they will not do the work. I am however grateful to all the posters.

In that case, they deserve an honest review on Google et al; "advised at stove installation that fire boards were not required, which I accepted. When it turned out that this advice was incorrect, they quoted - and insisted on - ~£400 labour for retro-fitting them..." or whatever is accurate.

I'd continue to use the fire, Primmie, and just see how it pans out. There shouldn't be a safety risk.

JohnB47

I have a wood burner, fitted as per yours but with bare brick all around. 

I do realise that you want a pristine look and of course are concerned about safety but I wouldn't worry.

The material near to to the burner appears to be relatively fireproof (actual logs and kindle are often stacked nearer), so I believe external combustion is highly unlikely.

So it's down to how you want it to look, I think.

Personally, no problem.