Thermal Protection
To achieve an R of 2.5 as required by at least one stove model, you could use a ThermaShield Xtreme (shown in cut-away) OR any of these other options.
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With wood stoves burning cleaner and hotter than ever before, a standard ember protector hearth pad may not meet the requirements of your stove. Recognizing this need, Hearth Classics developed ThermaShield pads, the highest R-Value tile and stone hearth pads on the market. Fully non-combustible, with an R-value of 1.01, ThermaShield pads act as a thermal barrier in addition to protecting from falling embers. Because all our hearth pads are made with ThermaShield technology, Hearth Classics takes the guesswork out of choosing the right protection. All our pads are certified to meet or exceed UL1618 and ULC-S632-99. Whether you’re burning gas, pellets, corn, coal, oil or wood, our hearth pads offer the best protection on the market - and they look great too.
Thermal Protection
Compare to a ThermaShield
How much protection is an R-value of 1.01? Well, to match the thermal protection of a ThermaShield pad using ceramic tile, you would have to use 21 layers of ¼” tile. Check out these comparisons of other non-combustible materials to a ThermaShield pad.
| Alternate Materials to Match R=1.01 | How Much |
|---|---|
| Durock ½” | 4 Layers |
| Hardibacker 500½” | 8 Layers |
| Cast Hearthstone 213⁄16” | 2 Layers |
| Brick 23⁄8” | 3 Layers |
| Ceramic Tile ¼” | 21 Layers |
| Cement | 5” |
| Marble | 19” |
Many other hearth pads are built on particleboard. These are fine for ember protection, but if your stove requires thermal protection, they only provide an R-value of R=0.05. That's because the value is measured from the surface of the pad to the nearest combustible material, in this case the particleboard.
For stoves that require a higher R-value than R=1.01, we offer the Low Profile Base and ThermaShield Xtreme Floor Protection System. These allow you to increase your protection to R=10.