# Is a foundation required for a pot-belly stove surround & plinth?



## Corner (27 Jan 2010)

I will be installing a pot-belly stove in my self-build dwelling and forsee building a brickwork or natural stone surround around the stove, from finished floor to ceiling level to contain the chimney breast. The stove would be raised off the finished floor level on a plinth by about 300-400mm as you would commonly see. My question is, what type of foundation (if any) do I need to provide for this? The floor contstruction beneath this will likley consist of pre-cast hollow core slabs with 50-75mm screed on top. My floorplans do not show anything at present and I'm concerned, but it would appear to me that something more than the slab may be needed to take the significant structural load! 

Likewise, I have two internal wall running through my garage (neither load bearing) which will have the same floor construction. Do these require foundations?

Corner.


----------



## MOB (27 Jan 2010)

Far too many variables are involved for anybody to be able to give you a useful answer on this forum without a lot more into.

You need to ask a structural engineer, an architect who is competent in making the relevant calculations or perhaps the floorslab manufacturer.  

The manufacturer will usually have in-house design capability and will of course want to ensure that the product is fit for purpose - so this may be the cheapest option, if you are looking to avoid paying for advice.


----------



## onq (29 Jan 2010)

Corner,

You cannot design a house in a piecemeal fasion like this but for the record, in general all loadbearing structures need foundations.
It is important that known point loads are supported and ordinary chimneys are tied into main walls with widened foundations for this reason.
Finally, any internal walls at ground floor should really have a proper foundation because it is foreseeable that someone will load them up at some point.

Corner, at this point I'm drawing a line in the sand.

You have been copiously advised by the respodents here.
Our function is not to provide a free design service for your house.
To do so would undermine the very professions to which some of us belong

We've tried to make you aware of issues you may need to consider with your team.
There is a limit to the competent information we can credibly offer so remote from the work.
As MOB has noted, a house has many variables, none of which are known regarding your house.
Seeking or offering detail information without a full briefing / overview could overlook important items.

To sum up, and this qualifies all previous posts also on this forum:
You should retain an engineer and architect to advise you as a matter of urgency.
Spread some cash around in this economy - we all need that multiplier effect working for us. 

FWIW

ONQ.

[broken link removed]


----------



## Kenbo (29 Jan 2010)

Did a new extension recently, installed a  heavy wood burning stove with no major foundation just on a three in concrete plinth which was then tiled. No strutural problem in fitting stove.


----------



## onq (29 Jan 2010)

Kenbo said:


> Did a new extension recently, installed a  heavy wood burning stove with no major foundation just on a three in concrete plinth which was then tiled. No strutural problem in fitting stove.



Kenbo,

Is this a 75mm plinth on top of an RC slab?
What are the plinth plan dimensions and what is the thickness of the slab?
Finally what are the soil conditions like where you're building?

ONQ.


----------



## house (9 Feb 2010)

slightly off topic, but im wondering did you install a deciated air supply to your stove, what diameter pipe did you install?


----------

