A hearth pad is "heat protection for your floor." It is a specific, dedicated, noncombustible surface installed under and around all four sides of a wood-burning stove. Any hot sparks or burning embers that may pop out of the appliance will fall harmlessly on the hearth pad and burn out. Some hearth pads are designed to protect the wood subfloor from excessive heat.
There are two types or levels of protection based on the stove manufacturer’s requirements:
A Type 1 hearth pad is for ember protection only and requires only protection from burning embers. Any noncombustible material will comply. A Type 1 pad will not stop the heat from radiating off the bottom and sides of the stove.
A Type 2 hearth pad is for thermal protection. A Type 2 hearth is insulated and will prevent heat from reaching the subfloor. Depending on the wood-burning stove, Type 2 hearths need a minimum protection of an R-value of 1.0 or more of noncombustible insulation to adequately protect the floor.
It is critical to check the hearth or flooring requirements in the owner’s manual of your stove to ensure proper hearth protection is in place.
If you’re interested, the UL Standard for this information is UL 1618.
