What Kind of Tile for a Wood Stove?

Walls

• Ceramic and clay tiles are decorative choices for the wall behind the stove. If you choose ceramic tiles you will have a broad range of colors and patterns to select from to coordinate with paint colors, artwork and color schemes used in the room where the stove is located. While the color and design choices for clay tiles are often limited to the classic red tile color, you can’t discount how well that color looks, especially behind a black cast iron wood stove. It’s a suitable choice if you’re going for a rustic or Southwestern style. If you have an old-fashioned potbelly stove, clay colored tiled wall will make a vibrant backdrop.

Hearth

• In addition to being heat-tolerant, the tile you select for the hearth area has to be weight tolerant. Natural stone tiles, such as marble, granite and slate are heat tolerant and can stand the weight of the stove without worry. They only requiring broom sweeping or hand cleaning with a mild cleaning solution. Next to natural stones, you can also use terrazzo and clay tile, but you have to be a bit more careful when you place the stove to avoid cracking the tile. Brick and concrete pavers are also tile-like options that coordinate well with wood stoves and are safe materials to use.

Floor

• Tile is an adequate flooring choice for the area right below and next to the hearth. You can lay stone, ceramic or clay tiles in the same color that you use for the hearth, or select a contrasting color to define the area around the stove so it has its own look and feel. Be creative and lay a decorative tile around the border of the hearth to give it even more definition. And if you wish to switch textures, you can use wood, as long as it is at least 18 inches away from all sides of the stove. That’s the minimum clearance recommendation by the National Fire Protection Agency. You can't go wrong, however, if you stick with a non-combustible material, such as tile, for even more than 18 inches from the stove. Then you’ll reduce worries about ashes, sparks and embers and potential fire hazards.

Tile Materials to Avoid

• Never use carpet tiles, laminate wood tiles, vinyl or linoleum tiles on walls behind a stove or on hearth areas. These materials may be easy to install but they are highly flammable. If you must use any of these materials, restrict their use to floors, only. Lay the tiles at least 18 inches away from the hearth area of the stove. Your local building code and zoning departments may also have restrictions on the types of tiles you can lay. Call your local agencies to find out about additional guidelines that may apply in your area.