earth_pal, I would appreciate a chance to ask you about your kiln installation. You don't have an email link on GW, but could you possibly send me an email via my GW email link? Alternatively, I'm going to start a thread in the pottery forum in the next day, in case you ever check in there. davidro1, I've sent you an email. Thanks. riverspots, I've looked at the total BTU output because that matters for venting and heating up the room. I see your point that the temperature of each adjacent combustible object matters for ignition. Those temps won't get anywhere near that high as there will be nothing combustible within at least a couple of feet (other than my legs). The nearest cabinet will be appx 24'' away. If I did put a ''landing space'' counter next to the range, it would be a small steel filler table. For reference, ignition temp of wood is >420F and of grease/oil is appx 700F. brickton, growlery's point that smooth surfaces are easier to keep grease-free makes a lot of sense to me. The brick would work for a woodstove, but (from the research I've done) you still need concrete board/fire board and an air gap behind that.

Hey...hey. I don't back up everything that Millworkman says...unless it is positive about me. Then yes. But in all seriousness, Millworkman has more experience with wood windows than I do and my lesser experiences all echo his recommendations. Regardless of the "technical" evaluations of the windows, I would suggest that you examine how Jeld-Wen has previously handled warranty claims against their product. I don't know the Sierra Pacific product but I can speak about how Marvin has previously handled warranty failures and it is above board. They have posted on here and sought to help out in any manner than they could. That speaks volumes about a company that doesn't really need to do that to secure their reputation. What technical evaluations are you looking for. Most of the feedback here is based on in the field observations of window failures, deficiencies, and general construction. As you stated, the warranties are similar so everything on paper looks the same so what good would technical document that reflects that same scenario benefit. There are certain things in wood windows that tend to translate into a better overall product and are representative of a company approach to longevity. The first would be extruded vs. roll formed cladding. Roll formed is cheaper, easier, and less wasteful by its very construction. Extruded is thicker, more resistant to expansion/contraction, and generally more difficult to work with. I would opt for a window with extruded cladding because it indicates a companies construction tenor and dedication to materials selection. Second would be engineering. I have handled some extremely large Marvin units before and they work as flawlessly as the more modes sized units. That indicates an attention to detail and thoughtful selection of components. By contrast, I have taken other wood windows out of the paper and not had them work and require field repairs before setting them. The last would be warranty handling and see my notes above. You are definitely a big time heating degree dominated climate up there. That being said, do either of these windows, or any that you have looked at, get you the energy performance that you need to see? Wood in and of itself, might night be the best choice unless you have something in a super efficient option. A modern style home will look good with the more narrow profile and modern frame style. You are close enough to Canada. Have you examined any of their higher end fiberglass options. Most would be available with a wood interior for a wood feel to the inside as well as have much higher efficiency glass and air tightness ratings. Hopefully this gives you a bit of information outside of what Millworkman might so I can shake off my "parrot" tag. Good luck with the project and please feel free to post up as I am happy to volunteer any feedback on products or options.

Here are some products that give more protection in high heat situations. This was in regard to wood stove hearth and wall protection. Sweepy Sweep's Library: R Values of common hearth materials Q: My new woodstove's installation manual calls for a non-combustible hearth (floor protection) extending so many inches beyond the rear and sides of the stove and in front of the loading door. This much I understand. The manual also states this floor protection must have an "R" value of at least 0.800. This part I don't understand: what is an R value, and how do I ensure that my hearth material meets the minimum requirement? Sweepy R-value is a measurement of the insulating properties of a given material at a given thickness. Here's a chart showning the R-values of several common hearth materials: Material Thickness R-Value Ceramic Board ( Micore 160 ) 1/2" 1.270 Ceramic Board ( Rescor 360 ) 1/2" 1.110 Ceramic Board ( Fiberfrax Duraboard LD ) 1/2" 1.100 Ceramic Board ( Micore 300 ) 1/2" 1.030 Common Brick 4" 0.800 Common Brick 2-1/4" 0.450 Gypsum or Plaster Board 1/2" 0.450 Cement Board ( Wonderboard ) 1/2" 0.200 Cement Board ( Durock ) 1/2" 0.200 Cement Board ( Hardibacker 500 ) .42" 0.200 Cement Board ( Hardibacker ) 1/4" 0.130 Limestone 1" 0.153 Cement Mortar 1/2" 0.100 Slate 1" 0.100 Concrete 1" 0.095 Marble 1" 0.090 Granite 1" 0.083 Ceramic Pavers 1" 0.080 Flagstone 1" 0.079 Sandstone 1" 0.079 Ceramic Tile 1/4" 0.020 Sweepy As the chart shows, you can achieve the required R-value of 0.800 with 1/2" of Fibrefrax or Micore, 8-1/2" of poured concrete, or one layer of 4" brick. You can also meet your requirement by stacking layers of the materials listed: ie, 4 layers (2") of 1/2" Durorock would give you the 0.800 R-value you require.

@JosephWatkins We are currently in same position. We have samples of Celect Cellular Composite Board & Batten and the Everlast BB. We like the Celect better. We are also considering Steel Board and Batten panels. The steel would be our 1st choice. Just hard to get information on all of them.