Anyone else running a small wood stove in a timber frame cabin — how are you managing the hearth and clearances?

Just about to install a Hobbit stove in my 20x12ft timber frame cabin up in the Cairngorms and I'm getting a bit overwhelmed by the conflicting advice online. The cabin walls are 140mm timber stud with a mineral wool fill and OSB sheathing — nothing fancy. I've read the manufacturer's clearance guidance (300mm to combustibles on the sides, 150mm at the rear with a heat shield) but I'm struggling to understand how strictly that applies when the wall behind is structural timber rather than just a plasterboard partition.

I'm planning a non-combustible hearth pad — probably 12mm calcium silicate board on a tile adhesive bed, then slate tiles on top — sitting proud of the floor by about 18mm total. The Hobbit's nominal output is 4kW which feels about right for the space, maybe even generous for the insulation levels I've got (100mm Rockwool between studs, 50mm PIR on the inside). Flue will be twin-wall insulated going straight up through the roof with a Poujoulat system, ~4.5m overall height.

Has anyone done something similar with timber frame specifically? Particularly wondering whether people fit a full non-combustible stud wall section behind the stove or just rely on an air-gapped heat shield panel. Also curious what you used for the hearth substrate — calcium silicate seems the right call but I've seen some builds using Hardie board and wanted to know if there's a meaningful difference in practice.

Reply by HarbourKate:

@Trevor1975 I've got a Hobbit in my own timber frame setup so hopefully I can help! The key thing people overlook is that the manufacturer's clearances are minimums — in a small cabin I'd honestly go more generous than Salamander's specs suggest, especially with timber stud walls.

For your hearth, you'll want non-combustible material extending at least 300mm in front and 150mm either side of the door opening. I used a combination of a proper steel hearth plate over compressed fibre board — belt and braces approach.

Also worth getting a HETAS installer to cast an eye over your plans even if you're doing it yourself. In Scotland building regs still apply even for off-grid structures, and you don't want issues with insurance.

What flue route are you planning — straight up through the roof or out the side?

Reply by TonyRoss:

@Trevor1975 One thing worth adding to what @HarbourKate has said — don't overlook the hearth extension requirements. The Hobbit manual specifies the hearth must extend a minimum of 300mm in front of the stove door and 150mm either side, but in a compact 20x12 cabin I'd honestly go bigger if you can spare the floor space. A rogue ember in a timber frame building isn't something you want to find out about at 2am in the Cairngorms.

Also worth getting a HETAS-registered installer to at least sign off on the install even if you're doing the work yourself — some insurers for off-grid properties get awkward about wood burners without documentation. Given you're in a remote location, peace of mind on that front is well worth the cost of a site visit.