Carl Finnell · Case study · Wetherby
A corner stove, shaped to the room
A Poppy wood burning stove tucked into a corner in Wetherby, with a bespoke granite hearth curved to follow the patio door and an external flue routed to stay out of sight.
The project
Shaped to suit the corner
The hearth
Made to measure, not one size fits all
The hearth set out on the survey to wrap the corner perfectly.
Beneath the stove we installed a bespoke 20mm Antique Leather black granite hearth, precision cut to suit the exact layout of the room. Rather than a standard teardrop corner hearth, the granite was carefully curved and shaped to follow the patio door reveal, for a seamless, made-to-measure finish.
The textured Antique Leather finish is ideal for wood-burning and multi-fuel stoves, helping to disguise the light marks and ash created during refuelling while staying easy to clean. The result is a hearth that complements the room's architecture and gives a far more refined finish than a standard, one-size-fits-all solution.
For appliance choices behind projects like this, see our main guide to wood burning stoves in Wetherby.
The flue and the air
A clean external route, and a cleaner burn
The external twin-wall flue routed neatly around the soffit and gutter.
The Poppy was set in the corner and connected to a European Grade 1 twin-wall stainless steel flue system in powder-coated black 316 grade stainless steel. It rises about 500mm before passing through the wall in a sealed insulated sleeve, then a 135 degree tee outside gives easy access for sweeping. The flue runs up the outside wall with carefully placed 45 degree bends to navigate the soffit and gutter, supported on heavy-duty powder-coated brackets, and terminates around 1,500mm above the gutter with an anti-downdraught cowl.
The stove was fitted with a direct external air supply rather than a room vent, drawing fresh combustion air straight from outside. That reduces draughts in the room and gives a cleaner, more efficient burn, which is exactly what modern, well-insulated homes and extensions need under current Building Regulations.
"A cleaner,
more efficient burn."
Before we started
Set out on the survey
The bare corner at survey, before the hearth was drawn out and cut.
Before cutting a thing, the corner and hearth were drawn out on the survey to make sure the stone wrapped the corner perfectly and left the correct non-combustible surface in front of the stove door, so it is both safe to use and fully compliant with HETAS rules and Building Regulations. We also arranged for our electrician to relocate the existing sockets and TV aerial away from the corner, then replastered to a smooth, paintable finish ready for the install.
The installation included a carbon monoxide detector and full HETAS registration, and the customer was given a free Goodechip starter pack to get going with the right fuel. The Poppy also has a reduced distance to combustibles, which is part of why it worked so well tucked into the corner.
"A seamless, made-to-measure finish."
The finished hearthThe thinking
A corner install that did not settle for standard
This Wetherby project is a reminder that a small stove can still need careful design. A corner position saves wall space and gives the room a clean focal point, but it also makes the hearth shape, flue route and nearby services more important. The Poppy stove suits the setting because it is compact, contemporary and able to work with a direct external air supply.
The bespoke granite hearth is the key visual detail. A standard corner hearth would have solved the regulation problem, but not the room problem. Cutting the Antique Leather granite to follow the patio door reveal makes the stove look designed into the architecture rather than dropped into the corner.
The route
External flue, direct air and tidy preparation
The published flue route shows why no-chimney stove work needs a proper survey. The pipe passes through a sealed insulated sleeve, uses an accessible tee for sweeping, bends around the soffit and gutter, and finishes above the gutter with an anti-downdraught cowl. Each of those choices is about serviceability as much as appearance.
In newer and better-insulated homes around Wetherby, a direct air connection can make real sense because the stove draws combustion air from outside rather than pulling it through the room. For a different twin-wall route, compare the Grewelthorpe Ivar 8, where the flue runs internally through the house.
Questions about this kind of job
Asked and answered
Why choose a corner stove instead of a fireplace chamber?
A corner stove can suit rooms where the chimney breast is absent, awkward or not the right focal point. The survey checks clearances, hearth shape and flue route before deciding whether it is the best answer.
What is a shaped granite hearth?
It is a hearth cut to the room rather than bought as a standard shape. Here the granite follows the patio door reveal, giving the stove the required non-combustible base without wasting floor space.
Why is a sweeping tee useful on an external flue?
It gives access for cleaning and maintenance where the twin-wall system turns outside the wall. Good flue design plans for future sweeping, not just first-day appearance.
Do Wetherby homes fall under Leeds smoke control rules?
Wetherby sits in the Leeds district, so smoke-control position is checked carefully by address. We specify suitable appliances and fuels where the rules apply.
HETAS Registration Number 2087
HETAS registered
Installed with care, certified with confidence
Carl self-certifies every installation and notifies Building Control on your behalf, so the work is signed off properly and your certificate of compliance is issued for your records.
- HETAS-registered installer
- Certificate of compliance issued
- Meets your home insurance
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