Wood Stove Clearance to Combustibles Guide

Safety Reference · Wood Stoves

The minimum distance between your stove and anything that can burn — walls, framing, trim, furniture. Pick your model below to see its required rear, side, and corner clearances. These are baseline figures with no protection added — a listed wall shield or double-wall connector pipe can reduce them.

REAR WALL SIDE WALL A B C FRONT / DOOR

Top-down view — select a model to scale the gaps

Your stove’s clearances will appear here.

How clearances work

Three numbers define a freestanding stove’s footprint of safety. Every value below is the manufacturer’s tested minimum with no protection added.

A Rear wall — stove back to the wall behind it
B Side wall — stove side to the nearest wall
C Corner — stove back corner when set at 45° into a corner
Heat shields change the math. A listed wall shield or a double-wall connector pipe can cut these distances substantially — often by half or more — by blocking radiant heat. The exact reduced figure is printed in each stove’s manual. If your wall is tight, a shield is usually cheaper than moving the wall.

Every wood stove, at a glance

Unreduced clearance to combustibles for all Drolet and Englander wood stoves we carry. Distances are stove-body to combustible surface. Always confirm against the installation manual for your exact unit and your local code — these are US values for standard installations.

Freestanding wood stoves — minimum clearance to combustibles
Model Rear (A) Side (B) Corner (C) Manual
Drolet Bistro 15" (381 mm) 15" (381 mm) 7.5" (191 mm) Manual PDF
Drolet Blackcomb II 13" (330 mm) 10" (254 mm) 12" (305 mm) Manual PDF
Drolet Columbia II 13" (330 mm) 10" (254 mm) 12" (305 mm) Manual PDF
Drolet Deco Alto 11" (279 mm) 22" (559 mm) 12" (305 mm) Manual PDF
Drolet Deco II 13" (330 mm) 15" (381 mm) 12" (305 mm) Manual PDF
Drolet Deco Nano 12" (305 mm) 18" (457 mm) 11" (279 mm) Manual PDF
Drolet Escape 1200 12" (305 mm) 18" (457 mm) 11" (279 mm) Manual PDF
Drolet Escape 1500 13" (330 mm) 10" (254 mm) 12" (305 mm) Manual PDF
Drolet Escape 1800 11" (279 mm) 16" (406 mm) 10" (254 mm) Manual PDF
Drolet Escape 2100 13" (330 mm) 14" (356 mm) 7 1/4" (184 mm) Manual PDF
Drolet Fox 12" (305 mm) 18" (457 mm) 11" (279 mm) Manual PDF
Drolet HT-3000 13" (330 mm) 14" (356 mm) 7 1/4" (184 mm) Manual PDF
Drolet Heritage 11" (279 mm) 22" (559 mm) 12" (305 mm) Manual PDF
Drolet Spark II 12" (305 mm) 18" (457 mm) 11" (279 mm) Manual PDF
Englander Blue Ridge 100 12" (305 mm) 18" (457 mm) 11" (279 mm) Manual PDF
Englander Blue Ridge 300L 11" (279 mm) 22" (559 mm) 12" (305 mm) Manual PDF
Englander Blue Ridge 300P 11" (279 mm) 22" (559 mm) 12" (305 mm) Manual PDF
Englander Blue Ridge 500 13 3/4" (349 mm) 22" (559 mm) 12" (305 mm) Manual PDF

Wood inserts are measured differently

An insert sits inside an existing masonry or factory-built fireplace, so it isn’t rated by rear/side/corner wall gaps. Instead the manual specifies clearances around the fireplace opening — to mantels, trim, and the facing above and beside the unit (dimensions F/G/H/I/Q). Check your insert’s manual against your fireplace before buying.

Wood inserts — fireplace-opening & mantel clearances
Model Opening / mantel dimensions Manual
Drolet Escape 1500-I F 16" (406 mm) · G 9" (229 mm) · H 27" (686 mm) · I 27" (686 mm) · Q 84" (213 cm) Manual PDF
Drolet Escape 1800-I F 16" (406 mm) · G 9" (229 mm) · H 27" (686 mm) · I 27" (686 mm) · Q 84" (213 cm) Manual PDF
Englander Blue Ridge 150-I F 16" (406 mm) · I 34" (864 mm) · Q 72" (183 cm) · J 19" (483 mm) Manual PDF
Englander Blue Ridge 300-I F 16" (406 mm) · G 9" (229 mm) · H 27" (686 mm) · I 27" (686 mm) · Q 84" (213 cm) Manual PDF
Englander Blue Ridge 500-I F 19" (483 mm) · G 9" (229 mm) · H 27" (686 mm) · I 27" (686 mm) · Q 84" (213 cm) Manual PDF

Stove not listed here?

For any unlisted solid-fuel room heater, NFPA 211 sets a default of 36 inches from any combustible surface in every direction, reducible only with a listed and properly installed protection assembly. This is a fallback, not a substitute — a stove’s own listed clearances on its nameplate and in its manual always govern. When in doubt, the larger distance wins.

This guide is a reference, not an install certificate. Final clearances depend on your specific unit, connector type, wall construction, and local code or AHJ. Verify every number against the manufacturer’s manual (linked above) and your local building authority before installing.
StoveSource · Clearance figures transcribed from current Drolet (SBI) and Englander owner/installation manuals. Pellet stove and additional brands added as our catalog expands.