Replacing a Rope Seal on your Stove Door and Glass

Why Does my Stove Have a Rope Seal?

It is a common misconception that a newly installed stove should be 100% airtight and although this is a near impossibility due to the nature of cast iron and steel, securing a rope seal along the interior edge of the stove door and glass will get you as close as possible.

This seal (or gasket) prevents the wood burner from drawing too much air into the firebox, over-firing your stove and/or blackening the glass.

Some European brands will have a gap at the top of the door where the seal is not complete. This gap has to remain as part of the air wash system for these stoves.

What Rope Should I Use?

The rope seals supplied by Glowing Embers are manufactured from a soft-weave fibre-glass with a heat resistance of up to 1200°C, making them safe for any and all closed heating appliances and flue systems.

When Should I Replace My Rope Seals?

We recommend replacing (or at the very least inspecting) your rope seals annually. Have you noticed your stove is drawing more fiercely than it once did or the glass seems to have tar deposits forming quickly? This is a sign your seals need addressing.

How Do I Replace Rope Seals?

Your stove manual should give you the diameter of stove rope to enable you to purchase the correct size for your stove. If you do not have your stove manual, you can check with the stove manufacturer as to the diameter that you will need to do the job. Don’t guess this size! -  if the diameter is too small it will not effect a proper seal and if it is too large it may damage the door or hinges when it is closed.

If possible remove the door from the stove and place on a flat surface, remembering to protect the glass from scratching. Remove the old rope and ensure all remnants of adhesive have been removed by using wire wool or a steel brush. Place the new rope into the groove in the door without stretching or bunching, allow 2-3mm for adjustment and then cut to size. Ensure the ends are cut at a 90° angle.

Apply the adhesive into the channel and then place the stove rope on top.  Secure the rope into place with tape or pegs (for example) for a full 24 hours to allow the adhesive to cure sufficiently. The application of some heat can quicken the process.

Glowing Embers supplies rope seals by the metre, by the drum or in a handy 2m + Adhesive kit in all diameters from 3mm to 25mm...

Leading brand heat resistant adhesives can be purchased in 30ml, 100ml or 125ml bottles...

22nd June 2017

Comments

Capt. Edwin Saldanha says:
5th February 2018 at 9:56 am
Nice Informative article, I really liked this article.. Thank You

Joseph Collins says:
19th February 2018 at 11:28 am
Wil fire cemt brake the glass in the door of my stove door

Andrew Shuttleworth says:
3rd January 2019 at 2:13 pm
We would advise the use of Vitcas Heat Resistant Adhesive for applications concerning the sealing of rope seals on the glass of a stove only

Insulation kit Gaskets says:
30th July 2018 at 10:09 am
A very good read! I would suggest replacing Flange insulation gasket kits because they can withstand high amount of temperature and pressure.

James Waters says:
19th February 2019 at 2:15 pm
I recently replaced my rope seal…. it is uniform and sealing tight but the glass is getting blacker.. and the wood is very seasoned… I don’t know what to do next does anybody have any suggestions?

Andrew Shuttleworth says:
26th July 2019 at 3:38 pm
There could be a few reasons why the glass is blackening; unsuitable fuel (just double check the moisture content of your wood with a moisture meter https://www.glowing-embers.co.uk/StoveAccessories/MoistureMeters/WoollyMammothMoistureMeter), not enough air is being drawn into the stove or the draw is not sufficient to exhaust the smoke and fumes.

Les Sugden says:
25th April 2019 at 3:30 pm
I recently replaced gasket rope on my multi fuel burners door. I now find there a gap around most of the doors edge. And it seems to draw the fire quite a lot. It’s the rope that was advised for the burner. Can anyone advise please?

T ANDERSON says:
14th August 2019 at 6:39 pm
so read my instruction book for my Henley Elcombe 5 kw stove it does not tell you what size diameter rope seal is for the door just tells you how to change does any body know

Andrew Shuttleworth says:
2nd September 2019 at 3:53 pm
I would advise simply measuring the width and depth of the grove in which your rope sits to ascertain the diameter required. Be aware not to oversize the rope however as this may lead to the door not closing sufficiently.

Maitreya says:
27th November 2019 at 5:43 am
Does the stove have to be cold to do this? It’s winter and the seal just fell off, but the stove is my only heat in yurt.

Andrew Shuttleworth says:
27th November 2019 at 10:31 am
To succesfully replace your rope seals, you should ideally be removing the door to lay it onto a flat surface and so the stove would not be in operation. Once the rope and adhesive are held in place and the door replaced, the introduction of gentle heat will speed up the curing process for the glue.

Andrew Shuttleworth says:
31st January 2020 at 10:23 am
Only in terms of safety and not burning your hands, would the stove need to be cold for this.

Jay says:
5th January 2020 at 11:23 am
My rope seal – new a few months ago and used very little – has come loose.will it be ok to re-glue rather thAn buy new? It’s an awkward size to find

Andrew Shuttleworth says:
31st January 2020 at 10:20 am
As long as the Rope Seal still looks intact to you (i.e. not too loose or fiberous) then simply re-sticking will be fine. It is always advisable to replace your rope seals annually anyway so this is a job you will be doing repeatedly

Paul durrant says:
7th March 2020 at 7:51 am
I’ve had my rope seal replaced and there is now a woody smell that was not there before.

Andrew Shuttleworth says:
7th April 2020 at 2:07 pm
If burning wood, then a wood smell is to be expected (and enjoyed!) but if this is stronger than previously, it is just a case that the replacement rope is not creating the same seal as previously. This is often the case as manufacturer’s rope is replaceed by universal rope seals.

Peter says:
26th March 2020 at 8:11 am
Hi can someone tell me how to find the correct diameter off stove rope to use. I do not have a manual. Many thanks

Andrew Shuttleworth says:
30th March 2020 at 1:33 pm
To determine the diameter of the stove rope you require, I would recommend measuring the width/depth of your existing rope whilst it is relaxed. Please bear in mind that the new rope, when stretched/pulled will contract, creating a thinner diameter.

Lee hughes says:
23rd April 2020 at 8:03 pm
I have a broseley silverdale 5 and recently noticed a gap around top half of door. I can see light from the gap from lit fire is this safe.There is no smell and my c02 alarm not triggered ect but the gap wasnt there before im sure.

Andrew Shuttleworth says:
24th April 2020 at 8:08 am
The first thing to check is has the rope seal in this area come loose and possibly fallen away, leaving the gap? If so, simply replace the rope. However, if the door has physically come away from the body of the stove, this is typically an indicator of warping as a result of the stove being run too hot (most commonly caused by too much fuel being combusted at any given time or the incorrect fuel being used). Although not ideal, it would seem you have a sufficient and effective draw pulling all smoke and gases up through the flue system and so nothing is escaping from the fire box and into your room. Ongoing problems could be the excessive volume of air drawn through this gap could cause the stove to be over-fired which will only heighten the problem. Is it possible to purchase a diameter of new rope seals, large enough to fill this gap?

Darren Devey says:
30th September 2021 at 7:02 pm
I have a penguin multifuel stove and have just replaced the ropeseal with one i found on ebay.. having just used it for the first time since replacement it seems to be burning too fast and not as controllable as before.. I have both vents closed off fully and still burning fast.. any suggestions??

Andrew Shuttleworth says:
6th October 2021 at 12:40 pm
Unfortunately, when replacing rope seals you tend to be removing the manufacturer’s recommended gasket with a universal product which could vary in a few ways (i.e. soft weave vs braided, round Vs flat rope). If you find you are experiencing a lack of control, that could suggest the rope you have purchased is smaller in diameter than was previously there thus allowing more air to be pulled into the fire chamber. Or it’s a looser weave with more ‘give’ to it. My advice would be to try the next size or two up in diameter of rope and if that fails, is there the option to install a short damper section of pipe at the base of the flue system?

Scott Allen says:
18th October 2021 at 8:35 pm
Iv just had a stove fitted recently but not had it lit until now. On our first time lighting the fire the rope has now come out of the door. Should I just push it back into the grove or dose it need to be glued in. Should I complain to the fitter or is this normal for the rope to come out so soon or even at all

Andrew Shuttleworth says:
19th October 2021 at 4:13 pm
The problem is, you don’t know how long ago the stove was manufactured and so that rope could have been in there for months and it is just unfortunate it has fallen out when new to you. It’s an easy fix though (and something you should be doing annually), the rope is typically held in place with heat resistant adhesive (available here http://www.glowing-embers.co.uk/stove-accessories-stove-fire-rope-and-adhesive-c-160_193) and just needs clamping in place until fully cured.

A .jennings says:
13th November 2022 at 11:49 am
I have a Woodwarm wood burner. I have just replaced the fire retardant strip on one of the two pieces of glass it comes with, but how should I replace them back in the fire?

Andrew Shuttleworth says:
14th November 2022 at 11:51 am
Unfortunately, this is not a stove that we sell and therefore we wouldn’t be able to state how to securely and correctly reinstall the glass. We advise that you seek this information direct from the stove manufacturer or a current supplier.

David. Wright says:
13th January 2023 at 7:51 pm
Hi I have replaced my door glass and rope but the door won’t lock with the catch, I figure it’s because the rope is thicker (the old one was flat due to use). Is there an easy way to adjust the door hinges or catch so it shuts please? It’s a Stockton 5

Andrew Shuttleworth says:
16th January 2023 at 11:27 am
Are you sure that the rope you have used is the correct size to what the stove requires? I wouldn’t advise adjusting the door hinges or the catch as you risk voiding your stove warranty or allowing too much air into the stove. You can also purchase flat rope which may be better suited to this model.

David Mann says:
24th February 2023 at 7:37 pm
What size and thickness door rope for heta inspire 55

Andrew Shuttleworth says:
28th February 2023 at 5:09 pm
Unfortunately we do not store details of the varying rope sizes required for the stoves I’m afraid, although we are working on compiling a database of these. We advise checking your stove’s manual for accurate information or if you do not have this to hand, I would recommend measuring the current rope in use and cross referencing that against the width and the depth of the gap that the rope sits in to ascertain the diameter required.