fire bricks vs red bricks


 
Linda

Linda

TVWBB Fan
I've read that it's not a good idea to use red bricks in a kettle because they may explode due to residual moisture content. I may be confused, but if red clay bricks are kiln fired, wouldn't that take care of any moisture in the brick? But in any case, I'm a total noobie to smoking, so could there be another reason for using fire bricks that I'm just plain missing?
 
Welcome to the forum Linda.

I use red brick pavers in my kettle all the time and have never had a problem. Theyre not fire bricks. I bought them at Lowes for $0.59 each. I'm really not sure what the difference is between them and "fire bricks" and don't really know if it matters or not.
 
Well i started out using standard "reds" But i read somewere that they can release bad gas when they get hot. So i changed to fire bricks.

Dont really know the fact behind this. But then again better to be safe then...
icon_cool.gif
 
I use two gray paver bricks, left over from a garbage can platform project. Bought @ HD for .29 each on sale. I double wrap them in heavy duty foil and have never had a problem.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Jim H.:
I use two gray paver bricks, left over from a garbage can platform project. Bought @ HD for .29 each on sale. I double wrap them in heavy duty foil and have never had a problem. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

If they are Portland cement based pavers they may actually crumble over time, especially with the added heat created by foiling them.
 
Linda.
Basically fire bricks are designed to take high temps, thermal shock, and direct contact with hot coals. Reds are not designed to do that, but some use them with no problems.
Here's some more info.

Tim
 
2) firebrick is a type of clay brick, not concrete, made using fireclay which is a type of clay that is fired at very high temperatures. Common red CLAY bricks and not concrete are also suitable for an oven, especially a small home oven which will not be used continuously like a commercial oven. For an oven made for heavy use all firebrick should be used.

From - http://www.thefreshloaf.com/no...icks-safe-brick-oven
 
Thank you all for the information! I really appreciate it! After reading the attachments and giving it some thought, I'm going with fire bricks just to be on the safe side. I don't want any potential nasty fumes or anything!
 
Wiki says:

A fire brick, firebrick, or refractory brick is a block of refractory ceramic material used in lining furnaces, kilns, fireboxes, and fireplaces. A refractory brick is built primarily to withstand high temperature, but will also usually have a low thermal conductivity for greater energy efficiency. Usually dense firebricks are used in applications with extreme mechanical, chemical, or thermal stresses, such as the inside of a wood-fired kiln or a furnace, which is subject to abrasion from wood, fluxing from ash or slag, and high temperatures. In other, less harsh situations, such as a natural gas fired kiln, more porous bricks are a better choice. They are weaker, but they are much lighter, easier to form, and insulate far better than dense bricks. In any case, firebricks should not spall under rapid temperature change, and their strength should hold up well during rapid temperature changes.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Bob Sample:
I like fire bricks because they are half the thickness of a regular brick. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>What you have are splits. Standard firebricks are actually slightly larger and thicker than common red bricks.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

 

Back
Top