Hearth insulation with brick?

[asudavew]

O.K. I understand the importance of hearth insulation. Actually I understand the importance of insulation all around the oven! INSULATE, INSULATE, INSULATE, INSULATE!

See.... I have been doing my homework. But I have a question.

I used to do pottery. (Which I've been meaning to get back to..) and during the firing of pots the kiln would reach temps of about 2300 degrees, more or less. The firing took place in a brick kiln. Now in this kiln there were a few "peepholes." To plug these peep holes during firing a piece of a high-refractory brick was used. When I wanted to take a peek I just pulled it out. The cool thing was I could use an unprotected hand to do it. So one side of the brick was 2000 degrees or more, but the other was cool as a cucumber.

So my question is, wouldn't the same type of bricks make a heck of a good insulating hearth compared to perlite/concrete?

Could I not embed the bricks in the hearth for better insulating qualities?


Thanks in advance for the input!

[wlively]

Originally Posted by asudavew

So one side of the brick was 2000 degrees or more, but the other was cool as a cucumber.

So my question is, wouldn't the same type of bricks make a heck of a good insulating hearth compared to perlite/concrete?

Could I not embed the bricks in the hearth for better insulating qualities?


Thanks in advance for the input!

That sounds like the perfect description of an insulator. A very good insulator, so yes.

[DrakeRemoray]

Those insulating bricks may be more expensive and harder to find than the perlite or the cal-sil boards...

[dmun]

I think you'll find that insulating brick has about the same insulation value as vermiculite concrete, so you would have to do two layers under the cooking floor (or one layer on edge) to get the same insulation as two inches of cal-sil.