 Re: When to cure?
This is a hotly debated question. I think the consensus is that putting the blanket on, but not the vermiculite concrete, before curing is the best plan. That way if some cracks develop in the drying process, you can lift the blanket and add some mortar on the outside. Also, an insulated brick is subject to less thermal shock than one that's exposed to cold air on the outside, this may reduce cracking as well.
Builders have done it both ways successfully. The main thing is go slowly. Building fires is way fun and the temptation is there to just throw some more wood on in the early part of the process. |