Alex’s Pizza Kitchen (APK) build, Central Coast, NSW Australia

[Bert]

Alternative to firebricks????

I have sourced a possible brick to use as an alternate to firebricks, given they are so expensive here in OZ ($4+). They are a pressed clay that come in an assortment of colours, they are fired to between 1200 and 1500 degrees Celsius with no Portland cement or gravel. The suppliers have sold them to fireplace builders before, as they actually sell fireplaces and word stoves…now I know where to purchase my flue from.

I’ll post some photos of the brick but they appear to have no gravel or cement and what looks like a petrified terracotta or clay. They also split like a breeze which will save my lungs a bit.

I would be interested to get some feedback from people who have used home brew and clay bricks as an alternate to the more expensive products?

Cheers

Bert

[brickie in oz]

Solid pressed bricks are fine for on oven or fireplace situation, they are more prone to thermal shock and will crack where as fire bricks tend not to crack as easy.

Even cracked they will still perform well enough.

[Bert]

Heres some pictures of the brick I plan on using. i also plan on using them for the insulation layer and the floor layer. They have nice straight edges.

Bert

[brickie in oz]

Originally Posted by Bert

i also plan on using them for the insulation layer and the floor layer.

They will be useless for insulation all they will do is add more thermal mass.

[Bert]

Originally Posted by brickie in oz

They will be useless for insulation all they will do is add more thermal mass.

Thanks Brickie in Oz.

Bert

[Bert]

Hi Folks

I need to buy some besa blocks for a retaining wall and was thinking od using 390*140*190 for the WFO base, they come 144 on a pallet.

I remember reading on the forum that using a 150mm block was okay but cannot locate it now. I was going to run a centre wall as well.

Can I get away with not using 200mm deep blocks?

[cobblerdave]

Dear Bert
Yep why not use the 150mm block especially if you are planning a center wall. I have a center 1/2 block pillar (just in case). Please don't forget to core fill at least every secound Hole in the block as well for strenght . Again over kill... I filled every secound one first then ran a row of bricks around the top to contain my slab, Ran the steel down the remaining holes which were then core filled as I poured the slab. That puppy an't going to fall down in my lifetime

On Insulation...your brick is the mass in the oven that stores the heat from the fire the insulation goes on the other side of this to stop this heat from leaking away. If you have read the Jeavens book on ovens it probable talks about ovens which are a lot larger than a backyard oven and have a fire full time to keep the heat in the large thermal mass. If you dont insulate under the hearth bricks your going to be using a lot of wood to heat up the slab underneath and not your tucker in the oven

Regards Dave

[lwood]

"I have sourced a possible brick to use as an alternate to firebricks, given they are so expensive here in OZ ($4+). They are a pressed clay that come in an assortment of colours, they are fired to between 1200 and 1500 degrees Celsius with no Portland cement or gravel."

Let's see those firebrick Bert. I used pressed red-clay brick in my oven and yours sound like a lot better quality than mine. Red-clay bricks work just fine but are softer than the standard firebrick and will crack...I can attest to that. But I actually like the feel of them and look of them. They are kinda rounded on the edges and uneven now and looks and feels more old-world. Like I was cooking in 1,000 year-old oven....if you like that sort of thing.

Yours are fired at a much higher temperature than mine, I think mine were sun baked. But a year later they are doing just fine. I found one cracked brick and they are easily replaced.