Firebricks in Britain

[aeu99217]

Hi,

As many others have commented on this forum, finding materials in Britain at a reasonable price can be quite difficult. I've found this site

Fire Bricks | Firebricks | Fire Bricks to Build Pizza Oven

They sell fire bricks at 50p each, but they are smaller bricks than the ones recommended on the Pompei plans. The dimensions are 50 x 115 x 65 (mm), and the ones on the plans are 228 x 114 x 63 (mm).

Could any experienced builders offer an opinion on how many of these would be needed?

I have also managed to source some old pressed reds from a internal tenement wall (built around 1900), would these be ok to use?

Lastly, as the floor of the oven, would it be ok to use floor tiles?

I know it is best to use firebricks for all of the above, but they are really expensive and I'm building on a budget

Thanks for any help and replies in advance.

Cheers Ross

[dmun]

They sell fire bricks at 50p each, but they are smaller bricks than the ones recommended on the Pompei plans. The dimensions are 50 x 115 x 65 (mm), and the ones on the plans are 228 x 114 x 63 (mm).

Could any experienced builders offer an opinion on how many of these would be needed?

Thats 2 x 4.5 x 2.5 in inches. Since they are less than a third of a brick, you would have to multiply the recommended number of bricks by at least three. At least you wouldn't have to cut them in half.

I have also managed to source some old pressed reds from a internal tenement wall (built around 1900), would these be ok to use?

Some of our Australian builders have used pressed reds. The test is whether the brick is hard enough to break cleanly when hit with a hammer, instead of crumbling. Avoid any brick with holes.

Lastly, as the floor of the oven, would it be ok to use floor tiles?

No. They are too thin and not up to the thermal and mechanical shock the floor is subject to. If you can't spring for firebrick for the floor, used your pressed reds here as well.

[aeu99217]

Excellent, thanks for the reply

[black olive]

Ive asked a similar question.
kilnlinings.co.uk do the full range of bricks and ceramic board and blanket.

Ive been speaking to a brick supplier today, and he has suggested using staffordshire blue engineering bricks, which are a clay brick fired at extremely high temperature. Used for below ground work, drainage, and railway bridges etc due to their high compressive strength and low porosity Wickes do them for 85 pence each.

spec here

Ibstock Brick - Staffordshire Blue Brindle Dragface

what do the experts think ??

[black olive]

further thoughts, having had a further look at kinlinings website, a proper firebrick isnt much more expensive than a staffordshire blue, and will more than offset the diffenece in ease of cutting, I reckon the blue bricks will be like iron.

[tallkenny]

I got a price of £1.10 from Central Refactories in Stirling.
They'll get you mortar and blankets etc also

regards,
Kenny

[aeu99217]

Hi folks,

Thanks for the comments. I'm picking up more pressed reds from gumtree from the westend tonight for free. Not tested the ones i've already got though, going to do that tonight. Cant really afford to spend £200 plus on bricks. The Leader of the Opposition is already a little miffed cause we've got a little one on the way for July. So need to get building soon

[black olive]

Im still wavering between reds and firebrick.

may just use new forebrick for the floor then there are no gaps.

Went taking the daughter to look at a pony for loan last night and in the stable yard was a large stack of old reds. will do some more sniffing next time I take her.

[aeu99217]

Hi Steve,

I suppose it depends where you live and what type of houses are built in the local area, but I've managed to get all my bricks free off gumtree. About once a month somebody posts that they've taken down an inside wall in an old tenement and are looking to get rid of the bricks.

Good luck with the hunt

[turkey]

Good to see some fellow UKers

I have some yellow stocks and also some modern yellow stock replacements which are sandy yellow with black specks. I will have to smash test one of the modern ones to see if they are any good, otherwise its looking for some of these pressed reds.

What sort of ovens are you guys thinking of making? I have some what limited space so am leaning to towards a long thin oven, possibly like an adobe oven. Seems quite hard to find desins other than pompeii atm. Plenty of reading still to do