Fireclay Tools, Tips and Techniques Discuss Fireclay in the Pizza Oven Design and Installation forums; What can be substituted for fireclay? If it is in part for leveling and setting purposes couldn't refractory cement and ...

[mrgweeto]

What can be substituted for fireclay? If it is in part for leveling and setting purposes couldn't refractory cement and sand do the same thing? Troweled on with a notched trowel with the firebrick being treated just as you would tile except they would be butt together tight. Looking to start my floor this week and would love to clear this matter up.
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[dmun]

Refractory cement? Most refractory cements (castables, mortars, etc) are prepared, usually dry, mixes, and have their aggregates already in them. No need to mix with sand, if you choose to go this route. You can also use this mix dry, and wet the floor after you have it set it to your satisfaction.

The actual active ingredient in refractory mortars, calcium aluminate, is hard to work with, and requires both lime and fireclay in addition to sand. I don't recommend this mix.

[mfiore]

Have you had the opportunity to cut any firebrick yet? If you are using a wet saw, and cut all your bricks in half in advance, the slurry you end up dredging out of the bottom of the water tray is essentially fireclay.

[mrgweeto]

Good info. I should have said refractory mortar and not cement. this would work well as a leveling agent, wouldn't it?
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[dmun]

Good info. I should have said refractory mortar and not cement. this would work well as a leveling agent, wouldn't it?

Yes, it works fine, it's just a lot more expensive than fireclay/sand. If your vermiculite concrete is pretty level, and you're not using fireclay in homebrew mortar, it may not pay to buy a bag of fireclay.

[mrgweeto]

It is pretty level. How about a bed of sand?
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