Help ASAP please Firebrick Heatstop 50 Tools, Tips and Techniques Discuss Help ASAP please Firebrick Heatstop 50 in the Pizza Oven Design and Installation forums; Hello all... I have not yet embarked on my oven. I am in the proccess of finishing a fire pit ...

[BeanAnimal]

Hello all...

I have not yet embarked on my oven. I am in the proccess of finishing a fire pit on my patio. I have a pile of used yellow fire brick that I wish to line the structure with. I have purchased Heatstop 50 refractory mortar and would like to get this project finished this evening... that sooner it is done, the sooner I can start on the real project! Two and a half quick questions.

1) Do I need to soak the used firebrick before applying the refractory mortar? (if so, how long, etc) I seem to find a lot of contradictory information on the web.

2) Will standard yellow firebrick handle the elements well, or should the fire pit be covered to prevent the firebrick from soaking up water when not in use? Again, I have read a lot of contradictory information. Some saying it will spall like popcorn if it (the fire brick) is damp when the fire pit is used. Other sources appear to indicate that it should be fine all-weather.

2.5) Is there an issue reusing firebrick that may be decades old?

[mfiore]

In general, the firebrick should be protected from the environment.

I would suggest soaking the bricks when mortaring. I soaked them until they stopped bubbling. If they are too dry, they will suck the moisture from the heatstop mortar and make the mortar too dry. This, in my opinion, can weaken the joint.

It will be important to keep the brick dry and protected. When the build is done, you gradually heat up the fires to dry the brick out. You don't want a blasting fire to suddenly turn that trapped water into steam. This will crack the brick. Once it's dry, keep it dry, or it will not perform well. Winter freezes could predispose them to cracks as well.

Good luck

[BeanAnimal]

Thank you for the reply.

I suppose I will build a cover for the project to keep as much moisture out as possible. I just purchased the HF 10" wet saw.. I plan on beveling both sides of the wall brick to keep the mortar joints as thin as possible. I guess it will be good practice for the Pizza Oven that I have planned.