building outdoor smoker/grill. Any help? Outdoor Fireplace Design Discuss building outdoor smoker/grill. Any help? in the Outdoor Kitchens and Living Rooms forums; I am planning to build an out door smoker and grill at my new home. I plan on building it ...

[john_flintosh]

I am planning to build an out door smoker and grill at my new home. I plan on building it in a round form, kind of looking like an old New England well. I plan on having a door (and vent) on the bottom, near the ground to feed in the fuel and then have the option to "top load" grates filled with food, then some sort of lid.
Question: Should I build with firebrick or water struck brick?
I don't plan on having the temp up too high 800 at most (I think).'

I don't know much in this field, so I will be looking for plenty of help.
Thanks.

[dmun]

You learn something every day:

Soft-Mud Brick: Brick produced by molding relatively wet clay (20 to 30 percent moisture). Often a hand process. When insides of molds are sanded to prevent sticking of clay, the product is sand-struck brick. When molds are wetted to prevent sticking, the product is water-struck brick.

I've never hear of these bricks. Can you tell us more? Got a picture?

[john_flintosh]

What were the bricks you haven't heard of? The firebricks? I will try to find some more info/pictures of them. All I know off the top of my head is that they are used in high temp ovens/furnaces. Not sure if they contain chemicals that you shouldn't expose to food.

[dmun]

We're pretty familiar with firebricks in all their variations. They are not hazardous unless they have been salvaged from operations that involve heavy metals like smelters.

Water-struck brick is the term I'd never heard of before.

[adman2u]

Originally Posted by john_flintosh

I am planning to build an out door smoker and grill at my new home. I plan on building it in a round form, kind of looking like an old New England well. I plan on having a door (and vent) on the bottom, near the ground to feed in the fuel and then have the option to "top load" grates filled with food, then some sort of lid.
Question: Should I build with firebrick or water struck brick?
I don't plan on having the temp up too high 800 at most (I think).'

I don't know much in this field, so I will be looking for plenty of help.
Thanks.

I just did this see my photos in gallery adman2u / I have grilled with fantastic success burned what I smoked (first time) and have not baked more than potato. / My unit transfers heat very well and I'm not used to it. My old smoker took tons of wood and didn't burn anything. Its too hot in FL to bake anything outside right now. / As a bonus I suppose I could use the unit as a fireplace too.