Can I use this?

[blacknoir]

I went to pick up a bunch of firebrick from a guy I found on craigslist only to find these. I didn't get them because I wasn't sure I could use them. I'm wondering if their usable for any part of a Pompeii oven or an outdoor fireplace??

Thanks,
Shay

[dmun]

Those are strictly house bricks. If you want to build your enclosure out of them, or corner trim quoining on a stucco enclosure, then by all means get them, if they are the right price, but not for anything with direct fire contact.

Ordinary bricks are often available for cheap or free: Masons often over order, and have them sitting around wasting space. Keep an eye on craigslist or freecycle, and don't hesitate to ask if you see someone with a pile in their yard.

[blacknoir]

??? The guy who's selling them swears they're firebrick that he got from a local school!

[Wookie]

These bricks may well have been fired in their production but good fire bricks should be solid. The whole point is to retain heat; bricks with holes would be significantly less efficient that solid fire bricks. I know people who have build ovens from household bricks and they work BUT; they don't work any where near as well as those ovens built with proper firebricks. I am confident that we are all looking for the total oven expereince which includes quick heat up, suitable high temp for Pizza and heat retention for a subsequent roast and maybe some bread. Then.... the next morning, enough residual heat for a full cooked breakfast of bacon, eggs etc etc. My oven can do all this because I used the best quality fire bricks (and insulation) I could find at the time. It might have cost a bit more to start with but I have never regretted it.

Good luck

[dmun]

The guy who's selling them swears they're firebrick

Can you imagine someone saying something that's not true on a craigslist listing? But seriously, I've never seen a firebrick with holes, and I've seen a lot of firebrick. There's no reason you couldn't make them with holes, but also, no reason why you would want to.
Not every brick made with beige clay is a firebrick.

[blacknoir]

well crap..