Low vs. Medium Duty Firebrick Getting Started Discuss Low vs. Medium Duty Firebrick in the Pizza Oven Design and Installation forums; I'm using medium duty firebricks for my construction. I am curious how an oven built with low duty bricks will ...

[Ken524]

I'm using medium duty firebricks for my construction.

I am curious how an oven built with low duty bricks will perform compared to one made with medium duty bricks. Will the medium duty take longer to heat up? Will it get hotter with a given amount of fuel? Retain heat longer? Will the pizza taste better due to the higher cost of the brick ?

Thoughts? Theories?
Thanks!

[dmun]

Medium duty firebrick is engineered to withstand higher temperatures, and perhaps more thermal cycling. It might make your oven last longer, but I don't think it will have any detectable difference in performance at oven temps. When you get into the high duty bricks, I think they are harder to cut, but memebers have used medium duty bricks without problems.

[nissanneill]

Hi Dmun,
I think it a high duty brick (it was a hell of a lot heavier than all the others) and cutting it with a wet 14" diamond commercial brick saw was like cutting through a solid block of steel. The brick was a very dark almostcharcoal in colour. Didn't use it or them (got a half dozen in the batch of 200 bricks that I bought), but might come in handy for later constructions.

Neill

[Ken524]

I've noticed that my medium duties cut about the same as standard house bricks (which is pretty easy with the HF saw and diamond blade).

Thanks for the responses guys!

[plowry]

How do you tell the difference between a low duty, medium and high duty brick? I am going to look at some but the sellers don't know what type they are, only that they were used for a short while in a kiln.
Thanks, Paul.

[SpringJim]

Good question Paul....when you have a pile of firebrick it can be hard to tell them apart.

Some have brand names on them so you might be able to research. Also the type of use is an indication. I picked up a lot of used brick from a ceramics/pottery school so I think I have a medium duty brick mixture....but how to know for sure??

[SpringJim]

Originally Posted by dmun

Medium duty firebrick is engineered to withstand higher temperatures, and perhaps more thermal cycling. It might make your oven last longer, but I don't think it will have any detectable difference in performance at oven temps. When you get into the high duty bricks, I think they are harder to cut, but memebers have used medium duty bricks without problems.

David, I thought I caught a discussion here? about the higher duty firebricks getting hotter??? maybe just because of higher density??

Any comments?

And Ken, will the pizza taste better because the bricks were free? (are you cooking now by the way?)

[Ken524]

Originally Posted by SpringJim

And Ken, will the pizza taste better because the bricks were free? (are you cooking now by the way?)

Free bricks definitely make cheaper pizza, I don't know about taste, though .

Yep, we've been cooking for a few months now. The Pompeii has far exceeded the expectations of everyone in my family, extended family, inlaws, freinds and myself!

[mfiore]

The folks at my local brick yard can get "regular firebrick". They have no idea if it is low duty or medium duty. I seem to be facing this everywhere I call. You should see the response when I ask them to get me HeatStop 50 (rather than the premixed heatstop in tubs).

Frustrating

[PizzaJNKY]

I had the same problem when I bought my firebrick. I had to call the manufacturer to find out what type of firebrick they sell to the particular brick yard I was at.