Optimal hearth surface material for high heat? Pompeii Oven Construction Discuss Optimal hearth surface material for high heat? in the Pizza Oven Design and Installation forums; I'm looking for the optimal hearth firebrick or slab material for high heat pizza baking. At 900F+, Fibrament (thermal conductivity ...

[scpizza]

I'm looking for the optimal hearth firebrick or slab material for high heat pizza baking.

At 900F+, Fibrament (thermal conductivity of ~0.8 W/mK) burns the bottoms before the top is done. K23 insulating firebrick (thermal conductivity of ~0.2 W/mK) leaves the bottoms underdone, and also is dusty and crumbly.

I haven't tested them, but standard duty firebricks all have thermal conductivity >1 so it would seem they would also burn bottoms at 900F+.

I believe I need a food safe material between 0.2 and 0.8 W/mK that could handle abrasion from a pizza peel.

Terra cotta is one potential material with thermal conductivity in that range. I was also wondering if the higher density insulating firebricks like K32 at ~0.5 W/mK would work.

[DrakeRemoray]

Most of us use standard duty firebrick. If you want the "best" overall, you should probably consider a refractory italian oven imported by forno bravo. The Italians know what works for pizza...