Source for Insulating Firebricks

D

dmprantz

is Blowin Smoke!
Joined
Jan 11, 2008
Messages
1,767
Reaction score
454
Points
0
Location
Nashville
Does any one know of a good source for insulating firebricks? Looking for ones that are food safe first and foremost. Effective, inexpensive, and light are a bonus too. IFB seems to have a lot of options, but I'm not sure which if any of those are going to leach toxic or noxious fumes into my food. Any other ideas for inside the pit insulation?

Thanks,

dmp
 
Your local brick store (building materials) or fireplace store might be a good source. Inexpensive may be a problem but if you don't need many, try one of those places. Good luck.
 
I got the ones for the BSKD at Lowes, out in the garden section, waaaaaay up high on a storage rack was 1 pallet of them. Had to cut them in half.
 
I'll check out Lowe's tomorow. No Menards close by anymore I don't think. Just to be sure, are y'all talking about insulating firebrick? those tend to me much lighter and insulate rather than absorb heat.

dmp
 
dmprantz said:
I've got a box of those too, but I was under the impression that they are design to absorb heat, not insulate against it.

dmp
Click to expand...



Thats what I wanted. Like a pizza stone in an oven. They will absorb the heat, hold it in and help to regulate the temp in the smoker.
 
dmprantz said:
I've got a box of those too, but I was under the impression that they are design to absorb heat, not insulate against it.
Click to expand...

I think the OP was talking more about a heat sink application than an insulation application since he mentions it is for "inside the pit". Insulation would be more like something outside the smoking chamber to protect it from cold and wind. So technically you are right, but my guess is he is looking for heat absorbition.
 
If I recall correctly, I was the OP, and I was specifically asking for insulation in the pit, not a heat sink. Thanks RedWingsFan, I'm just looking for something else. Heat absorption/heat sink is one way to go, and makes sense if you're trying to regulate and even out the heat inside the pit. Just like thick metal though, it takes more fuel to raise the temperature of that heat sink and then to keep it there. Insulating fire bricks, it appears to me, would still allow the heat to be even, but would not require as much fuel to get and keep it there. Compare a "traditional" 1/4" steel offset to a more modern insulated box like BWS, SW, or even FEC. Those pits are insulated and manage to keep a regulated temp still.

dmp
 
btw, those are too thick for my application anyway:( Looks like I may be calling IFB next week and asking them about food safety. Any one know if Aluminum Oxide, Silicone Dioxide, or Iron Oxide leach? They all sound safe to me...Aluminum, sand, and cast iron/rust. Have to see what else is in them. I think it's the silica that insulates them.

dmp
 
Look in your yellow pages for Brick or Brick Yards call and ask if they sell firebricks. "Slats" are 4 by 9 inch and about 1.5 inches thick should cost about $1.25 each. In Denver, only one Brick Yard had them.
 

Attachments

  • fireboxsplits.jpg
    fireboxsplits.jpg
    29 KB · Views: 183
They cut really easily with a masonry blade and throw up A LOT of dust. I put them in a BSKD to insulate but only got two burns in it before I got the Marshall and sold the BSKD so I cant really say as to how they worked.

Swamprb got some for his Bandera from Ace and they were thin so no cutting
 
dmprantz said:
If I recall correctly, I was the OP, and I was specifically asking for insulation in the pit, not a heat sink. Thanks RedWingsFan, I'm just looking for something else. Heat absorption/heat sink is one way to go, and makes sense if you're trying to regulate and even out the heat inside the pit. Just like thick metal though, it takes more fuel to raise the temperature of that heat sink and then to keep it there. Insulating fire bricks, it appears to me, would still allow the heat to be even, but would not require as much fuel to get and keep it there. Compare a "traditional" 1/4" steel offset to a more modern insulated box like BWS, SW, or even FEC. Those pits are insulated and manage to keep a regulated temp still.

dmp
Click to expand...

I believe you are looking for Haydite blocks. I've seen them in patio block form which is 1 5/8" x 7 5/8" x 15 5/8". Available from a concrete block manufacturer. Light weight and easy to cut with a concrete saw blade in your circular saw, or even a hammer and brick chisel. Here is a snip from a google search for Haydite. I'm not sure about the chemical properties as far as out gassing at elevated temperatures.

Fire Resistance
The lightweight vitreous nature of Haydite aggregate imparts excellent fire resistive properties to Haydite masonry units. These units are rated for 2, 3 and 4 hour fire resistance periods . These ratings are based on factors such as face shell thickness, equivalent thickness, and cement-aggregate ratio.

The heat resisting properties of Haydite are being constantly demonstrated through the use of Haydite refractory concrete at service temperatures up to 2000oF. in blast furnace downcomers, coke oven floors, jet engines test cells, etc.
 
dmprantz said:
If I recall correctly, I was the OP, and I was specifically asking for insulation in the pit, not a heat sink.
dmp
Click to expand...

I thought you meant inside the firebox when I first read the post, which would make it a heat sink. My bad.
 
Thought I'd also post an update here for those in search of fire bricks. This is the fire brick I used from H.T. Muddox:

http://www.hcmuddox.com/fireplace_products/1_1_4_fire_brick.html

They appear to have nationwide dealers:

http://www.hcmuddox.com/distributors.html

I picked these up from Peninsula Building Materials in Redwood City, CA for about $1.16/brick:

http://www.pbm1923.com/

From what I remember when I called H.T. Muddox, these firebricks are used to build outdoor ovens, and are supposed to withstand 1600-1800*F

Hope this helps....
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

D
Help w/ Estimates for Food for 125 ppl
Replies
6
Views
798
PGarSD
P
rwalters
Pellet Cookers 101 - Part One
Replies
0
Views
557
rwalters
rwalters
H
Running out of cold days, time to cold smoke some cheese
Replies
3
Views
239
Titch
Titch
C
Custom Smoker Build for Installation Piece
Replies
0
Views
750
'Cue_Queue
C
motoeric
Bbq story
Replies
14
Views
1K
oldgfbbq
O
Back
Top