Concrete (screed) exploding grill - help needed

[rossgreenwood]

Hello all,
My name is Ross, from the not so sunny London, UK. I've just bought myself an argentinian grill and built an outdoor counter from self leveling compound, placing fire bricks on the top and then the grill. I tried it out yesterday and, after about an hour, the concrete 'exploded' scattering embers over the garden and me. Not exactly dynamite and left about. 1cm deep holes in the concrete under the firebricks. Full disclosure is that a) I only left it four days between pouring the concrete and trying the fire out b) I didn't exactly go easy on my first try, using lots of oak logs and really beastng the heat up. I was wondering if the problem could be the self levelling properties of the screed or if I just need to recast and leave it to dry longer/temper it somehow. Any advice out there very very welcome indeed. Unlike you lucky folk, we've only got about a month of sunny days left here (though I've never been adverse to winter bbq).

 

[bschoen]

You need to give the concrete at least a month to cure. Fresh concrete is full of trapped water which will turn to steam and there she blows.
Sweet looking cooker. Welcome to the asylum.

 

[4ever3]

If it wasn’t fire rated or refractory it will always pop.

Stunner of a grill!

 

[rossgreenwood]

Thank you, wish I could use it. So the screed I used was mapei Ultratop Industrial Self Levelling Floor Screed. Before I recast in the same thing and leave it a month, is anyone able to confirm if this is OK, or do I need to knock it out and start again? Already loving this community.

 

[4ever3]

I would say yes. Either bust it out and pour refractory or, buy these.

Amazon.com

You could remove your grill and fire brick, put the kiln bricks on the screed, then put the fire bricks and the grill back on. Kiln bricks will reflect the heat from the fire back towards the fire instead of absorbing it. The only thing is I don’t know how the would handle rain.

 

[rossgreenwood]

That's perfect, thank you. Does fire cement do the same job as the kiln bricks? Was thinking I could cut out the concrete space where the fire would sit and then fill this with the fire cement.

 

[4ever3]

I believe it will absorb heat as opposed to reflecting it however the cap won’t pop off. I don’t know if it can be cast as a countertop though. You’ll have to ask the seller.

Best of luck! Keep us posted!

 

[Big George's BBQ]

Really nice grill. Hope this works out for you