Bricks suitable for fireplace

[bimbo]

Other than firebricks what bricks can be used for an outdoor fireplace? Can any solid clay brick be used?

Cheers
James

[dmun]

Re: Bricks suitable for fireplace

Common bricks will crack and spall in direct contact with flame. This is less a problem with fireplaces than with pizza ovens, where brick shards will end up in your pizza toppings, so it just depends on your tolerance for the look of cracked and chipped brick in your outdoor fireplace.

Here's a quote from rumford.com:

You might have noticed the red brick firebox. It's regular solid facebrick (no cores) laid in regular Portland cement mortar. They didn't have firebrick in 1760 and my customer didn't like that "ugly yellow firebrick". I told him facebrick couldn't take the thermal shock and would crack and spall, but I couldn't convince him. A year after I built the fireplace he called to tell me how much he enjoyed the fireplace and oven. He said five of the brick in the fireback had cracked and the face had spalled off another one. "It's great", he said. "The fireplace is only a year old and it already looks as if it's 200 years old." Another sort of customer would have had me back out to replace brick six times.

[bimbo]

Re: Bricks suitable for fireplace

So are there suitable alternatives?
I was told that i could use terracotta? tiles or aussie pressed red bricks or are eiter of these going to crack etc as well?

Cheers
James

[dmun]

Re: Bricks suitable for fireplace

Back before they had firebrick, and there was no alternative to red brick fireboxes, they often used cast iron firebacks:

This prevented the masonry from being damaged by thermal shock, or at least hid the damage if it happened.

In the US, firebrick fireplaces are still pretty standard, and that's why firebrick is inexpensive to source locally in a lot of places.

[bimbo]

Re: Bricks suitable for fireplace

the reason i am trying to find alternatives is that here in OZ firebricks are around the $4-5 mark EACH , makes for a pretty expensive fireplace, especially when you have to for out for another 200 odd for an oven.

[bimbo]

Re: Bricks suitable for fireplace

I had a look around at different types of firebricks and was wondeing what types of firebricks are suitable for fireplaces?

[dmun]

Re: Bricks suitable for fireplace

Did you read the firebrick primer?

Brick Oven Design | Choose the Right Brick Oven Brick

At the cost of brick in Australia, it may pay to go with a modular fireplace unit.

[bimbo]

Re: Bricks suitable for fireplace

so even though the bricks will not get as hot as in an oven I still require the same bricks and can't use insulating bricks or some other type. Might see if i can get thinner firebricks which i would assume would be cheaper. I did a bit of ringing around and found firebricks for 3.30 each which is a bit better.

On the up side the colour of firebrick will actually fit in well with the bricks I am using around the fireplace

[bimbo]

Re: Bricks suitable for fireplace

so even though the bricks will not get as hot as in an oven I still require the same bricks and can't use insulating bricks or some other type.

Anyone?

Cheers
James

[Ken524]

Re: Bricks suitable for fireplace

I think one of the other Aussie's here (NissanNeil?) has mentioned that "pressed reds" work well in oven/fireplace applications.

[Dutchoven]

Re: Bricks suitable for fireplace

Might see if i can get thinner firebricks which i would assume would be cheaper.

Unfortunately they will likely be more expensive...at least they are here...for us they end up to be about twice as much for the "splits"
Good luck!
Dutch

[bimbo]

Re: Bricks suitable for fireplace

after much reading on the net I have found that i can use dry pressed clay bricks. because it will not be subject to the same intens heat that a pizza oven is you can use the pressed clays instead of firebricks, this is what all older fireplaces are made from.

ordering a bunch of them tomorrow and then next weekend construction of the fireplace begins

[dmun]

Re: Bricks suitable for fireplace

If it does crack or spall, you can always get the cast-iron fireback later.

[Rainwolf]

Re: Bricks suitable for fireplace

You might want to look into a cob or clay oven instead of brick if firebricks are to expensive. I will be using firebricks for the floor and a clay dome myself since a 100lb bag of clay is less then 20 dollars and firebricks are 1.50 each.

I also am planning to have a fireplace under the oven for non-oven nights and that will require firebrick and high temp concrete/mortar so my budget can not take more for the oven. :}

Good luck!

[Mandylee]

Re: Bricks suitable for fireplace

Would old fire bricks from an internal fireplace from a 1920s bungalow be suitable for pizza oven?