FB Board alternatives?

[Paul in Rockwall TX]

Any ideas where to by insulated board, like FB board? I ordered some from FB, but I'm informed they're out of stock for a while and and need to build a door.

what kind of places stock such thing? I found one online company but it was 3 times the price and too much material.

Any help is greatly appreciated

[Cheesesteak]

Re: FB Board alternatives?

Any ideas where to by insulated board, like FB board? I ordered some from FB, but I'm informed they're out of stock for a while and and need to build a door.

what kind of places stock such thing? I found one online company but it was 3 times the price and too much material.

Any help is greatly appreciated

Try these folks: Skyline Components

They are in Arizona.

My apologies about the FB boards - I just had three delivered to me yesterday for my Pompeii - I may have caused the well to run dry.

[splatgirl]

Re: FB Board alternatives?

look in the phone book under "refractories supply"

[tusr18a]

Re: FB Board alternatives?

I located mine locally through a commercial insulation company. Most major cities have one of these.

[GianniFocaccia]

Re: FB Board alternatives?

Hey Paul,

Like dmun, I used Insboard 19 under my oven (on top of a layer of vermicrete). I got it from Harbison Walker, now known as ANH Refractories. I was lucky to get a box of 8 2" boards for $75 since the box had been damaged by a forklift (boards were fine).

They may have a piece or two in their warehhouse. It is located at 4585 Mint Way in Dallas, about 35min from you.

ANH Refractories

Good luck,

John

[Cheesesteak]

Re: FB Board alternatives?

Oh - and if you're going to build a door - I assume you'll encapsulate the fiberboard with metal or something similar. If you have not planned on it - you should do it. Most of these fiberboards (and insulating blankets) do not appear to be biosoluble. In the EU - they are required to be - so you can get them.

Why does it matter? the ones that are not biosoluble - the fibers will stay in your lungs when you inhale them. (biosoluble = will dissolve with body fluids)

When I build my oven - I'm going to encapsulate all of my board and blanket with at least a thin skim coat of vermicrete / perlcrete so the fibers cannot become airborne. I don't even want the chance of a loose fiber finding its way up between a couple of floor bricks.

[Paul in Rockwall TX]

Re: FB Board alternatives?

thanks for the comment on encapsulating - yes, I plan to fully enclose it in steel. i have a fabricator who can cover it in (probably) 16ga mild stee. I don't plan to use stainless.

I'll also tap a hole for the threads of the FB thermometer.

[Kenyaoven]

Re: FB Board alternatives?

Question from Nairobi, Kenya...
I am preparing to build a pompei oven here and am having trouble with finding the various prescribed insulating materials....
NO FB Board to insulate under the hearth;
NO ceramic blanket to insulate over the brick dome;
NO vermiculite to insulate around the ceramic blanket.

Suggestions for substitutes?
Thank you.

[tusr18a]

Re: FB Board alternatives?

Are you absolutely sure that these materials are not available in Kenya? Do an internet search for "commercial insulation contractors/suppliers". The ceramic fiber board/blankets are used to insulate hot water/steam piping that are found in heating systems in commercial buildings. Also look for Kiln/refractory supply companies. The ceramic fiber is used to insulate kilns, boilers, etc. If that does not work, unless there are import restrictions, I would strongly suggest paying the extra money to have the items shipped from North America, Europe, etc. You will see through the vast majority of threads here that when a dome is built without the ceramic fiber products, there is disappointment around how the dome heats up. If all else fails, under the hearth, you can suspend glass bottles in sand, cement etc. This will give you at least some insulation. Hope this helps!

[dmun]

Re: FB Board alternatives?

Lightweight volcanic pumice or tufa will do in a pinch. Nothing pays like insulation, now and in the future. Even when wood is free, it costs labor to cut and split it.

[azpizzanut]

Re: FB Board alternatives?

Hello Kenyaoven,

I think you should start a separate thread for this challenging oven build.

Meanwhile, can you give us more information about how the oven will be used? Is this for residential use and cooking/entertainment? How big of an oven do you plan to build?

Contractors that make large buildings often use mineral wool fire block and noise reduction products made of mineral wool, rock wool or slag wool. There are various names for this product and it comes in hardened batts, sheets and rolls of soft insulation in 4lb and 8lb density. A construction materials supplier should be able to assist you. If you are unable to get the other materials you mentioned then mineral wool is a substitute.

Please do not consider using residential fiberglass insulation. It has an organic binder to keep the fibers together and it breaks down into a smelly mess at about 450 deg f. Mineral wool also has binders and it does produce an odor when heated but it is rated for a much higher temperature. The odor goes away after the oven is heated a few times. As a substitute, I'd consider it.

You might consider tamped volcanic cinders as hearth insulation with a thin layer of clay/sand to level the surface. You will need a concrete or brick form to contain this dry insulation. Tamped in place, it may be a substitute for high tech insulation.

I hope these suggestions help you.

Cheers,

[boylanta]

Re: FB Board alternatives?

Try these folks: Skyline Components

They are in Arizona.

My apologies about the FB boards - I just had three delivered to me yesterday for my Pompeii - I may have caused the well to run dry.

I also used Skyline Components for my FB Board & FB Blanket.

I spent a lot of time researching and found the refractory properties an excellent match to the FB Blanket & FB board.
I advocate support Forno Bravo as much as possible, but living on the east coast, shipping from FB was very pricey.

The blanket was model I settled on BL12T25A & the board was model B12T50A.

Hope this helps.