Heatstop Applications for Ovens

[Kemo]

I just got off the phone with a representative of a local masonry supply store. I was trying to source some Heatstop 50 drymix. The guy mentioned that he had refractory mortar but only in the bucket already mixed up. I asked him if that stuff was waterproof after drying and he said he wasnt sure. I told him I was building a pizza oven and that the dry mix of Heatstop 50 was what I was looking for. He then went on to tell me that refractory mortar offers no strength at all and I should be using regular concrete.

does this sound right? There are plenty of people here on the site using only refmix or heatstop 50 without any issues.

It always strikes me as odd when people that you would view as local experts give conflicting advice with what Ive read on the board.

Any thoughts here?

[james]

re: Heatstop Applications for Ovens

Hi Steve,

Can't we just get you Refmix? It says made for "forno a legna" right on the bag. :-)
James

[Kemo]

re: Heatstop Applications for Ovens

well...Chris from the board was nice enought to pass along a full bag of heatstop 50. Just to stay consistent, I contacted a local vendor just to see how much they sell it for to save a few $$$ on shipping. After talking with them, I think I need to go ahead and order some Refmix and be done with it.

[Gentcpa]

re: Heatstop Applications for Ovens

Might depend on definition on strength. No issues using heat-stop here. Sourced here for $25 for a 50lb bag, sorry James. I actually get along better with it than regular mortar (can't explain that one but there you have it).

Did he know that you are building using bricks and not just mortar or concrete. I have also ran into the same issue with brick yard folk not knowing about product. One place wanted to sell me regular bricks as firebricks. At my source for heat-stop 50 and firebricks the women during the week (who don't look like they belong in a brickyard) know exactly what everything is while the guys on the weekend have no idea.

Fun trying to find this stuff locally isn't it?

[dmun]

re: Heatstop Applications for Ovens

Heat stop is plenty strong for what we are doing here. Here's a picture of a shard cut off one of my heat-stop glued triangles:



You'll note that it's in two pieces and they stayed mortared together despite the vibration and frictional heat and water of cutting. That was no fluke. They stayed together triangle after triangle.

[Ken524]

re: Heatstop Applications for Ovens

He then went on to tell me that refractory mortar offers no strength at all and I should be using regular concrete.

does this sound right? There are plenty of people here on the site using only refmix or heatstop 50 without any issues.

No, it doesn't sound right at all. Regular "concrete" (he must have meant "mortar"... so he really doesn't know what he's talking about!) won't hold up to the temps that your oven will go to.

I'm using HeatStop50. The stuff is easy to use and solid as a rock. Even if strength was an issue, the oven dome is mostly self supporting anyway by virtue of the geometry.

Go with RefMix if the economics are close or better. As James says, it's designed specifically for what we are doing.

If you need to use HeatStop, insist on "HeatStop 50 -the dry mix in a 50lb bag". Disregard whatever your dealer says. Tell him that's what you need and to please order it .

[Acoma]

re: Heatstop Applications for Ovens

I sense adrenaline here. Heat Stop 50 in 50lb bag, or Refmix. Nothing else, no way, no trying

[Hendo]

re: Heatstop Applications for Ovens

Even if strength was an issue, the oven dome is mostly self supporting anyway by virtue of the geometry.

My brickie echoed these sentiments when I commenced the dome ? he maintained that the strength of the dome was down to the design of the dome, rather than the strength of the refractory mortar.

But like David, I?ve stuck bits of brick together and then cut them in a wet saw, and the shards remained intact. One cut of this 4" shard was done in a wet saw, the other using a diamond blade in a 5? angle grinder:



Minimal mortar thickness too ? like David?s ? so it can?t be too weak!

Paul.

[Ken524]

re: Heatstop Applications for Ovens

I sense adrenaline here. Heat Stop 50 in 50lb bag, or Refmix. Nothing else, no way, no trying

No adrenaline. The problem is that so-called "dealers" will try to sell you whatever is in the back of their store. I've had dealers insist I needed a 50# bag of "fireclay". If you want HeatStop50, you simply have to put your foot down and make sure they understand that's what you want.

Or just call FB and get exactly what you need.

[Acoma]

re: Heatstop Applications for Ovens

100% agree with you Ken. The adrenaline mentioned was towards the ignorant sales people not listening to the needs of us consumers, and just selling product without knowledge.

[Ken524]

re: Heatstop Applications for Ovens

The adrenaline mentioned was towards the ignorant sales people not listening to the needs of us consumers

Ahh... Got it.

[Ryan]

re: Heatstop Applications for Ovens

I cannot believe someone got this for $25!!! It cost me $98 plus tax for a 50 pound bag. This stuff is like powdered gold! If I did it over again I would have gone with refrix that Forno offers. I had to use 3 bags and I am not completely finished yet. The guy at my local distributor said the Heatstop 50 is strong and will probably outlive all of us.

Thanks,

Ryan

[Ken524]

re: Heatstop Applications for Ovens

This stuff is like powdered gold!

How funny! That's exactly how I described it to my wife. Do you find yourself making sure you don't spill a drop of it, and using every last bit that you mix? I was scooping the powder out of the bag yesterday and the wind blew some of it... YIKES!

Looks like 2.5 bags of HeatStop will do it for me. I may use the remaining to thinly clad the dome.

The guy at my local distributor said the Heatstop 50 is strong and will probably outlive all of us.

That's nice to hear!

[Gentcpa]

re: Heatstop Applications for Ovens

I guess some how I am at the other end of the stream. I am not really worried about wasting the heatstop 50. I found it for $25 a bag I even ended up getting a free bag of Heatstop as one of the bags had a rip in it and was on one side at the brickyard. The brickyard said it would just end up in the trash so if you want it take it. They also give me the cracked or chipped firebricks, I'm cutting them anyway and I guess no one else would want them.

[Acoma]

re: Heatstop Applications for Ovens

Gent, you owe these guys pizza. Get the total amount you will need of the Heatstop 50 while they like you. Bricks too. Wow, how lucky, and charma...you must be doing things right.