sanding

[mine]

My firebricks have a slight mold pattern on them. I have practiced sanding leftovers to remove the tiny ridges and level the edges of my floor. The sanding seems to open up the "pores" of the brick and it is not as smooth as the factory finish was. Does this make cooking difficult? Am I doing something wrong?
Thanks for your help

[thebadger]

Re: sanding

At one point, FB members suggested sanding to "smooth" down the edges... But then the bricks started to 'pit.' I think you remove the harder out surface by sanding...

I would recommend not sanding the whole surfaces. I did sand a few edges to break a few high spots but that was it.

Thanks
Dick

[RTflorida]

Re: sanding

I was one of the "sanders" (belt sander to be specific). Completed about 14 months ago. I have seen no ill effects to sanding my hearth floor as smooth as a baby's bottom.....badger is correct, other members who have opted to try the belt sander method have reported pitting....exactly what that means, I don't know.
My bricks, like yours were pretty textured (wire cut, as the brickyard told me). In my case, the pitting would have to be pretty severe to be a rougher surface than what I started with...to me, sanding really needed to be done to keep the peel from catching. I'm not going to say do it, or not do it......just wanted you to know it is probably a 50/50 proposition. I'd be curious to know exactly the extent of pitting others may have experienced.

As badger mentions, DO sand down any high corners or ridged edges....you don't want to catch your peel and chip a large chunk off of a hearth brick. Angle grinder works faster than the belt sander.....just be careful not to gouge the surface.

RT

[Les]

Re: sanding

Hi, my name is Les, and I am a "sander" Fire brick does not have a "glaze" like decorative brick, they mix it up and pour it into a mold, then wire cut to screed. I have seen many of my brick, when cut in half, expose HUGE pits - the nature of the beast. I suggest sanding to get rid of the edges like most have done. End the end, the pits will be filled with ash and all is good (I trust )

Les...

[CajunKnight]

Re: sanding

I have seen bricks in the past while helping my friend build his oven (which got me interested in the first place) develop pits when sanded due to air bubbles in the original mix. He filled the pits with fire clay mortar just like you would in sheetrock repair and sanded again. Looked great and worked great.

[mine]

Re: sanding

Thanks for the replies, as soon as I get my soldier course in place to restrain the floor I guess I'll sand or not. Kind of depends on how the day is going. I can clearly see the issue from both sides.

[james]

Re: sanding

I'm late to this thread, but I can weigh in on the pro-sanding side. Basic clay bricks are vitrified, where the clay is subjected to heat and essentially melted and fused together. As a result, there is no outer, or inner, layers.

Grind or sand away. You can grind your entrance arch, or high spots on your cooking floor. Two good candidates.

James

[RTflorida]

Re: sanding

I would go with James, I don't think he has ever steered anyone the wrong way. I think he cares as much about our projects as we do. IF the man says do - it is with good reason and logic; same is true if he does not recommend a process.

RT