Should I replace the firebrick in my stove?

Folks, I think I'm 98% sure of the answer here. My Osburn 1800i has pretty crappy firebrick (at least my opinion) in it. With the exception of two firebricks I replaced last year (bottom center two) The rest are the original sort of cinderblock type bricks. They're about half the weight of the bricks I used as replacements, and I'm wondering if it would be worth it to replace the whole lot.

So, why would I do this? Well, the only reason I can think of is that the greater heat retention of a denser material may help the stove burn more efficiently. I think It's not worth it, but would like opinions.

I dont think its a bad idea , the cost is not going to be too much as the fire bricks are cheap , at least around here and the farm stores and such . You questioned it so if you feel the need than maybe its a good thing . Are you looking at replacing all of them or just the bottoms ?

Pumice Brick
Used in many stoves to obtain higher internal temperatures to reduce emission numbers. The brick is lighter than regular fire brick, is an insulator, and has a relatively short lifespan needing to be replaced often. Regular fire bricks should not be used as replacements as they will change the parameters that the stove was tested to, especially clearances to combustables.

This was copied from the woodburner website.

Warren, I think you would be better off buying a new insert. That way you can make sure to get a matched set of firebricks.


<ducks out of the way..............> :bug:

Thats good input . I havent done the research to find out . I have replaced 2 fire brick in 15 years of wood burning and that was with the old smoker stove .

How often are you selling replacement bricks ?

My old Regency used the light cinder block looking firebricks. After two seasons, the bricks on the bottom were crumbling and the ones on the sides starting cracking in half. I did over fire the stove once with a load of pine.

I just bought a case of them and replaced the broken ones at the end of the season.

I know the subject came up before, but I wish someone would try replacing those with soapstone, just to see what would happen. i.e: More even heat, longer heat, destroys the stove, etc. In theory it sounds great, but.....

Oddley enough, not that often. The quads use that pumice stuff and there bricks arent a common shape, so they have to be ordered. I would say 1 or 2 people order entire sets, probably double that order individual bricks.. Some of the bricks are the standard size, and people pick up the ceramic stuff... i will be warning then now.

WACK WACK WACK

WOW...Thanks for digging that up MSG. I'll keep the situation I have. I think I'll try the ceramics in the place they are now...in front of the air inlet. See how it goes. It's a perspective I never imagined.

Man this site is good.

Thank you!!

I have these Francite that were in the house when I moved in. Does anyone know if they are any good as spares? I have those cinderblock style as well in my Regency, which so far have held up fine, but these Francites seem heavier and better built. There was an old insert that I had removed here, I think they may have been spares for that.

Those look like ceramic type to me, not pumice. What type does your stove have? are the spare ones heavy?

Warren, glad i can help, i learned a little on that research project myself.

I think my stove's are ceramic. These spares seem heavier though, probably because they are a little thicker than the ones in my stove now.

If there the same material, then it should be just fine. Pumice bricks are alot more grainy. Look like litttle concrete BB's stuck together...