Standard firebrick splits

[fossil]

I'm gonna want to replace some firebrick in my workshop Century this year. Standard...I think they're like 9"x4½"x1¼". I can cut/shape them to fit where they need to go. I'm having a devil of a time finding a local source for them, and would surely appreciate any suggestions/experiences anyone might be able to offer as to where to obtain these bricks. Thanks, Rick

 

[BrotherBart]

All of the ACE Hardware stores around here carry the Rutland split bricks. If the store doesn't have them you can order them online and they will show up at the store in a few days. No shipping charge.

http://www.acehardware.com/product/...s&pg=2&parentPage=search&searchId=37068974663

Edit: I see they say you can't currently order them online. But the store should have them.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

I picked some up at my local cement yard. They were the same size but had a smoother outer surface. Cost was dirt cheap. Something like 2 dollars each.

As an aside I also placed a few of them on top of the top firebricks and secondary tube. Cracks and crevices were filled with kaowool. It insulates the firebox and air tube so I get secondary action faster.

If they come out slightly off sized I have used a tile saw to shape them for a propane forge I built.

Matt

 

[MountainStoveGuy]

Just make sure you replace them with the same type of brick, some stoves use pumice bricks, some use a refractory brick. The pumice ones are lighter, gray in color, have a coarse exterior, and offer better insulation and tighter clearances.. the yelloish ones are the refractory style and seem smooth in apearance.

 

[fossil]

Yeah, mine are pumice. I'll check with the folks at Ace. They have a surprisingly sparse selection of stove-related supplies/tools, and I've never seen firebrick in there. Maybe they can get them for me. If not, there's an outfit called Big R that might have them, just 15 miles up the road. Yeah, Pook, I've used furnace cement to "glue" busted bricks back together. Works OK for a while. My brickwork is starting to look pretty ragged in this stove, at least around the sides, so I thought I'd renew it. Matt, I remember your post about the mods you did inside your Century, and I plan to incorporate some of your ideas. Thanks dudes. Rick

 

[johnn]

Oregon is too far for local knowledge. Got mine from E-Bay. Will have to cut thickness in half. $60 will do app, 3 sides 24x18, k-28 refrac (white)

 

[MountainStoveGuy]

It really doenst matter if it makes a diff. The stoves are listed and tested with a certain style brick, and the replacements have to be the same to maintain the listing and warranty.

 

[velvetfoot]

I replaced the crappy pumice bricks in both my Quads with normal firebrick; haven't noticed any bad effects.

 

[BrotherBart]

The Century stoves they carried in the local box stores here had plain old ceramic bricks in them.

 

[fossil]

The Century stoves they carried in the local box stores here had plain old ceramic bricks in them.

Yeah, I just took a close look at the two baffle bricks that haven't been subject to all my wood handling and poking abuse...they're like new, and I'd forgotten how smooth they were. Not particularly lightweight, either. I bet the Rutlands would work just fine if I could just find some. I printed out the page from the Ace website and I'm gonna take it to the store & have a chat. The folks there are really eager to please, it's a nice place to do business. I expect they'll hook me up. Rick

 

[MountainStoveGuy]

I replaced the crappy pumice bricks in both my Quads with normal firebrick; haven't noticed any bad effects.

Quad states that if you replace your pumice bricks with standard clay bricks that your stove should not be installed with the minimum clearances, and the the EPA rating will change. They will not burn as clean or as efficient. The original pumice bricks are a better insulator, which is where they get there listed clearances from. You might not notice a difference, however, your insurance company might.

 

[velvetfoot]

How about the scenario when the surfaces of the crappy pumice bricks peal off within months?
And the company 'certifies' them to "x" of thickness, as per a previous thread?
I recall "x" was a very small number. All perfectly okay with the "insurance company" I imagine.

 

[MountainStoveGuy]

The bricks fall apart faster beacause they are not as dense, the less dense material offeres better insulation, and that is how they get there tight clearances. I have no idea about the other thread or what stoves they applied to. You can do what you want with your stove, but for the record, i will represent what the manufacture wants you to do. Once the stove is in your home you can do what ever you want with it. However, when someone here askes a question about firebrick replacement, they are going to get the data that is correct, not that i did x and have noticed any difference. That is bad advice and per the manufacture, could be dangerous if the stove is installed with the minimum clearances.

 

[velvetfoot]

Point taken.
Mine fell apart REALLY quickly though.
Perhaps there are other lightweight fire bricks out there, but they'd still be non-OEM.

 

[MountainStoveGuy]

perhaps? i would love to find a source. I have orderd my fair share of brick from quad. Your right, they do break down quickly, usually every two seasons. They justify it with there GPH rating and tighter then normal clearances. Personally, i would opt for less efficiency and greater clearances but these manufactures all want to be the best on paper. They also said that if the stove is installed in the center of a room that they could care less what kind of brick you install in it, and they also note that the burn charateristics will change, but its not a clearance issue at that point. I have gone round and round with quad on this mostly because its a major pain in the ass to get brick from them. They want the photo from the manual to be sent with the order, and the bricks circled on the paper. Then it gets better, the bricks in the manuals have changed, so people who have lost there manuals and download new ones get the wrong brick sets. So then they started making us buy complete new liners.. then they stoped selling us liner kits, the current method is ording single uncut bricks, but what a pita it is to cut every brick. Bottom line, the brick liners for the quad stoves are what make it great and suck at the same time.

 

[BrotherBart]

I still say they do it to save on shipping costs on stoves. :lol:

 

[MountainStoveGuy]

I still say they do it to save on shipping costs on stoves. :lol:

could be :zip:

 

[fossil]

Guy at Ace is gonna get me two boxes in either Thursday or Monday. Buck a box less than the online price. That's the kind of customer service I love. Rick

 

[johnn]

Pumice brick has been mentioned in many threads but I`m not sure how to ID them> Are they the landscape brick you`ll find at Lowes or just one variety you will find at the store, in the many to choose from? I`ve trird to search on line for the stores supply but have had no specific mention for Pumice (no stock # or order #) Are these what is considered Pavers? My experience is that the people working this dept. wouldn`t know and even if they claimed to know I would want to see some type of documentation. Zoeller Forge in Louisville has 3/4 thick dense brick used in forge bottoms, but I wouldnt mind trying pumice to save some $.

fossil:What type is your Ace ordering? maybe I could take that info to my store here in the mid-west and have a talk.

 

[MountainStoveGuy]

I have never seen pumic firebrick on any shelf. Its way lighter then any paver or standard type of clay refractory brick. It has always been a special order from the manufactures that use them. I would love to find a source on bulk pumic firebrick....

 

[Hurricane]

ML,

You will not save any money by going with pumice, they are only sold by Quadrafire and are very pricey. The k-28 refrac bricks you mentioned are very close to the pumice insulating properties and much cheaper, and likely more durable. There is a thread on here where someone did a test / study between all of the materials used in stoves.

Here is the link.

https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/34651/

 

[johnn]

We`ll that explains a lot! Thanks guys!! Just came from Ace Web and got no where. Feeling my search skills are minimal. I get to Louisville couple times a year for work and others go more often, think I`ll just save some shipping and have em picked up. He also has Duraboard and Fibrefrax balnkett materials. I`ll get the bottom and baffle fingered out one day. Pre EPA conversion dont ya know!

Thanks Hurricane! Thats "precauds" thread, been all over it, many times. He created a lot of Web Searching for me with that one,,good thing I have a bum leg healing and plenty of time.

Thanks Mountainstoveguy: Beginning to understand why so many, were so eager to have you back!

 

[fossil]

...fossil:What type is your Ace ordering? maybe I could take that info to my store here in the mid-west and have a talk.

Not pumice. Regular old ceramic firebrick splits from Rutland sold in 6-packs . On the Ace website, it's item number 4066171. Rick

 

[johnn]

Thanks fossil:,, three day wait for me (warehouse out) You must be a Valued Customer,,one day wait rate,, number popped right up and good price. Should serve as a good bottom brick for me.