What Are Fire Bricks and Why Are They Used in a Pizza Oven?
Fire bricks are bricks that were originally designed to be used as a substitute for the traditional clay brick as a building material. They can be made from clay, fire clay, shale or other refractory lining materials and are designed to withstand high temperatures.
The first use of firebricks can be traced back to ancient Greece and Rome. The Romans first started using them as the lining of furnaces and other ovens to withstand the high temperatures needed for glassmaking, pottery firing, iron smelting and refining of metal ores.
In today’s world, firebricks are still very widely used in the construction industry as an insulator for steel-framed buildings. Most importantly for us, they are used in brick pizza ovens to provide quality insulation!
A brick pizza oven provides a great alternative to electric or gas-powered ovens. They are great for making pizzas, breads, pies, roast meats, poultry, fish and seafood.
What to Consider When Buying Fire Bricks For Your Pizza Oven
The type of fire brick you choose will depend on the specific needs of your oven. For example, if you are looking to purchase/build an oven for home use, you may want to consider buying fire bricks that are easy to clean and stack.
If you are looking for an oven that is used commercially, there are many different types of bricks available. If your goal is to save money, then mortars might be a good option for you since they can be molded into any shape to build a smaller, more economical pizza oven (like the one below).
How to Choose Between the Different Types of Fired Bricks
Assuming you’ will be using bricks, there are many different types available for purchase, and choosing the right one can be difficult. Let me shine a little light so you can make an informed decision.
The first thing you need to do is decide if you want bricks made of clay or bricks with a ceramic coating. Clay bricks are cheaper than their ceramic counterparts, but they also have less heat-resistant properties and they don’t last as long.
Ceramic-coated bricks usually come in the same price range (on the higher side, though) as clay ones, but they are more durable and heat resistant than their uncoated counterparts.
Here are my two favorites I recommend:
Bricks that are made of concrete appear to be a great option because they’re affordable and very durable. However, these types of bricks will only be able to work in fires that need lower heats; they will not work for a pizza oven with high temperatures.
Lastly, you have Stoneware which has been around for centuries and has been used since the Mesopotamia period. They are made from clay, sand, feldspar, quartz, silica powder and cement. Stone ware is very versatile and can be used in both domestic and industrial purposes. For making a simple home oven, I would shy away from Stoneware since it is much more complex to use.
Do I Need a Full Layer or Partial Layer? | The Different Layers in a Brick Pizza Oven
It’s not enough to just throw some fire bricks together and call it an oven.
A brick pizza oven has three different layers: The bottom layer, the dome layer, and the top layer. While some might say that you don’t need a full layer or a partial layer in order to have a good brick pizza oven, it’s important to know that each individual part of this stove contributes to how your pizza will look in the end.
There are many variables that contribute to these layers including insulation from heat from each side of the brick wall and how thick the bricks are on each side. For example, thinner bricks will obviously allow air to flow through more than thicker bricks.
Best Practices to Keep in Mind When Working with Firebricks For Pizza Ovens
When building a brick oven, it is important to follow some simple guidelines:
– Use an appropriate mortar mix for the type of bricks you are using. Mortar should be used for all types of brick, not just firebricks.
Here’s some quality mortar I used recently:
| # | Preview | Product | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | Rutland Dry Mix Refractory Mortar, Masonry & Fire Brick Cement, No Heat Cure Required, Dark Gray,... | $15.99 | Check on Amazon |
– Consider the height and length of your oven when you are calculating how much brick you need. You will need more than just a perimeter wall to fully enclose your oven.
– Make sure that all bricks are compatible with each other before installing them. There shouldn’t be any difference in color or texture that would create a noticeable line between two surfaces of brick.
Conclusion: Final Thoughts on the Reason Why You Should Use Fire Bricks in Your Pizza Oven
There are many reasons why you should use fire bricks in your pizza oven.
- Fire bricks are both durable and effective at retaining heat, which is an important thing for a pizza oven.
- They are easy to clean because they can be wiped clean or washed with water.
- Fire bricks come in a variety of shapes and sizes, which can help you to build the perfect pizza oven for your needs.
