Well, let me tell ya ’bout this here refractory brick mortar stuff. It ain’t nothin’ fancy, but it’s mighty important if ya wanna keep yer fire goin’ strong and safe.
Ya see, these refractory bricks, they’re like the tough ol’ fellas of the brick world. They can stand up to a whole lotta heat, way more than yer regular house bricks. But bricks alone ain’t enough. Ya gotta stick ’em together with somethin’ special, and that’s where this here mortar comes in.
Now, this ain’t just any ol’ mud. It’s gotta be tough too, gotta be able to handle the heat just like them bricks. Think of it like the glue that holds it all together, but glue that won’t melt or crack when things get hot, hot, hot. We’re talkin’ furnaces, fireplaces, kilns…places where the fire’s burnin’ real fierce.
Some folks call these bricks fire bricks, or fireclay bricks. Same thing, just different names. And the mortar, well, it’s got different names too. Sometimes it’s called refractory cement. Don’t get confused, it’s all pretty much the same stuff. The important thing is it can take the heat.
Now, when ya lay these bricks, ya gotta be careful. Them joints, the spaces between the bricks, gotta be real thin, like, no more than an eighth of an inch. That’s about the thickness of a couple of pieces of paper stuck together. Ya don’t want big gaps, ’cause that’ll let the heat through and weaken the whole thing.
There’s different kinds of this refractory brick mortar too. Some of it, they call it air set. That means it dries all by itself, just from the air. It’s easier to work with, but it takes a long time to dry, like, days. And if it gets wet, well, it’ll turn back into mush. So, ya gotta make sure yer bricks ain’t gonna get rained on if ya use that kind.
- Important stuff to remember:
- Use the right mortar for the job.
- Make sure them joints are thin.
- Keep it dry if it’s the air set kind.
What’s in this mortar stuff, ya ask? Well, it’s a mix of things, all meant to stand up to the fire. Some of it’s got chromic oxide, which is a fancy name for somethin’ that can take a lotta heat. And it’s got high alumina refractory material, which is another tough stuff. Then there’s the stuff that holds it all together, kinda like a binder. They use stuff like anhydroglucose polymer and phosphoric acid for that. Don’t ask me what all that means, it’s just a bunch of fancy words for stuff that makes the mortar stick and stay strong.
Ya can buy this mortar stuff from different places. There’s these big companies like Vesuvius and Thermal Ceramics that make it. They make all sorts of stuff for keepin’ things hot or keepin’ things from gettin’ too hot. They got things like insulating boards, heat resistant rope, even special paints and adhesives. It’s a whole world of stuff ya never knew existed, unless ya work with fire all the time.
So, there ya have it. Refractory brick mortar. It ain’t pretty, but it’s darn important. It keeps yer fire burnin’ safe and sound, and that’s what matters. Whether yer buildin’ a furnace, a fireplace, or just fixin’ up yer ol’ kiln, ya gotta have good mortar. Don’t skimp on this stuff, or yer gonna be in a heap of trouble.
And remember, if ya ain’t sure what yer doin’, ask someone who knows. There’s folks out there who’ve been workin’ with this stuff for years, and they can tell ya what ya need to know. Better safe than sorry, that’s what I always say.
So that’s the long and short of it, hope it helps ya out, this here refractory brick mortar is somethin’ else!
Tags: refractory brick, fire brick, refractory mortar, fireclay brick, refractory cement, high temperature mortar, air set mortar, Vesuvius, Thermal Ceramics, furnace lining, kiln construction
