Okay, so today I wanna talk about how I made a kiln for bricks. It was a tough project, but super rewarding. I started by gathering all the materials. I needed a bunch of bricks, obviously, and some mortar to hold them together. I also needed a good spot in my backyard, one that was level and away from anything that could catch fire.
First off, I laid down a square base, about three feet by three feet, using the bricks. I made sure it was solid because this was gonna be the foundation of the whole thing. Once the base was set, I started building up the walls. I just stacked the bricks, no mortar needed, which made it way easier. I went up about four rows high, leaving a little space at the bottom for the fire.
- Base: A 3-foot square of bricks.
- Walls: Four rows high, no mortar.
- Fire Space: Left a small opening at the bottom.
The tricky part was the roof. I wanted to make an arched roof ’cause it looks cool and works better for heat. I carefully placed bricks in an arch shape on top of the walls. It took some patience, but I got it to stand strong without falling.
Building the Roof
I made sure to leave a small hole at the top of the arch. This was for the smoke to escape. It’s important ’cause you don’t want all that smoke trapped inside.
With the structure done, it was time to test it out. I built a small wood fire in the space I left at the bottom. I used dry wood ’cause it burns hotter and cleaner. The fire caught quickly, and I could see the heat rising through the kiln. The smoke went right out the top hole, just like I planned.
Firing It Up
- Fire: Dry wood for a hot, clean burn.
- Smoke: Escaped through the top hole.
I let the fire burn for a few hours, making sure it stayed hot. It was awesome seeing the whole thing in action. After the fire died down, I let the kiln cool off overnight. It needs to cool slowly so the bricks inside don’t crack. The next day, I carefully took apart the kiln, and there they were—my homemade bricks, all fired and ready to use.
This project was a blast. It took some hard work and a bit of planning, but seeing those bricks come out perfect was worth it. If you’re thinking about trying something like this, just make sure you got the right spot and plenty of bricks. And be patient with that roof—it’s the toughest part, but you can totally do it!
