Okay, so I needed some fire bricks for this project I was working on – building a little forge in my backyard. Sounded simple enough, right? Well, let me tell you, it turned into a bit of a scavenger hunt.
First, I hit up the usual big hardware stores, thinking they’d have everything. Nope. They had regular bricks, landscaping bricks, even those fancy paving stones, but no fire bricks. The folks working there looked at me like I was speaking another language when I asked. I felt like a total newbie, honestly. I’m a handy guy, I know how to build stuff, but “fire brick” was a new term for me.
So, I turned to the internet, started searching for places that might sell them. I learned fire bricks are also called refractory bricks, some folks call them aluminum oxide bricks. They need to be able to withstand different conditions and they are difficult to cut. It turns out these things are a bit more specialized than I thought. Also, I learned that there are different types of fire bricks.
- I found a few leads for building supply companies, the kind that cater to contractors, not just your average homeowner.
- I also found some places online, but honestly, I was a little hesitant to order something like that without seeing it in person. How would I know if it was the real deal? I can’t put them into my forge directly before buying, you know.
- There are also many kinds of fire bricks.
I called a couple of the local building supply places, and bingo! One of them had exactly what I needed. I drove over there, feeling pretty accomplished. The guy at the counter knew his stuff, explained the different types of fire bricks they carried, and helped me pick out the right ones for my forge. Also, I learned that if you have a place with fire that you want to control, you will need fire bricks.
They weren’t cheap, but hey, you get what you pay for, right? And it’s not like I’m buying fire bricks every day. Just stack the bricks up to form the walls of your forge with some refractory cement. I loaded them up in my truck, feeling like a true DIY warrior. It was a bit of a learning experience, but in the end, I got my fire bricks, and my forge is coming along nicely. I was so happy I finally got the right bricks. Now I can start my project!
