help with fire bricks.

[hitnspit]

ok im sure plenty of people have asked. You can just add me to the list. Im looking at getting a 2X3 hobby arch and it tells me it takes 60 half bricks. This maybe dumb question but what size is a half brick. Can I buy them in already cut that size and where would you all send me to get them... Thank you all....

[Lethalbowman]

Check out Sugar Bush Supplies in Michigan as they have them in their catalog. They show they are 4 1/2" x 9" x 1 1/4" they sell them for $1.75 and a full brick for $1.80! I would buy the full ones and then cut them in half with a wet saw.

[maple flats]

Bascom's also has them as well as most full line masonry supply houses. I found they were much less expensive at the big mason's supply location. When I did mine about 8-9 yrs ago, the maple dealers wanted about $1.50 for full (4.5 x 9 x 2.25 thick) and $1.45 for the half bricks. I went to the local cement works where they also had a mason's supply store and I paid $1.25 for full and $1.15 for half bricks. Then surprisingly the pre-mixed refractory cement to bond them was far cheaper at the maple dealers. I wouldn't bother to cut them, wet saw or not, just too much time and trouble. Besides a half brick is 1.25 thick and a full is 2.25 thick. If you take the cutting wheel out you will only get 2 at maybe only 1". Then how good are you to make an exact split? I think you can save money other places much easier. Do you even have a wet saw or do you need to rent one? There goes your savings.

[Ryan August]

Cut them in half? I agree with the last post, pain in the ***. I am cheap but that's alto of work to save on thirty bricks. From my local stone place half bricks were sixty cents cheaper. Good luck

[BAP]

Most good hardware stores/lumberyards carry the fire brick as it is the same as used in fireplaces. The only bricks I would cut would be the ones needed to fit in a small place. Otherwise just buy the size you need.

[eustis22]

"and it tells me it takes 60 half bricks."

As said below, firebrick comes in two thicknesses, full and half. What it's telling you is you need 60 of the thinner bricks for your arch, not that you have to cut them in half to fit. Shop around for the best price. I paid 1.70 for my halfs. You'll be glad you did.

[lpakiz]

I would add that you would do best to shop locally. Someone in Michigan can sell them for a dime a dozen. Shipping would make them more expensive than any you might buy local.
I got mine at our local masonry/block manufacturer and supplier. Shop within driving distance. Don't forget the mortar! I used the premixed stuff, and it worked good.

[Biz]

I firebricked my 18x48" CDL arch last fall. They said I needed 55 half bricks but I had several left over, so they may overestimate. Bascoms actually had a better price on the firebrick than the masonry yard near me. I bought a small tile saw and diamond blade for Harbor Tool to cut them, cheap,and worked well. It'll soon be time to test it out!
Dave

[hitnspit]

what I am finding is DO NOT buy from stores around me.... On ave they want $6 a brick. Looks like I will hit Leader or Goodrich...... Thanks

[Daves Maple Farm]

Look at TS too for fire brick. Saw a pallet of half bricks at our store. Didn't need any so don't know the price, they may list it on line.
Good luck
Dave

[Lethalbowman]

Get them where you can for the best price, if it means you have to include shipping be sure to ask if they have a discount program for pre-paid shipments and see if they will extend that price to you. Many carriers have rather healthy discount programs in place with larger companies. A minimum freight charge for less than 500 lbs. might not be as bad as some would think. I was fortunate to find a heat treating facility close by that had used bricks that I got for free that I will be using for my block arch. I plan to dry stack the bricks the same way they did. they fit close together and prevent most of the heat from passing through.

[harrison6jd]

check around. places that sell brick should have them. i found some at a local place here that sell landscape paver blocks. 1.66 each for full brick. i never would have thought they would have them but i asked anyway. got lucky.

[maple flats]

Our local TSC had the half bricks last year. I don't remember the price but I remember it was quite high. Don't go to a traditional retail store of any type, you need to find where the local masons buy, often at a cement plant or a building block yard. Places like TSC and Home Depot/Lowes mark things up lots more and they buy in much smaller qty that their cost starts higher before they add their markup. Try the place where you would order ready mix concrete by the truck. If they don't sell it they will usually know who does.
In you case try: Case Street Redi-Mix, Middlebury, Vt.

[wiam]

Lowes was $1.45 last weekend. That is where I am going to get mine. I think fulls were only 10¢ more

[DoubleBrookMaple]

Watch What You Buy! Read this...
http://mapletrader.com/community/showthread.php?22038-Fire-Brick-is-not-created-equal.-Hard-vs.-Soft.-Watch-what-you-buy.

[Yooper Kevin]

What did you use for insulation? I had trouble with my 18x60 CDL arch last year.....The firebrick on top of the insulation board in the firebox made the fire area very small and actually overlapped the grates on the bottom.