Ceramic blanket and firebrick

[Nadkisson]

This is my second year working with a beginner block arch I built myself. Next year I want to increase insulation and fire protection with a ceramic blanket and fire bricks.

How do I attach the blanket to the block and the bricks over top the blanket?

I've searched other threads and they say "the brick will hold the blanket in place," but the walls of the firebox are vertical so that doesn't make sense—there needs to be some lateral assembly to keep it all in place. The bricks need to be mortared in place to the blocks--but the ceramic blanket goes between the block and the bricks.

I believe the finished product should look like this example from the Dauntless (not a block arch, but same idea) 22864

[MajorWoodchuck]

I believe they use a hard insulation board that you can adhere the bricks too with mortar. I think the softer blanket like you're referring to is used up towards the discharge section of the evaporator where the flames aren't hitting it as much. Another way would be to use an inner metal skin between the fire bricks and the insulation blanket.

[Aaron Stack]

I did a similar setup and the bricks do hold the blanket. I only mortared the brick seams.

[Pdiamond]

Ceramic insulation on the inside then firebrick as pictured, would be correct. To hold the firebrick in place you would use refractory cement.

[berkshires]

This is my second year working with a beginner block arch I built myself. .... the walls of the firebox are vertical so that doesn't make sense—there needs to be some lateral assembly to keep it all in place. The bricks need to be mortared in place to the blocks--but the ceramic blanket goes between the block and the bricks. 22864

In the picture you attached (and in every commercial arch I'm aware of) the walls of the firebox are _not_ vertical, they slant out a little. With cut firebrick cemented together and wedged in at the ends to make a single solid structure, the difference between vertical and slanting out a little is tremendous. If I were you I would not set the blocks exactly on top of each other, but set them back a half inch per row. That should make a difference, especially if the firebrick is then wedged in at the end.

Cheers,

Gabe

[spacetrance]

This is my second year working with a beginner block arch I built myself. Next year I want to increase insulation and fire protection with a ceramic blanket and fire bricks.

How do I attach the blanket to the block and the bricks over top the blanket?

I've searched other threads and they say "the brick will hold the blanket in place," but the walls of the firebox are vertical so that doesn't make sense—there needs to be some lateral assembly to keep it all in place. The bricks need to be mortared in place to the blocks--but the ceramic blanket goes between the block and the bricks.

I believe the finished product should look like this example from the Dauntless (not a block arch, but same idea) 22864

I just upgraded my setup and am in the process of insulating it. This video does a good job showing the process: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxN0xxQBslg

I had the same reservation you did. I found the ceramic board on CDL and amazon. The board gets sandwiched between the firebricks and the metal (or blocks, as is your case).

There are many posts here with producers stating they use the blanket between the firebricks and metal without issue.

My walls are 100% vertical with no incline out, therefore, I went with the board.

In the end, the brick's primary purpose is to protect the ceramic insulation from getting torn up by the tossing of firewood.

Hope this helps.

Rick