With the arrival of a new divided pan this winter, I worked on upgrading my block arch, as best can be done when the temp is below freezing, by adding insulation and a simple grate to raise the fire - I will be putting firebrick along the side and turning the grate.
I would like to add some firebrick to protect the insulation. However, I will either be rebuilding the block arch this summer or may move up to a homemade steel arch - the bricking will be temporary.
The side size is such that 3 fire bricks, standing on end will cover most of it. If I add two bricks on their side, it will just about reach the top. The back of the box is just over 3 bricks wide and the area not covered would be overlapped by the side bricks.
Since it is below freezing, I cannot cement them in place.
I started putting together the sides and back, using Red Devil Furnace Cement and Fireplace Mortar, but realized, I don't know if that is the right thing to use.
The goal was to cement the sides and back in the house and put the 3 part in in the firebox? The sides would hold the back in place and, I am not sure how to hold the sides in place - maybe a firebrick cemented to the horizontal solid concrete block would hold them or I could "wedge" them between the back and solid concrete block at the front?
I am at a loss at what to do.
Thanks for your input.
Insulation w larger firebox.jpg
The solid block at the bottom is the front limit of the firebox.