Two questions, please, before I start

[dee]

Dear all

I'm starting my build journey very soon but have two questions.

I've been gifted some square storage heater bricks, with the ridges/bumps running down two sides (hopefully I've managed to upload a picture successfully).

Are these a good option for the oven floor/cooking surface?? I'll pop them on a layer of fire clay to get over the gap/ridge issue. 


I do have 230x114x64mm fire bricks also, to cut these, has anyone used a block splitter? I saw a pavement company using one last week and the chap was splitting bricks in under a second. I'm just thinking about the half brick cuts. I have an angle grinder for the trickier cuts.

Thank you
Dee

[oblertone]

No idea about the block splitter, but just be aware that firebrick is much denser than common brick used in building. I do know that some have used a bolster and lump hammer for splitting so it may work.

As to the heater blocks, lay them on dry sand to aid levelling and they'll be fine (mine are) but for best effect they should be contained either by the oven wall or some other means to stop them moving apart. If they extend underneath the oven wall then heat will leach out so do encapsulate the whole wfo in an insulating layer.

A build thread with pictures is not only informative but may well allow us to correct errors before they become permanent.

Good luck 👍🏾

[dee]

Hi oblertone, thank you for replying. The hire shop will let me come armed with some bricks to try before a rent. I'll update forum when I've experimented. It's £40 for a week, or £50 for a hydraulic one so if it's good I think well worth it.
Thank you for the advice about the storage bricks, I'm glad that they'll be fine. Shame about having to cut away at them but that makes complete sense. I have bought an angle grinder in preparation and it'll make for good practice.

[oblertone]

Your storage blocks will need wetting and you'll need a mask; but that's nothing new 😷

[dee]

Is it okay to cook directly on top of the storage blocks? I see some old posts that put quarry tiles on top and have since read some debates about those. Thank you

[fox]

Personally I would not use storage blocks as a cooking surface, they are simply not designed for the job.
Where as, three inch thick fire bricks, with a nice flat surface, will hold heat for many hours of cooking and withstand repetitive 500+c for decades!
It may be possible to use them if you are really on a budget but if you are aiming for a long lasting and efficient oven then it is not something I can recommend.

[oblertone]

Au-contraire my little reynard, I've been using heater blocks in my wfo for the last six years and they are all still intact and work well. Mine was indeed a budget build but there's no harm in that and I've managed a couple of evenings doing 50+ pizzas.

[fox]

Yes I have noted a few of your recommendations to other folk, that is fine with me and I am really happy you are doing so well with your storage heated blocks.
However that is not the case for everybody as there is no set standard or set temperature rating storage heater bricks or blocks and I personally would not feel as confident as you appear to be.

[downunderdave]

Jul 16, 2021 14:56:49 GMT fox said:

Yes I have noted a few of your recommendations to other folk, that is fine with me and I am really happy you are doing so well with your storage heated blocks.
However that is not the case for everybody as there is no set standard or set temperature rating storage heater bricks or blocks and I personally would not feel as confident as you appear to be.

I agree. Storage heater bricks, or quarry tiles for that matter, have not been designed for use as an oven cooking floor and there is probably no way to know of their composition. Their operating service temperature is way lower than what we require, although that's not to say they can't be pushed higher without failure. As you point out there are probably many manufacturers and no guarantee that either they all use the same mix or that every batch individual manufacturers use has the same mix. This leaves builders in the position of try it and see, but no guarantees. Having said that, if you score them free and having others used and operated with them successfully it's very tempting to go ahead with it. If in your situation I probably would and just keep my fingers crossed.