Fireplaces, Heating Stoves, Flues and Chimneys - woodstove inside brick liner

Can I use any dry dense brick for inside the stove to hold heat?
Thank you for your reply!

You should use firebrick in your stove. Most stoves are built to hold firebrick of varying sizes as liners. Some have firebricks custom made in larger sizes and these are available through the manufacturer. Some will take standard firebrick sizes or will use standard 1" thickness but may be smaller sizes. These can be cut down with a masonry blade on a skill saw or scored and broken.

Some use a ceramic blanket in the top chamber above the brick baffle. This is typically weighted with a couple of pieces of steel to keep it from lifting into the exhaust in high draft situations.

Starting in the 1980's emissions requirements were enstated on a national basis and stoves were required to burn cleaner. The positive side of this was the fact that stoves became more efficient and produced less creosote. Stoves have really improved over the years and are much better than the old box with a hole in the top.

If you are putting the firebrick on the inside to hold heat you will be changing your firebox and potentially diminishing the efficiency of your stove. If you are just replacing old bricks, stick with the factory ones or an exact replacement.

Some people will build walls in back of the stove as a slow release, heat absorbing aspect. Typically there is an air space behind to allow circulation of air. Regardless, be careful because brick is a conductor and when directly adjacent to combustibles can cause fires.

Regardless, be sure that your stove is installed up to current building standards and any additions are the same. Burn clean dry firewood, don't damper the stove down too much, and build hot fires.

Jim

Jim