# Can I just add firebricks?



## daveswoodhauler (Oct 31, 2011)

Ok, so I am working on my parents woodstove as they are in their 70's and have lost power since Sat night due to the storm.
I was over their house today bringing over some wood, and when checking out thir stove I noticed that their were firebricks surrounding the sides, but not on the bottom. Anyway, this is a pre EPA woodstove that my dad ran when I was a kid back in the 70's. Its a steel top loader, and have to say the firebox is beyond huge)
Anyway, I was asking about it and asked him if it should have firebricks on the bottom....he indicated that there were firebricks on the bottom. Well, I told him "dad, I looked over the bottom and I dont see any down there...he said "there were some at one time" Seems to be it was just steel on the bottom
I'm guessing that over time they just fell apart and crumbled, so can I just get new bricks and try to make them fit as best I can? (there was a good deal of ashes in the bottom of the stove, so I left them there due to the lack of firebrick. I just wanted to get the stove running at 400 or so to take the edge off.
Basically, just trying to get the stove safe for 1-2 times a year when they use it when they lose power.


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## EatenByLimestone (Nov 1, 2011)

Yes, you can add firebricks to the bottom.  Other options are the ash you found in there and sand.

Matt


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## daveswoodhauler (Nov 1, 2011)

Thanks Matt. I am just going to pick up some firebricks and line the bottom at best I can. Figured I can pour some some in between the joints if they don't match up exactly....cause I know that it wont, lol


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## pen (Nov 1, 2011)

For 5 dollars or so a fiber masonry blade can be had to put into a circular saw and cut the firebrick as you need.  If you are patient w/ a rock chisel, you can also split them as you need w/ one of those, just score it well all the way around.

Know things are hectic but did you double check that the chimney was clean and serviceable?  

pen


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## CamFan (Nov 1, 2011)

I have had people bring stoves to us for years saying they did not have fire brick in the bottom of their stove.  In all the cases they did.  The brick in the bottom will last better than the sides or back as a general rule.  Empty the ashes and take a shop vac and really clean the bottom, what happens is over the years the ashes fill every crack and starts to look as if it is a solid piece.  If there were no bottom brick the side brick and back brick could easily fall out.  I would double check it good before adding.  Good luck.  I used to up grade stoves for people.  I would sandblast them rebrick and paint them.  I had some that did look like they had no brick in the bottom until I looked better.


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## EatenByLimestone (Nov 1, 2011)

Good pint CamFan.    

I've cut them pretty quickly with my angle grinder and a masonry blade.


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