Solid fuel burner – crumbling fire bricks inside firebox

Solid fuel burner – damaged fire bricks/ceramic bricks inside firebox

Causes

Deterioration due to age

Burning salt-laden wood such as driftwood or treated timber

Cause

Deterioration due to age

Repair

  • fire bricks/ceramic bricks inside a woodburner are designed to withstand extremely high temperatures. They help protect the metal firebox, making it last longer. It is reasonably common for them to suffer minor damage such as hairline cracking over long periods of use. This is not usually a problem. If larger cracks form or the bricks start to crumble or fall apart they should be replaced

  • replacement fire bricks are reasonably easy to obtain for all but the oldest models of woodburner. Check the size of the bricks in the woodburner before buying replacements

Cause

Burning salt-laden wood such as driftwood or treated timber

Repair

  • avoid burning salt-laden wood or treated timber, particularly wood treated with a copper-based preservative such as CCA, copper azole or copper quaternary – arsenic and other chemicals are released into the environment

  • replacement fire bricks are reasonably easy to obtain for all but the oldest models of woodburner. Check the size of the bricks in the woodburner before buying replacements