Gone are the days when the term ‘jungle’ simply referred to a large congregation of trees. Thanks to the progress of civilization, nowadays there are concrete jungles everywhere and have you ever wondered what lies beneath the smooth surface of the wall? Underneath there are rectangular blocks known as fire bricks and their process of baking is such that they are meant to prevent heat from escaping. There are special kilns known as refractories in which such bricks are baked at high temperatures and as a result they are characterized by high tensile strength and strong resistance to heat.


Owing to their ability to confine heat within a certain area, fire bricks are used in places wherein high temperatures are required like hearths, furnace and pizza ovens. While some of the mandatory ingredients are aluminum oxide and silicon dioxide, the composition is often customized to suit the requirement of the buyer. As a result the outcome which emerges from refractories definitely does not conform to any standard type but varies in terms of attributes. From the buyer’s point of view, it is imperative to be aware of the varieties and their purpose before making a purchase.


If you are in search of fire bricks which would help to maintain the temperature within the furnace at high levels then it is the high duty variety which you should settle for. Named ‘high duty’ courtesy of their high alumina content, meaning 50% or more, these bricks belong to the higher end of the price spectrum as well. As per men working in refractories, a more efficient variety is the medium duty fire brick which is comprised of a mixture of 50% silica and 35 % alumina. An epitome of tensile strength, durability and heat conduction, it is ideal for domestic use, particularly pizza ovens.


Then there are fire bricks which are made out of concrete and others that are made from clay. For the former, first cement and concrete are mixed, air dried and then subjected to fire treatment in a kiln. Although they are very expensive they are also the best suited for a fire pit since they can withstand extremely high temperatures. A product of refractories which is used for providing the external covering to ovens, furnaces and hearths is a clay fire brick Because it is known to crack beyond a certain temperature range, it is used as an outer covering only and is an economical investment.


Some types of fire bricks are deliberately designed in a manner so that they block the flow of heat and these are known as insulation bricks. Apart from being poor conductors of heat, these bricks are characterized with light weight, easy availability and cost effectiveness. Owing to their nature and function they are ideal for lining the interior of furnaces and ovens as they can retain the heat and prevent other surfaces from getting adversely affected as well. This is one product of the refractories which is equally useful on industrial, commercial as also domestic front.


A particularly interesting use of fire bricks entails their being incorporated within wood fire ovens for making pizzas. In this oven the wood is burnt to a point when the heat is absorbed by the walls and after a certain temperature the fire is allowed to die down. Next it is time to push in the food to be cooked and cooking takes place when the heat absorbed by the walls is radiated on to the food from all directions. People might make the mistake of using insulation bricks but experienced professionals at the refractories suggest high duty and high density bricks as being ideally suited.
When you venture out to buy fire bricks http://www.vitcas.com then it is imperative to be aware of the different types so as to be able to make an educated choice. Considering that these are essential requisites for refractories http://www.vitcas.com they are a must for wood fire ovens since they facilitate cooking of food by retaining the high temperatures within.