Okay, so I wanted to share my little project from last weekend – making my own refractory mortar mix. Yeah, I know, sounds boring, but it’s actually pretty cool if you’re into DIY stuff and need something that can handle some serious heat.
First off, I gathered all the stuff I needed. Here’s the list:
- Fireclay – this is the main thing that makes the mortar heat-resistant.
- Silica sand – you know, just regular sand, but it adds strength.
- Portland cement – only a little bit, to help it all stick together initially.
- Lime – this makes the mix easier to work with.
- Water – obviously, to mix it all up.
I didn’t have exact measurements, so I kinda eyeballed it. I started by throwing some fireclay into a big bucket. Then, I added about the same amount of silica sand. After that, I tossed in a little bit of Portland cement, maybe like a tenth of the total volume, and a bit more lime than cement.
Mixing it dry first is important, I think. I used a trowel and just stirred it around until it looked like an even mixture. No lumps, all the same color, you get the idea.
Adding Water
Next, I started adding water. This part is a bit tricky. You don’t want it too runny, but not too dry either. I added a little bit at a time, mixing with the trowel until it got to be like a thick paste. It should hold its shape, but not be crumbly.
Once it was all mixed up, I let it sit for a few minutes. They call this “slaking”, I think. It lets the water really soak into all the dry stuff. After that, I mixed it a little more.
And that’s pretty much it! I used the mortar to patch up a little crack in my fire pit. It’s been a few days and a couple of fires later, and it’s holding up great! It’s solid as a rock and doesn’t seem to mind the heat at all.
It was a fun little experiment, and now I’ve got some homemade refractory mortar that works just as well as the store-bought stuff, I guess. Plus, I made it myself, which is always a good feeling.
