Okay, here’s my blog post about replacing the bricks in my Quadra-Fire stove:
So, the other day I noticed some of the bricks inside my Quadra-Fire wood stove were cracked and crumbling. Not good! Time for some DIY action. I’ve done some minor repairs on this thing before, but this was my first time tackling the firebricks.
Getting Started
First things first, I let the stove cool down completely. Like, overnight cool. Don’t even THINK about messing with this thing when it’s hot. Safety first, people!
Then, I gathered my tools. Nothing fancy, really:
- A good pair of work gloves (those bricks can be sharp!)
- A shop vac (for all the ash and debris)
- A small pry bar (to help loosen the old bricks)
- A putty knife (for scraping)
- And of course, the replacement bricks!
I made sure to get the right kind of bricks, there is Secondary Air Baffle Brick and then there other normal brick.
The Dirty Work
I started by vacuuming out all the loose ash and bits of broken brick. There was a LOT more than I expected. It’s like a mini archaeological dig in there.
Next, I carefully removed the old, damaged bricks. Some were easy to pull out, others needed a little persuasion with the pry bar. I took my time, making sure not to damage any of the surrounding (good) bricks or the stove itself.
Once the old bricks were out, I used the putty knife to scrape away any remaining debris or stuck-on bits from the stove floor and walls. I wanted a nice, clean surface for the new bricks to sit on.
Putting in the New Bricks
This part was actually pretty straightforward. I just placed the new bricks in their positions, following the pattern of the old ones. It’s kind of like a puzzle. I made sure they were snug and level, with no big gaps.
The Quadra-Fire stoves have this baffle system at the top, and some bricks are part of that. It was a bit tricky getting those in place, but with a little wiggling and patience, I managed it.
The Final Touches
After all the new bricks were in, I gave everything one last check. I made sure they were all secure and wouldn’t shift around when the stove was in use.
Then, I vacuumed everything out again, just to be sure I got all the dust and debris.
And that’s it! I let the stove sit for a day or two, just to be extra cautious, before firing it up. Everything worked perfectly, and the stove is burning better than ever. It’s pretty satisfying to do these repairs yourself, and it saves a bunch of money too!
Hope this helps with all details!
