Okay, here is my blog post about replacing fire bricks in my wood stove:
So, the other day I noticed some of the fire bricks in my wood stove were cracked and crumbling. Not good! I figured it was time to replace them before winter really hits. Honestly, I had never done this before, so I was a little nervous, but how hard could it be, right?
First things first, I let the stove cool down completely. No way was I sticking my hands in there with hot coals. While it was cooling, I went and got the new fire bricks. I just went to the local hardware store, nothing fancy. They had a whole bunch of different sizes, but I made sure to get the same size as the old ones.
Once the stove was cool, I put on some work gloves. Safety first, you know? Then, I got my tools that I would use, a brush, and a scraper.
Cleaning it out
I opened the stove door and started pulling out the old, busted-up bricks. Man, they were in rough shape! Some of them just crumbled in my hands. I carefully removed all the old bricks and then used a small brush and a scraper to clean out all the ash and debris that was left behind. I just scooped it all into a bucket.
With the inside of the stove all nice and clean, it was time to put in the new bricks. It was kind of like a puzzle. I started with the back wall, then the side walls, and finally the bottom. I just slid them into place.
Putting the new bricks in
It was actually pretty easy to get the new bricks in there. The hardest part was trying to figure out the order, which ones should I put the first, and then it would be much easier. A bit of jiggling and they all fit snugly.
And that was it! I stood back and looked at my handiwork. The stove looked so much better with those new bricks in place. I felt pretty good about myself, having tackled that little project on my own. It really wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be. If your stove bricks are looking a little worse for wear, don’t be afraid to give it a try yourself. It’s a pretty simple DIY job that anyone can do, as long as you are not me, a clumsy man. Just remember to be safe and take your time. You will be happy to have done it yourself.
