How do you make refractory cement castable?

You will need about 1 part (by volume) of Furnace Cement for each 4 parts (by volume) of Perlite so for a two gallon bag of Perlite you will need a half gallon of Furnace Cement.

What to add to cement to make it heat resistant?

Calcium Aluminate cement and Lime will work the best as the cement in hot cooking conditions- This applies to refractory concrete as well as to heat resistant mortars. (Lime is sometimes mixed into fire clays.

Can you use red bricks for a pizza oven?

If the bricks are made of clay and are kiln fired (firebrick or red clay brick) they can be used for a pizza oven, but if they are concrete bricks you should stay away. Firebrick is the preferred building material for most pizza oven builders, but a clay brick oven is better than no oven at all!

What is refractory mortar made of?

Refractory mortar is a mix of cement, sand, fireclay and, other specialized ingredients such as calcium aluminate. Fireclay is a set of various clays that can resist heat up to 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit.

What kind of mortar do you use for a wood fired oven?

Refractory heat resistant mortar types for building wood fired ovens from fire clay bricks. In building high quality oven, refractory mortar should be used in only up to ¼” (6mm) thick application. That’s the general rule but there are 2 or 3 exceptions.

What type of refractory mortar is used for flue liners?

Outstanding properties of non-water-soluble refractory mortar include acid resistant, water insoluble, and it is the only type of refractory mortar which is recommended for setting clay flue liners. The hydraulic setting mortar is similar to Portland based mortar in terms of workability and curing.

Does premixed refractory mortar cause efflorescence?

Premixed refractory mortar is a mixer of clays, aggregates, and a liquid silicate as a binder. The properties of such mortar are inferior to hydraulic setting mortar. For instance, it dissolves in water after drying and require long time to dry in wet environment. Added to that, premixed or air-dry mortar may cause efflorescence.