Do you need special cement for a fireplace?

Do you need special cement for a fireplace?

Tools & Materials. The mortar in most brick joints consists of sand, lime, and portland cement. But in a fireplace, that mix just crumbles away when subjected to roaring wood fires. For this application, masons rely on a refractory mortar made of magnesium silicate, which can withstand heat up to 2,000 degrees F.

What do you add to cement to make it fireproof?

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. This is mixed like a normal cement based mortar, but with half the cement replaced with the lime.

What cement can I use in a fireplace?

Sakrete® High Heat Mortar is a dry, medium-duty mortar ideal for setting masonry units in fireplaces, fire pits or chimney applications such as setting clay flue liners and paring a smoke chimney chamber. It has high heat resistant characteristics and excellent strength properties.

Can you use thinset on fireplace?

Steps for Tiling Over a Brick Fireplace: Spread the thinset over the brick with a flat, straight—not notched—trowel and force it into all the grout joints. The next day, lay down a new bed of latex-modified thinset combed out with a notched trowel, and set your tiles into that. Don’t use mastic; it can’t take the heat.

Can you use cement in a fireplace?

Fire cement is used in fireplaces, stoves, gas cookers, boilers, central heating systems and ranges to repair small cracks and small patches of damage to fire bricks and firebacks. Moreover, it can also be used to seal ceramic flue liners in a commercial chimney where the heat reaches high temperatures.

Does fire cement set without heat?

The paste consistency material which will withstand very high temperatures. It sets rock hard when exposed to heat or at room temperature, although the process takes longer the lower the temperature. It is believed to have been discovered towards the end of the 19th Century and is classified as an air setting material.

How do you make concrete heat resistant?

Things You’ll Need Many wood-fired ovens, kilns and fireplaces are built with fireproof concrete or other fireproof material known as refractory concrete. Commercially, fireproof concrete is made by mixing a product known as fly ash, a by-product of the production of Portland cement.

What is the best adhesive for marble fireplace?

At Creative Fireplaces, we recommend using clear regular silicon for the joints where the various marble sections meet. Silicon is a very flexible adhesive that is ideal for use to secure the various sections of the fire surround.

What is modified thinset used for?

Modified thinset is the product of choice for most tile installations because of its increased strength and bonding with minimal shrinkage, which means a reduced chance of cracks forming in the tile. WarmlyYours Radiant Heating recommends modified thinset mortar for nearly all tile and stone installations.

Does fire cement set hard?

It sets rock hard when exposed to heat or at room temperature, although the process takes longer the lower the temperature. It is believed to have been discovered towards the end of the 19th Century and is classified as an air setting material.

What kind of cement do you use for a fireplace?

Add cement board to the entire area you’ll be tiling (for us, that means the floor and all 4 sides of the fireplace leaving room for wood mantle). On the ground and drywall, use thinset and screws to attach the cement board. But on the metal surround, use high heat adhesive to attach the cement boards. We had a plan of attack!

Can you mix fireplace mortar with regular mortar?

Fireplace mortar is mixed a bit differently than regular mortar. One of the most important parts of mixing fireplace mortar is to purchase the correct type of mortar. Since the mortar will be exposed to heat you can’t use standard mortar.

Can you use thinset mortar on a fireplace?

Modified thinset. On the FP surround every piece had to be cut to size so they would be the same. The floor I stretched a bit to exactly cover the modular hearth extension. This FP is now only decorative as there is a major crack in the firebox wall and floor.

Where can I buy refractory mortar for a fireplace?

You can purchase refractory mortar at most building supply stores and fireplace shops. It can also be purchased on line. The proper mix is 6 parts mortar, 1 part lime, and 1 part sand. Put this in a large container and stir it to combine all the dry ingredients. Then slowly add water to the consistency you need.