Can I fire hard red firebricks in kiln during low fire operations

[Locosan]

Hello - been awhile since I got great advice from y'all on firing. I have upgraded to a larger kiln and have not gotten new larger shelves/stilts etc. (expensive) I would like to do some smaller fires to test and practice with the controller (always have fired manually) and I can get full size red firebricks (hard type but true firebricks - not regular red brick) for 3$ each.  I would like to use some of these as stilts and maybe just have some in to take up space (hold heat better?). Would this work? I am only firing 04/06 - fire mostly standard white/terracotta...... Thanks for any advice - Jerry (Locosanart on FB)

[Rae Reich]

I’ve used hard red brick for kiln posts. They work fine, but take up a lot of shelf space. I used a lot of silicon carbide shelf shards to add to the height.

[Mark C.]

ever heard of a red brick that was high fire??? Kiln bricks are more tan or light not red

can you show a photo of red brick?

[Russ]

Yes you can fire to 04 with no problems.

[Locosan]

Thanks All - I just upgraded to a larger used 29"x28" Paragon Kiln (was using a 17x19 70's Duncan) but the seller can't find any of the shelves and stilts that she thought she had but had not promised that that was part of the deal (fingers crossed she is looking) - so I am going to get a few of the cheaper red firebricks (and add to what furniture I have  just to do a few test fires to make sure it is working.  Here is picture of red firebrick. Thanks Jerry (Locosanart)

[Locosan]

My hats off to you Mark - I looked at your website and what a great career you are having. Not to mention your knowledge of ceramics. I am not much younger than you but retired from the Hospital lab industry and this is what I wanted to do in retirement. Congrats! Jerry

[Mark C.]

True high firebricks are stamped with a name and the demensions are 2.5x 4.5x 9 inch or they have splits and soaps and  3 kinds of arch bricks (books like Olsens kiln building show all the sizes). Then there are chimney firebricks which are lesser temperature and not stamped and are a bit irregular for house chimmney building. They can take heat just not cone 10.Lumber stores often carry them.. These red ones are new to me-and I'm guessing they are chimney brick.

[Rae Reich]

Thanks, @Mark C., I stand corrected. When I went out to look at my kiln bricks I could tell that the ones I had considered Red were actually just toasted over years of firing!