Replacing fire bricks and stove liners

Stove liners, which are often known as fire bricks, are the removable panels that sit against the left side, right side and back of the firebox of your wood-burning stove.

Their purpose is to protect the stove’s metal bodywork from the intense heat generated by the appliance. Given that the flames are instead licking against the stove liner, these panels are susceptible to wear and tear and may need to be replaced.

What are fire bricks and stove liners made from?

Depending on your appliance, your stove liner will be made from heat reflecting vermiculite, traditional refractory clay fire bricks (which is why the brick name has stuck even for those made of other materials) or metal (which is usually the same material as the stove is made from.

You can see examples of vermiculite and cast iron stove liners in the images above. Clay fire bricks are no longer in widespread use because the other options are much easier and more cost effective to transport.

When do I need to replace my fire bricks?

As we’ve already established, the reason for using fire bricks is to protect the stove. So, if your fire bricks are damaged to the extent that the bodywork of your stove is exposed directly to the flames from your fire, it is definitely time to replace them.

If you don’t, you risk causing permanent damage to your stove’s bodywork, which is much more difficult and much more expensive to repair or replace.

How do I replace my fire bricks?

Since stove manufacturers expect you to ruin the fire bricks – that is what they’re there for, after all – stoves are very easy to come across. You just need to make sure you know the exact model of your woodburner to ensure you buy the spare stove liners that are right for your appliance.

Click here to visit our stove spares section and choose your stove manufacturer to find replacement fire bricks for your woodburner.