Brick smoker exterior heat

[phat rico]

A couple weeks ago I was talking to my friend's father and he wants to build a brick smoker.  He has a great backyard with two possible locations.   The best location is more ideal because it is on the corner of a covered porch off his entertainment barn, just a few steps away from a kitchen in the barn. The second location is 100 feet away down a small slope next to his pond and covered picnic area.  

The concern is that the prevailing wind would carry the smoker heat down the porch making the seating area uncomfortable( the Porch is about 60x15 ft). I have seen insulated welded smokers on here than are warm to the touch at temp but I dont know about brick.  

So you guys with "Brickies" (Is that a thing? lol) What is the outside brick temp when you are smoking?  Would it be OK near a seating area assuming the smoke is handled with properly?  He also wants to use cinder blocks on the outside with firebrick inside. Would cinder blocks work? 

 

[themule69]

Me not having a Brick smoker but heating My house with a central fireplace I will take a jab at this. When i have a raging fire My rocks are around 150°. Please take note I said raging fire. Most of the time the rock is more like 115°-125°. The tempeture switch in the duct work is 90° so the blower will come on then. When the rock is 150° It will heat my intire house with outside temps of around 10° to where you can wear a short sleeve shirt. keep in mind I am heating 2300 SF. If that was a brick smoker it would burn anything you put in it to a crisp. My metal stick burners are not going to burn you with smoking temps.

Maybe this helped.

Happy smoken.

David

 

[themule69]

Yes cinder blocks will work fine.

 

[wes w]

 
A couple weeks ago I was talking to my friend's father and he wants to build a brick smoker.  He has a great backyard with two possible locations.   The best location is more ideal because it is on the corner of a covered porch off his entertainment barn, just a few steps away from a kitchen in the barn. The second location is 100 feet away down a small slope next to his pond and covered picnic area.  

The concern is that the prevailing wind would carry the smoker heat down the porch making the seating area uncomfortable( the Porch is about 60x15 ft). I have seen insulated welded smokers on here than are warm to the touch at temp but I dont know about brick.  

So you guys with "Brickies" (Is that a thing? lol) What is the outside brick temp when you are smoking?  Would it be OK near a seating area assuming the smoke is handled with properly?  He also wants to use cinder blocks on the outside with firebrick inside. Would cinder blocks work? 

Good morning  Phat,

Sounds like you have a awesome location for a smoker!   The wind can be a problem, but,  in mine from the floor to the top is right at 10ft.   Unless you get a downward wind it shouldn't be a great problem.   You could always go up another flue liner which best I remember are 2ft. and be that much taller to help get the smoke away.

With your question about heat, I assume you mean hot to the touch.  I used a block shell and lined it with firebrick then laid my face brick around it.   Even in the winter on a all day smoke, it doesn't melt the snow off the outside.   The only place it will be hot to the touch is the doors, and the brick a few inches around the doors. 

Here is a link to my build.   There are many different ways to put a smoker together but the concept is the same.  Maybe you can get some ideas from the pictures.   When you get started with your build start a new thread here and keep us updated on how its going.   We do love pictures here!   I love seeing everyone's  different ideas.    Hope you have a great day!

As always, if you have any questions  or ideas please share.   One is  never to old to learn.

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/126307/brick-smoker-compete-how-to

 

[pianov]

I agree with Wess W. My smoker is also cinder block with a firebrick lining and regular brick on the outside. The outside doesn't even get warm after a 24-hour burn - and I'm in central Florida (can't attest to whether snow would stay on it....). The top of my firebox (mine is an offset design) does get hot - not hot enough to boil water, but on a long burn if you leave your mop solution there it will be very warm - maybe 150 to 180 degrees. Hope that helps!

See my smoker in a thread I posted today - Brick Smoker Upgrades (or something close to that).