The BrickWood Super Duty Mortar Guide
Super Duty Refractory Mortar, Premixed: 3,000°F Air-Set Mortar for Industrial Fire Brick
What a premixed super duty mortar is, who it's for, how much to order and how to use it. Please read the section on who this mortar is not for before you order.
BrickWood Super Duty Mortar, Premixed is a wet, air-setting, super duty refractory mortar rated to 3,000°F. It comes ready to use in the pail. Just stir, trowel it on and lay your brick. It air-sets as it dries to a strong 1,250 psi bond. It's made for professional and industrial work: kilns, furnaces, boilers, incinerators and other high-temperature equipment lined with super duty fire brick.
Super Duty Premixed Mortar: Quick Answers
- What it is: a ready-mixed, air-setting, super duty refractory mortar.
- Rating: 3,000°F maximum service temperature.
- Who it's for: professional and industrial customers. Not for outdoor or DIY pizza ovens.
- Bond strength: 1,250 psi after drying at 230°F, 1,000 psi after firing to 2,730°F.
- Coverage: 300 to 350 lb lays 1,000 standard fire bricks.
- Sizes: 50 lb pail or a 4-pack of 15 lb pails. Minimum order of 2.
- Shipping: FREE to the contiguous United States. Non-refundable once shipped.
Inside this guide
Who This Mortar Is For (and Who It Isn't)
Premixed super duty mortar is the fast, clean choice for professionals laying super duty fire brick in equipment that runs very hot: kilns, furnaces, boilers, incinerators and similar industrial linings. There's no mixing, no dust and no guessing at water ratios.
Not for outdoor or DIY pizza ovens
- Premixed air-set mortar sets by drying out, so rain, snowmelt and humidity can wash it out of the joints of an outdoor oven.
- A pizza oven never needs a 3,000°F mortar.
- Building a pizza oven, fire pit or outdoor fireplace? Use our outdoor-safe Refractory Mortar instead.
Super Duty Premixed Mortar Specifications
| Type | Wet (ready-mixed), air-setting, super duty refractory mortar |
| Maximum service temperature | 3,000°F |
| Pyrometric cone equivalent (PCE) | 34 (melts at about 3,205°F) |
| Bonding strength (ASTM C-198) | 1,250 psi after 230°F; 1,000 psi after 2,730°F |
| Pier test at 2,910°F (ASTM C-199) | No flow from joints, no cracks or shrinkage |
| Coverage | 300 to 350 lb per 1,000 standard 9 x 4.5 x 2.5 inch fire bricks |
| Shelf life | Typically 6 to 12 months, depending on indoor storage conditions |
| Chemistry | Silica 48.39%, alumina 47.21%, titanium dioxide 1.28%, iron oxide 0.55%, other oxides 2.43% |
| Sizes | 50 lb pail or a 4-pack of 15 lb pails |
Values are typical results from standard ASTM testing and can vary slightly from batch to batch.
How Much Super Duty Premixed Mortar Do I Need?
Count your standard 9 x 4.5 x 2.5 inch fire bricks and use the table below. The minimum order is 2 pails or 2 four-packs.
| What you buy | Total mortar | Lays about |
|---|---|---|
| 2 pails (50 lb each) | 100 lb | 285 to 330 fire bricks |
| 4 pails (50 lb each) | 200 lb | 570 to 665 fire bricks |
| 2 four-packs (15 lb pails) | 120 lb | 340 to 400 fire bricks |
How to Use Premixed Super Duty Mortar
- Open and stir. If there's liquid on the surface, stir it back in or pour it off to get the consistency you want.
- Trowel it on. Butter each brick and lay it with a thin, even joint.
- Cap it right away. Close the pail tightly as soon as you're done. The mortar starts setting once it's exposed to air.
- Let it dry. It air-sets as it dries, then reaches its fired bond strength when the equipment is heated up.
- If it freezes, let the pail thaw at room temperature before use.
Storage and Shelf Life
Typical shelf life is 6 to 12 months, depending on indoor storage conditions. Store pails sealed, indoors. If the mortar gets too stiff, you can add a little water and mix it back to the consistency you want, as long as it hasn't dried in the pail.
Safety and Handling
Like all refractory products, this mortar contains crystalline silica. Dust from dried mortar can damage your lungs over time.
- Wear gloves and safety glasses. Wet mortar can irritate skin and eyes.
- Wear a NIOSH-approved dust mask when cleaning up or cutting dried mortar.
- Work in a well-ventilated area, and don't eat, drink or smoke while you work.
- If mortar gets in your eyes, rinse with water. Wash skin with soap and water.
WARNING: This product can expose you to chemicals including crystalline silica, which is known to the State of California to cause cancer. For more information go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov.
Premixed mortar mistakes to avoid
- Using it outdoors. Use Refractory Mortar for anything exposed to weather.
- Leaving the pail open. It starts setting as soon as air gets to it.
- Thick joints. Thin, even joints are stronger.
- Using mortar that dried in the pail. Throw it out. Water won't bring it back.
Which Refractory Mortar Do I Need?
We sell four refractory mortars. Only one is made for outdoor and DIY pizza ovens. The other three are for professional and industrial work. Since refractory products are non-refundable once shipped, please check this table before you order.
| Mortar | Comes as | How it sets | Rated to | Water soluble? | Outdoor / DIY ovens? | Made for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Refractory Mortar | Dry mix, add water. 50 lb bag or 4-pack of 10 lb pails | Hydraulic (chemical set) | 2,700°F | No, once set | Yes | Outdoor pizza ovens, fire pits, outdoor fireplaces and chimneys |
| Super Duty Mortar, Dry Heat-Set | Dry mix, add water. 55 lb bag | Heat-set (needs kiln-level heat) | 2,900°F | Until fired | No, industrial | Kilns, furnaces, forges and industrial equipment |
| Super Duty Mortar, Premixed | Ready to use. 50 lb pail or 4-pack of 15 lb pails | Air-set | 3,000°F | Until fired | No, industrial | Kilns, furnaces, boilers and indoor high-heat equipment |
| High Heat Mortar, Premixed (Medium Duty) | Ready to use. 50 lb pail or 4-pack of 15 lb pails | Air-set | 2,700°F | Yes | No, indoor only | Indoor fireplaces, fireboxes and wood stoves |
Building a pizza oven, fire pit or anything that will see rain or snow? Choose Refractory Mortar. It's the only one of the four that stays put outdoors.
Super Duty Premixed Mortar: Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use this mortar for my pizza oven?
We don't recommend it. Premixed air-set mortar can wash out of an outdoor oven when it's exposed to rain and snow. For pizza ovens, fire pits and outdoor fireplaces, use our outdoor-safe Refractory Mortar.
How hot can it get?
It's rated to 3,000°F and passes the ASTM pier test at 2,910°F with no flow from the joints and no cracks or shrinkage.
Do I need to add water?
No. It's ready to use. If there's liquid on top, stir it in or pour it off. If it gets stiff over time, you can mix in a little water as long as it hasn't dried in the pail.
How many bricks does one pail lay?
About 145 to 165 standard fire bricks per 50 lb pail, and about 170 to 200 per 4-pack of 15 lb pails.
How strong is the bond?
1,250 psi after drying at 230°F, and 1,000 psi after firing to 2,730°F.
How long does it keep?
Typically 6 to 12 months stored sealed and indoors.
Is there a minimum order?
Yes, the minimum order is 2, either two 50 lb pails or two 4-packs of 15 lb pails.
Can I return it?
Refractory materials are non-refundable once your order has shipped. If you're not sure which mortar you need, contact us before you order.
How fast does it ship?
It ships within 1 to 2 days, with FREE shipping to the contiguous United States.
Please Order Carefully: Refractory Materials Are Non-Refundable Once Shipped
Refractory materials are heavy, costly to ship and can't be resold once they leave our warehouse. For that reason, refractory products can't be cancelled, returned or refunded once your order has shipped.
We're happy to help you get it right the first time. If you're not sure which product or how much you need, contact us before you order and we'll walk you through it.
Shipping
FREE shipping on every refractory product to all locations in the contiguous United States (the lower 48 states). Orders ship by ground carrier or commercial freight, depending on size, and freight carriers will call to schedule delivery. Please leave a phone number we can reach you at in the order notes.
Shop Refractory Materials
Every refractory product ships FREE to the contiguous United States.
Super duty mortar, ready when you are
Choose a 50 lb pail or a 4-pack of 15 lb pails at the top of the page. Minimum order of 2, and shipping is FREE.
Not sure this is the right mortar for your project? Contact us before you order and we'll help you choose.
Specifications are typical values from standard ASTM testing and can vary slightly from batch to batch.
