Mariana Soapstone™ Firebrick

Soapstone Firebrick Firebox

Soapstone Firebrick Fireplace
Courtesy Renaissance Chimney, Bernville, PA

Soapstone Firebrick Installation

Photo courtesy Mark P. Finlay Architects, AIA Fairfield, CT
Installation by Vona Brothers Masonry, Fairfield, CT

Soapstone Firebrick

Installation showing 9" × 4½" face
(using either Standards with 2½" wall thickness or Splits with 1¼" wall thickness).

Installation showing 9" × 2½" face
(using Standards with 4½" wall thickness or Strips with 1¼" wall thickness).

Installation showing 9" × 1¼" face
(using Splits with 4½" wall thickness or Strips with 2½" wall thickness).

Herringbone Installation, 9" × 1¼" face
(using either Splits or Strips)

Soapstone Firebrick

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(Click the images above for a larger view)

Mariana Soapstone's™ special mineral properties make it ideal for lining fireplaces. Soapstone can withstand great changes in temperature without cracking. Even better, it is so dense that it absorbs heat and then radiates slowly for hours, improving your fireplace's efficiency. Perhaps the best thing about using Mariana Soapstone™ firebrick is the look, a soft dove gray with natural veining and texture. It is a real upgrade to standard refractory or ordinary brick, and the finishing touch to a high-end custom fireplace.

How to Order

We stock three sizes:
Standard:	9" × 4½" × 2½" (cases of 25)
Split:	9" × 4½" × 1¼" (cases of 50)
Strip:	9" × 2½" × 1¼" (cases of 50)

Each of the three sizes has two honed faces: one wide face and one narrow face. So you can lay the bricks up showing either face. For wood-burning fireplaces, we recommend a minimum wall thickness of 2½". So you could buy Standards and lay up showing the 9" × 4½" face, or Strips and show the 9" × 1¼" face. Gas fireplaces may be able to use 1¼" thick wall thickness, provided they already meet fire-codes with the masonry structure behind the bricks.

Our minimum order is 50 standards or 100 splits or 100 strips. We sell full cases only.

We ship nationwide. For a shipping quote to your jobsite, give us the town and zip code, how many bricks you think you'll need (see How to Calculate), and let us know if we will be shipping to a residential or commercial address. It's also important for us to know how you plan to unload, as these are heavy pallets. We can offer lift-gate curbside unloading in many locations, but it's usually less expensive if you can unload with your own forklift or equipment.

For large orders (2000+ bricks) we can supply custom sizes.

Contact Us

How to Calculate

To calculate how many bricks you'll need:

1. Decide what layout of bricks you want - ie: which face size of the bricks do you want to show:
   

   Example: I want to show 9" × 4½" face of standard bricks, with a 2½" thick wall.

2. Get the square footage of all the walls of your fireplace:
   

   Example: back wall 48" × 30" = 10 sq ft,
   plus two side walls 20" × 30" = 4.17 sq ft × 2 = 8.33 sq ft,
   plus floor 48" × 20" = 6.67 sq ft.
   Total square footage to cover: 25 sq ft.
   Add 10% for waste = 27.5 sq ft.

3. Divide the square footage of walls by the face square footage of the brick size you want:
   

   Example: Standard bricks showing 9 × 4½" face = 0.28 sq ft/brick.
   Divide 27.5 by 0.28 = 98.21 so you need 99 bricks,
   4 cases of 25 standard bricks = 100 bricks.

How is Mariana Soapstone™ Firebrick Installed?

This is not a do-it-yourself product because fire codes are involved, but Soapstone Firebrick installs like regular ceramic firebrick. The bricks should be laid up using special mortars rated for high-temperatures. It's important to ensure that your firebox meets your local fire codes, and that the design generates proper draft, which is why you should always work with an experienced mason or fireplace specialist. For more information on fireboxes or for referral to a mason near you please Contact Us.

Technical data

Melting Point: between 1,000 and 1,500°C

Density: 182 lbs/cubic foot

Linear Coefficient of Expansion from 20° to 500° : 0.0000079

Absorption, by weight: 0.2%

Compressive strength, (minimum): 4,870 psi

Note: the above data reflect typical values. Soapstone is a product of nature and variations in characteristics may be expected.

Contact Us today for more information on any of our stones.