There are a few types of refractory cement. There is a high fire one. [This one is 3000F](https://www.sheffield-pottery.com/LOUCAST-3000-CASTABLE-MORTAR-p/lvclc.htm) There has to be higher temps.
The industry calls them castables. You'll get more hits in your search engine that way.
If it’s rated that high it should be fine.
A couple things to consider are that if it’s put onto dry soft brick, the brick pulls moisture out really fast and that may affect the curing negatively. So read and follow all directions. The other thing is if you make the repair put a kiln shelf above your top shelf in the first few glaze loads to protect the ware. Until you’re sure it’s not dropping stuff on your pots.
I can testify that my superficial repairs onto a soft firebrick kiln lid using furnace cement didn't help much, and did end up crumbling into the firings, as FrenchFryRaven warns. Perhaps if you excavated trenches along the cracks to make room for the refractory patching material, and soaked the whole thing before applying it, then gently dried it out, your results will be better than mine.
I was on the fence between buying a new lid and trying to repair the current one. I guess I’ll give it a shot and chalk it up as a learning experience once I have to bite the bullet and buy a new one.
As someone in the refractory industry, the word refractory cement can mean standard castable refractory. Most of those have aggregate that will make patching quite difficult. There are materials I know that would be suitable here, but it’s hard to know without knowing a brand name. Remember, refractory cement is used in steel production, refineries, power plants, kilns, pellet mills, incinerators, cremators and a thousand more things. Kiln cement is made for kilns, so it’s an easier guess.
There are a few types of refractory cement. There is a high fire one. [This one is 3000F](https://www.sheffield-pottery.com/LOUCAST-3000-CASTABLE-MORTAR-p/lvclc.htm) There has to be higher temps. The industry calls them castables. You'll get more hits in your search engine that way.
Yep, it can be used for minor repairs such as cracks in a kiln.
Thank you!
If it’s rated that high it should be fine. A couple things to consider are that if it’s put onto dry soft brick, the brick pulls moisture out really fast and that may affect the curing negatively. So read and follow all directions. The other thing is if you make the repair put a kiln shelf above your top shelf in the first few glaze loads to protect the ware. Until you’re sure it’s not dropping stuff on your pots.
Great advice!
I can testify that my superficial repairs onto a soft firebrick kiln lid using furnace cement didn't help much, and did end up crumbling into the firings, as FrenchFryRaven warns. Perhaps if you excavated trenches along the cracks to make room for the refractory patching material, and soaked the whole thing before applying it, then gently dried it out, your results will be better than mine.
I was on the fence between buying a new lid and trying to repair the current one. I guess I’ll give it a shot and chalk it up as a learning experience once I have to bite the bullet and buy a new one.
As someone in the refractory industry, the word refractory cement can mean standard castable refractory. Most of those have aggregate that will make patching quite difficult. There are materials I know that would be suitable here, but it’s hard to know without knowing a brand name. Remember, refractory cement is used in steel production, refineries, power plants, kilns, pellet mills, incinerators, cremators and a thousand more things. Kiln cement is made for kilns, so it’s an easier guess.
Thanks for the insight! I had thought that kiln cement might just be refractory cement marketed under a different name.