What firebrick does
Firebrick lines the firebox, keeps flames off the steel and stores heat to keep combustion going when the fire dies down. Bricks crack with thermal cycling and from logs being dropped on them. They are consumable, and the good ones are sold singly.
What the baffle does
The baffle sits at the top of the firebox and makes gases travel a longer, hotter path to the flue. Secondary air then burns much of the smoke, and that is how non-catalytic stoves meet the EPA limit. A warped baffle costs both efficiency and clean burning.
What listings say
Listings often say “firebrick lined” and leave it there. A few name the secondary system. Ashley states secondary combustion without a catalyst, for example, and a firebrick-lined interior. Thickness and spare part numbers are rarely given.
Before you buy
Search the maker’s parts page. A stove with a brick kit and a baffle available from stock will outlast one whose parts cannot be found. For imports, ask the seller directly.
Questions that keep arriving by post
Is a cracked firebrick a problem?
Hairline cracks are common. Replace a brick when it crumbles, falls out or exposes the steel behind it. The manual gives the rule for your stove.
What is the difference between catalytic and non-catalytic?
A catalytic stove burns smoke at a lower temperature with a coated combustor that needs replacing in time. A non-catalytic stove uses a baffle and secondary air. The Ashley AW2020-P listing says it burns without a catalyst.
Last reviewed November 1, 2026