Fire Brick for Fire Box?

[Its_Raw]

Merry Christmas!

Due to the weather, I have yet to get the new smoker seasoned, so I am reading and asking questions to occupy the brain a bit. How does one know when their smoker might benefit from lining the fire box with fire brick? I do not see the Franklins, et al, using them, but they have thick walled smokers and/or insulated fire boxes.

Thank you!

 

[Hockeydudde]

I definitely prefer some insulation between the fire box and the coals. To me, it helps maintain the coal bed better. But I don't find a noticable difference between bricks and a bed of ashes. On one smoker I have bricks, the other, I just maintain a bed of ash about an inch thick. The one I leave ash in has flat bottom, so it's easy to level the bed with a flat shovel. In the round fire box I find it easier to line the bottom with brick.