Hardie Backer/Plank for Smoke House?

[artisanbeard]

Hey everyone,

I'm beginning to consider making a Smoke House, but I'd like to "hot smoke" (possibly Brisket, Butts, etc.) and don't want my house combusting. I know that hardie backer (concrete board) is not combustable, and not too expensive...has anyone used this before? Maybe lining it with aluminum flashing for easy cleaning and added protection?

If I wanted to insulate the house, would normal housing fiberglass insulation work? 

Thanks for the info guys!

-Kyle

 

[rabbithutch]

Great questions, Kyle!

I'm gonna be following this thread closely.

My guess on the insulation is that fiberglass batts might not work so well. I'd look into types of foam insulation. I think there are some out now that are faced with foil but I'm not sure about heat resistance.

 

[toddzio]

I have a bunch of hardie board laying around from an aborted bathroom remodel.  I would be very interested in seeing your build.

I was thinking about doing a double skinned thing with hardie board on the inside and thin plywood on the outside with an airgap in between.

I had not figured out what to use to hang racks or dowels on the inside though.
 

 

[babysmokologist]

I just finished a smokehouse build utilizing hardyboard as fireproof liner, but then covered it w/ 1/32" stainless steel. There is some concern over the "inertness" of hardy products when exposed to heat and moisture in a food prep enclosure. On the exterior it should be fine, but on the interior, I'd cover it with something nonreactive. Stainless steel material and fabrication is cost prohibitive......see my recent money pit smokehouse posting. Perhaps some of the other members have used hardy products as a liner and can provide additional thoughts. The manufacturer may provide insight as well. Good luck!

 

[babysmokologist]

I used pink fiber glass batts w/ the kraft paper backing removed for insulation in my 2 x 4 framed smoke house. I don't see a problem when sealed inside a wall.

 

[toddzio]

According to the James Hardie company, Hardie backer can be used in a masonry surround of a fireplace.  I would assume that this means it is safe to be heated to a fairly high degree.

http://www.jameshardie.com/developer/fire_faq.shtml

 

[babysmokologist]

I was concerned about the possibility of contamination of the food smoked in a chamber lined with a Hardy product. The fire proofing aspect of the product is great. I looked at the Hardy site briefly and saw no mention of lining a food preparation device such as a smoker. It is a fiber-cement, I was worried that the fibers might make their way into my smoked food. I may be way too neurotic about fiber contamination, probably from seeing too many late night commercials about mesothelioma. 

 

[toddzio]

Well, I figure if they can be used as a backing for a fireplace, which is inside a house, they must not off-gas anything toxic.  And as long as there are no exposed fibers, I don't see how you could get any into your food.  I have used 1/4 Hardie backer before, and even when it cracked diagonally across the face, I did not see any exposed fibers.

In the thicker boards this might not be the case.  Try it, and let us know if you die.

 

[rabbithutch]

Is there an engineer or scientist in the house?

I'm old enough to have lived when they wrapped heating ducts and water pipes in asbestos. I even lived in a house that was clad with asbestos siding. It was installed when I was in my teens. It might have caused me some problems (I have COPD) but I suspect that living with and around heavy smokers is more likely the cause of any I have.

When the asbestos issues arose, IIRC, the problems were caused by the fact that the asbestos fibers were/are so small as to be mostly invisible. They had/have so little mass that they float in the air and are easily inhaled but are not removed from lung tissue.

I wonder if concrete product fibers have the same physical characteristics, ie, mostly invisible and of little mass so that the air can contain enough particles to have an adverse affect on health. I'm not a scientist nor an engineer nor do I work for the Consumer Product Safety Commission or the FDA, but it would seem logical to me to conclude that the hardieplank products would not be allowed in construction if they had characteristics similar to asbestos - or if they were found to be harmful.

I wonder what the CPSC has done with the product and what they have concluded?

 

[babysmokologist]

I'm out of my element here and my concerns were probably unfounded. You all make good points for it's use. As I said, my covering it was due to my own neurosis as much as anything, however,  I will have my widow post my obit if I croak since she won't eat what I cook.

 

[dakotamike]

Most house insulation has formaldehyde in it. You can't use it whatsoever.