Small smokehouse build, Need some opinions.

[Forester579]

Hello everyone

I am almost finished building a small smokehouse and I have a few points I’d like to get some opinions on. Still needs some trim and a metal roof.

I should have taken some pictures during construction but I always forget to do that when building things. But anyway, it has 2x4 walls with tongue and groove pine (got it for free) on the inside and 3/8 plywood as the shell. All the seams around the inside are sealed with food grade silicone. It is insulated with fibreglass insulation. The bottom of the smoker is 18 gauge sheet steel and the heating element is a 3500 watt oven element.

So my main concern is this, there is no insulation between the 18 gauge sheet steel on the bottom and the 2x4 floor. Do you guys think the heating element will get that floor too hot and possibly cause the 2x4 to degrade and/or catch on fire? Should I put some type of bricks or ceramic under the heating element?

 

[Forester579]

Forgot to put my second question in the original post.

Currently it is -1c where I am. If I open the door for 30 seconds it takes roughly 5 min to make it back to temp (that is with an empty smokehouse). I am not sure how that time will transpose to a full smokehouse. Does anyone with experience know if that recovery time is adequate?

Thanks in advance for the help guys!

 

[JckDanls 07]

Nice little smokehouse... Since it's an oven element I'm assuming your running on 220v ?

I would line the bottom with fire brick or something as to that affect... Or keep an air gap between the plate and the wood floor ...

 

[Forester579]

Thanks for the reply.

Yep it’s 220v. Just a standard Home Depot firebrick would work you think?

 

[SmokinEdge]

Thanks for the reply.

Yep it’s 220v. Just a standard Home Depot firebrick would work you think?

Should be fine and I agree with Keith.
I lined the floor of mine with house brick’s because that’s what I had on hand from the house build, works perfect as well.

 

[Forester579]

Sounds good. I’ll pick up some bricks

Thanks

 

[indaswamp]

Guys got you covered....nice little smokehouse! Post some pics. of your first cook when you get the bricks all sorted out....we love pics. here at SMF!!

 

[Winterrider]

Nice little smokehouse.!

 

[radioguy]

Those bricks will also help with temp recovery. they will act as a thermal mass and help retain heat. It will take longer to reach temperature though.

RG