A cast iron stovetop, also called a cooking deck, allows food to be cooked and improves space heating. Due to the properties of cast iron, the panel has inertial heat transfer: in the process of slow cooling of the surface, uniform heating of the house or summer cottage is carried out. In order for the tile to serve for a long time without losing its useful qualities, you need to responsibly approach its selection and installation.
Cast iron plate characteristics
The cooking deck is installed on top of the horizontal plane of the oven. It is made by casting from gray cast iron grade SCh 15-20. This strong and refractory metal is an iron-carbon alloy, which also includes silicon, phosphorus, manganese and sulfur. These impurities significantly increase the physical and chemical properties of the metal.
A cast iron hob for a stove has the following qualities:
- Resistant to temperature shocks. The product does not deform when following the rules of use.
- Anti-corrosion performance. Immediately after casting, the panels are covered with a layer of rust, making them immune to corrosion.
- Great weight. Cast iron plates are heavy, which gives them stability.
The quality of the product is subject to such requirements as the flatness of the surface, the absence of scratches, chips and other damage.
Varieties of cast iron cooking floors
Regardless of the configuration, all tiles perfectly perform the function of heat transfer, you can cook food on them. Cooking decks are of two types - prefabricated and solid. The difference between the former is in the thermal gaps between the parts, due to which the expansion of the heated metal is compensated. But each type has additional features.
Prefabricated slabs
Structurally, they look like metal panels with several rings of different diameters, which are installed into each other. The result is a single plane. Prefabricated oven plates can have from one to six burners, and you can vary their size for certain dishes by removing and putting on rings.
Cast iron prefabricated stove plates are characterized by a long operating period and resistance to temperature extremes. Due to the inter-ring gaps, cast iron, which expands when heated, is not deformed or damaged.
To make the products more durable, they are equipped with stiffeners from the inside. A significant advantage of this addition is an increase in panel temperature and an increase in efficiency.
Solid slabs
These are cast iron sheets with one or two round burners of constant cross-section. There are also deaf models, which are a one-piece burnerless sheet. One-piece models have almost no expansion gaps, which is why it is not as practical and durable as a prefabricated counterpart. Deformation of the heating panel may occur due to lack of free space. But the slabs of the solid type for the furnace have advantages - ease of installation and low price in comparison with prefabricated ones.
Criteria for choosing a hob
First, the dimensions of the panel are estimated. This is done at the stage of erecting the stove according to the drawings or after, if the tiles are supposed to be built into the finished product. Cast iron surfaces are either square or rectangular. Most often they are produced in the following sizes:
- 340x410 mm;
- 340x510 mm;
- 340x585 mm;
- 410x660 mm;
- 410x710 mm.
In terms of surface thickness, they are produced from 8 to 17 mm - the criterion is important to consider if the dishes for cooking are oversized and heavy. Panel weight ranges from 10 to 55 kg.
The number of cast-iron burners for different stoves depends on the dimensions of the sheet and the wishes of the owner: there are single-burner options, there are products with six heating points. For a custom stove, an order can be made in a specialist store for the production of a custom-made cast iron surface. But its cost is much more than a standard stove.
It is worth considering the quality and composition of the material used to make the panel. If chips, scratches and other flaws are found on the surface, it is better to refuse to purchase.
Domestic and foreign manufacturers are engaged in the production of cooking surfaces. Of the latter, the products of the Finnish brand Pisla are in demand. For example, the two-burner cast iron stove HTT 3A of black color 985 x 650 mm has proven itself well. Additionally, the company offers cast iron casting for fireplaces. Domestic production does not lag behind its foreign competitors. The most popular Russian manufacturers are NMK, Litkom, Russian Casting, Furnace Casting Russia, SibStalShar.
Installation subtleties
The thermal expansion of the various materials must be taken into account during installation. For example, high temperatures affect brick and cast iron completely differently. If, during installation, the cooking floor is tightly walled up in the masonry, soon such a stove will simply fall apart as a result of the expansion of the metal.
Installing tiles on a brick stove:
- A horizontal 5 mm gap is left between the heating structure and the panel. Thanks to him, thermal expansion between objects will be compensated, and the period of operation will increase.
- The hob is installed in a strictly horizontal position on a flat base - the tiles should not play. To determine if there are deviations along the horizon, a building level is used. The largest of the cast iron circles for the furnace is located above the combustion chamber.
- The panel is mounted on a clay-asbestos composition. These materials are resistant to high temperatures. The solution can be made by yourself, by crushing and mixing the components with water, or diluted with a ready-made, purchased one. In consistency, it should be similar to liquid sour cream. During installation, make sure that the horizontal gaps remain empty, otherwise the stove will quickly collapse.
- An asbestos cord or cloth is laid under the base of the panel.
- The upper row of bricks, on which the cast-iron sheet is placed, is "ringed" with a metal corner - this will give the structure strength.
It is necessary to heat the stove for the first time after installing the surface in a special way: after mounting the panel, gradually heat it up to 640 degrees for 8 hours, adding 70-80 degrees per hour. When the required temperature is reached, the stove cools down until the fuel burns out completely.
Due to gradual heating, the internal stress of the cast iron is removed, the stove plate becomes more durable. The procedure has a positive effect on the further operation of the stove and tiles, preventing bending and cracking.
Installation on a metal stove follows the same principles. But it must be taken into account that cast iron is a heavy material, therefore a brick structure is capable of deforming under its weight. Additional strengthening of the furnace with a cast-iron corner is required. It is possible to apply a "support" and from other resistant material.
Maintenance and operation rules
Cast iron surfaces are designed for use on household stoves that require solid fuels such as wood, pellets or coal. The panel is easy to operate. You just need to heat the stove and wait for the burners to heat up.
When working with tiles, you must follow the rules:
- Do not allow liquid to come into contact with the hot panel.
- Avoid impacts and other mechanical influences during transportation or use.
- Do not overload the cooker.
The hob does not need to be treated with any chemical solution. To care for it, it is necessary to systematically wipe the cooled panel with a damp cloth, remove burnt food debris with a brush with a hard bristle. Do not worry if rust appears on the cast iron as a result of prolonged downtime, it will disappear when the surface heats up.
Cast iron is an unpretentious material, but at the same time it has its weaknesses. The main disadvantage is fragility. In case of careless handling of the product or due to impacts on it, cracks and chips are formed on the surface. Such a panel can only be thrown away, since it will not work to fix the flaws by welding.
A cracked cast-iron plate can be welded with a copper electrode, this time, cast iron for such plates is poorly poured, cast, to facilitate the manufacture of casting, the manufacturer adds steel to it, which increases its penetrating ability in the mold, and this, in turn, leads to no permanent deformation when heating, heated, bent, cooled, straightened, unfortunately, in the pursuit of profit, the manufacturer is silent about this. - look for used stoves from the times of the USSR. then it was not.
I agree, but still cracked. Not that casting. The pursuit of profit. Under BREZHNEV this was not, and where to get the old plates. Next to us was a casting where they poured to order: plates, grates and others. everything is gone.