we’re using firebrick (also called “refractory” brick) to line the inside of the easy fire pit walls. Pro tip: Firebrick is a dense brick that’s kilned to withstand high temperatures.

So naturally, you want to keep your fireplace brick looking good. There’s no use having beautiful brickwork as the centerpiece of a wall if it’s going to sit dirty and covered in all that buildup.

SKOWHEGAN — A few inches of a brick wall are complicating town officials’ decision about what to do with the former fire station on the island in Skowhegan. The station, at 16 Island Ave., ...