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Refractory

Installation, repair, and replacement of heat-resistant refractory linings in furnaces, boilers, kilns, heaters, incinerators, and process vessels — the specialty work that protects steel shells from extreme heat and keeps high-temperature equipment running safely and efficiently. Find refractory contractors near you and connect with local providers through Scaffold Exchange.

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What Is Refractory Work?

Definition: Refractory work is the installation, maintenance, and repair of heat-resistant materials that line the interior of high-temperature equipment. Refractories — including firebrick, castables, gunned and shotcrete materials, plastic refractories, and ceramic fiber — withstand extreme temperatures, thermal cycling, chemical attack, and abrasion, insulating and protecting the steel structure behind them.

Industries such as refining, petrochemicals, power generation, steel, cement, glass, aluminum, and waste-to-energy depend on equipment that operates at temperatures far beyond what steel alone can handle. The refractory lining contains that heat, protects the shell, and improves energy efficiency. Over time, linings crack, spall, erode, and deteriorate from heat, chemical exposure, and abrasion, and must be repaired or replaced to prevent hot spots, shell damage, and unplanned shutdowns.

Refractory projects typically happen during planned outages and turnarounds, often on tight schedules. Work includes tearing out failed linings, installing anchors, placing new materials by casting, gunning, shotcreting, or bricklaying, and carefully controlled dryout or heat-up so the new lining cures without damage. Nearly all of it is performed inside confined spaces such as boilers, heaters, and vessels, from interior scaffolding. Through Scaffold Exchange, you can find refractory contractors across the U.S. and compare their capabilities and availability.

What Refractory Services Include

Service offerings vary by contractor, but most refractory firms provide the following capabilities.

Removal

Tear-Out & Demolition

Removal of failed refractory by hand, mechanical tools, remote demolition machines, or hydrodemolition, with debris removal from the vessel.

Monolithic

Castable & Gunite Installation

Casting, pumping, gunning, and shotcreting of monolithic refractory over anchors on walls, roofs, ducts, and vessel interiors.

Masonry

Brick & Shape Installation

Firebrick and refractory shape installation in furnaces, kilns, stacks, and boilers by experienced refractory masons.

Insulation

Ceramic Fiber Linings

Ceramic fiber modules, blankets, and boards that provide lightweight, insulating linings for heaters and furnaces.

Startup

Dryout & Inspection

Controlled dryout and heat-up of new linings, plus inspection and thermography to identify hot spots and plan repairs.

Common Applications & Facilities

Refractory services are performed across heavy industry and energy facilities throughout the United States.

Refinery fired heaters and FCC units

Power plant and industrial boilers

Steel, aluminum, and metal processing furnaces

Cement and lime kilns

Glass furnaces and forehearths

Incinerators and waste-to-energy plants

Stacks, ducts, and thermal oxidizers

Turnaround and outage refractory replacement

Refractory work often overlaps with other industrial specialty services. Here is how it compares and which situations each suits best.

Industrial Linings

Interior protection for tanks and vessels

  • Chemical and corrosion resistance
  • Moderate operating temperatures
  • Polymer and rubber lining systems
  • Best for tanks, vessels, and containment
Hydroblasting

High-pressure water jetting

  • Can remove failed refractory
  • Cleans boilers and heaters
  • Less vibration than mechanical tear-out
  • Best for cleaning and removal work
Refractory ← You are here

Heat-resistant linings

  • Castables, gunite, brick, and ceramic fiber
  • Withstands extreme heat and thermal cycling
  • Tear-out, installation, and dryout
  • Best for furnaces, boilers, heaters, and kilns
Insulation - Mechanical

Insulation for mechanical systems

  • Applied to the outside of pipes and equipment
  • Hot, cold, and acoustical systems
  • Lower temperatures than refractory
  • Best for piping, ductwork, and equipment
Fireproofing - Industrial

Fire protection for industrial structures

  • Protects structures during accidental fires
  • Dense cementitious and epoxy systems
  • Applied to supports, not process interiors
  • Best for refineries and chemical plants

Find Refractory Contractors Near You

Use the Scaffold Exchange map to search by location, filter by service type, and connect directly with local contractors that install, repair, and replace refractory linings.

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OSHA Compliance & Safety Standards

Many refractory materials contain crystalline silica, and cutting, gunning, mixing, and tearing out refractory can generate respirable dust. OSHA's respirable crystalline silica standard for construction, 29 CFR 1926.1153, requires exposure controls, a written exposure control plan, and respiratory protection where needed. Refractory work is also typically performed inside permit-required confined spaces, often in hot conditions, and from interior scaffolding that must meet OSHA scaffold requirements.

  • Silica dust controlled during mixing, gunning, and tear-out
  • Written exposure control plan and respiratory protection
  • Confined space permits, monitoring, and rescue plans
  • Heat stress controls for work in hot equipment
  • Interior scaffolds meeting OSHA scaffold requirements
  • Equipment isolated and locked out before entry
OSHA Standard 29 CFR
1926.1153

Respirable Crystalline Silica — U.S. Construction Regulations

OSHA Interpretations & Rulings →

Frequently Asked Questions

Refractory is heat-resistant material used to line furnaces, boilers, kilns, heaters, and other high-temperature equipment. It contains heat, protects the steel shell, and resists thermal cycling, chemical attack, and abrasion. Common types include firebrick, castables, gunned materials, plastic refractories, and ceramic fiber.
Both are monolithic refractories placed as a mix rather than as bricks. Castables are mixed with water and poured or pumped into forms, while gunite or shotcrete refractory is pneumatically sprayed onto surfaces at high velocity. Gunning is faster for large areas and overhead work, while casting often produces denser linings.
New monolithic refractory contains water that must be removed slowly and evenly. Heating too quickly can turn trapped water into steam that cracks or even explodes the lining. A controlled dryout schedule raises temperature gradually so the lining cures properly before the equipment returns to service.
Use the Scaffold Exchange vendor map to search by your location and filter by service type. You can see which local contractors install, repair, and replace refractory, compare their capabilities, and contact them directly through the platform.
Refractory work can generate crystalline silica dust covered by OSHA 29 CFR 1926.1153, and is usually performed in confined spaces with heat stress hazards and from interior scaffolds that must meet OSHA requirements. Visit the OSHA website for full interpretations and rulings on these standards.
Boilers, heaters, stacks, and vessels are tall enclosed spaces, and refractory must be removed and installed on walls and roofs at every elevation. Interior scaffolding gives crews safe, stable platforms throughout the equipment, and must be designed for the space, the materials, and the loads involved.

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