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It's not nice to find a crack in your barbecue, though as long as it's a crack and not an actual broken surface, you can still consider yourself lucky.

Indeed, you can simply fill it and paint over it. You can use our BETONFAST® silicone glue which, as well as for assembly, can also be used to fix any cracks.

If instead the surface is actually broken, the only solution is to replace the piece.

But why do masonry barbecues crack? Here are the most common reasons.

You used wood for a product that only works with charcoal.

The combustion of wood generates higher temperatures compared to charcoal. So if you want to create embers directly from wood, you need to choose a product that is resistant to high temperatures.

Cultured marble barbecues are perfect for this purpose, while cement and refractory clay ones are only suitable to be used with charcoal. If you want to use wood (in moderate quantities), it is always best to buy the special metal counterhoods sold as an accessory, as they protect the material from high temperature of the smoke.

You have used too much wood.

Also barbecues resistant to high temperatures must not be overloaded. We recommend never using more than 3 kg of wood. The fuel must then be ignited slowly and gradually. This way the components have all the time to expand and eliminate the absorbed moisture without sudden changes.

The barbecue was not mounted correctly.

It is important to mount the products on a suitable base to support the weight of the barbecue. Ideally, this would be a cement surface at least 10 cm thick, levelled and whose size reflects the ones reported in the instruction manual. If the barbecue is mounted directly on the ground it might collapse or cracks may form. 

Moreover, it is important to use cementing products that are suitable for the model. For cultured marble barbecues, Sunday recommends only using BETONFAST® glue. Thanks to its elasticity, it allows components to expand with the heat of fire without breaking any parts. Refractory cement barbecues can also be mounted with mortar (80% sand and 20% cement). The important thing is not to use high resistance or quick-setting cement (like glue used for tiles) or silicone either, as it is too weak to hold the barbecue and is not resistant to heat.

The barbecue has not been protected in winter.

Cracks may form on barbecues not covered with the special sheet, which is full of water and moisture. Indeed, the water may freeze and, by increasing its volume, it might create microcracks in the brickwork. Even if they are not visible, these small cracks will become much more visible when you fire up the barbecue for the first time, when the material will expand due to the heat. So it is important to always cover the barbecue in winter. Sunday accessories include various tailor-made sheets that can be used for this purpose.