Help Center - Frequently Asked Questions
Can I convert my grill to lava rocks or ceramic briquettes?
We've found that many gas grills can be safely
converted to use rocks or ceramic briquettes. There are two primary
considerations: 1) Getting the rock grate secured in the grill; and 2) having
enough space between the burners and the cooking grid for the grate and rocks.
Securing the grate
Getting the grate to sit securely in the grill a sufficient distance below the
cooking grids is the key to success. Frequently, the same surface that supports the heat plates
can be used to support the rock grate. If not, some customers have reported
using home made support brackets, simple bolts through the grill body for the
grate to rest on, even bricks and rocks.
The exact size of the rock grate is really not
that important as long as it is deep enough (front-to-back) to reach the
supports without falling in. The largest size (side-to-side) that will fit in
the grill is usually ideal, but the grate can be an inch or two narrower and
still be fully functional. Your grate doesn't have to be a single piece either. If they
can be supported, use as many as you need to get a good fit. They can even
overlap each other.
Vertical space for rocks/briquettes
The bottom of the rock grate should be about 1" above the burners but anywhere
between 3/4" to 2" can work. There should be a 3" to 4" gap between the rock grate
and the cooking grids, which allows for about 2" inches of rocks and some air
space under the cooking grid. If you don't have enough space for the lava rock,
perhaps ceramic briquettes, which typically sit lower than lava rocks,
will be a better solution.
I like lots of rock
While packages of lava rock frequently say something like "enough for a full
size grill", my experience is that a single bag simply isn't enough. Perhaps
because of my tendency for overkill I like the rock to "pile up" to about 2
inches. I recently replaced the grate and rock in my old Arkla grill,
which is not big by today's standard. After putting in a bag of new rock,
I ended up putting back a lot of the old rock to get the depth I wanted. Do you
really need this much rock? I don't really know but believe it helps with heat
distribution. Might also help with flare-ups by creating more of a vaporizing
surface.
Looking for a rock grate?
Click here
to see every rock grate we have. Need rocks? Click
here to
see our lava rocks and ceramic briquettes.
Also see:
Are lava rocks or ceramic briquettes better than metal heat plates?
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