Will this work for my plinth?

[doncoyote]

Hi and sorry if the answers out there somewhere i just can't find it!!. I am building an oven and have built up the plinth with concrete blocks, i then plan to use 4 x thick concrete flag stone slabs (900 b 600). The base is 1550mm by 1350mm with a middle wall, i will then put 6" thermolite blocks over the slabs before laying the oven base of bricks. Will this work? Any advice, tips?

Thanks in advance.

Don

[cannyfradock]

Hi Don.....welcome to the forum.

It is recommended that a re-enforced concrete slab should be cast across your supporting walls to take your oven weight. Many of our members have used this method of using concrete paving slabs to support the oven. I haven't yet heard of any failure in using this method ...especially if you have a middle supporting wall. It's quite a large span so, make sure each slab has decent support beneath it. The oven itself regardless of a Fire-brick Pompeii or a Modular oven will actually sit over the strength of the support walls......and the hearth will only need to take the weight of it's own hearth bricks.......but still needs to have full structural support.

Your initial plan seems good to go...for me. (if it goes tit's up please don't try to sue me....."I haven't a pot to piss in")

I only ever use 4" thermolite blocks laid "on flat" for the thermal layer below the fire-brick hearth. I don't know if a 6" thermal layer of thermolite block will give a better result.....maybe......maybe not!.....I don't know.

Don't forget to calculate your building height. The finished height of your hearth should be "elbow height" of the person using the peel. It's usually around 110cm's....work back from this height using a "datum" to get your finished hearth height atb the correct level.

Terry

[doncoyote]

Terry Thanks for the knowledge. I have used the 6" thermolites figured the extra protection from the heat will only help the slabs. While you're virtually here is homebrew the way to go? Would a normal cement mix work or would it perish??  

Many thanks again