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Post by prestonpizza on Apr 25, 2015 15:05:13 GMT
Hi All, By way of introduction I thought I'd post my progress to date. I've bumbled along this far by reading this site for the past month (so only seems fair to contribute!), but reached a stage now where advice is needed! The plan was an 80cm approx Pompei oven, but I think I may have room for slightly larger now I've got carried away with the base/stand.Work started 4 weeks ago, and been fitting it in around the real job and weekends off. Picked a spot at the bottom of the garden, base slab is 150cm X 150cm, dug 30cm, then filled with 15cm of compacted hard-core, and 15cm of concrete (improvised rebar I'm afraid)
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Post by prestonpizza on Apr 25, 2015 15:12:05 GMT
Laying out blocks dry to trial fit: Staring to lay blocks, DPC placed on top of first layer. Also at this point decided to add additional blocks across between the other wall, figuring this would give extra support in the middle, but now diffcult to stack/tie them in properly, so reinforcing mesh across each layer. Nearly finished blockwork, DPC left wide as external brick wall to be added, also improvised chicken wire brick-ties(?) to link in outer wall
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Post by prestonpizza on Apr 25, 2015 15:21:38 GMT
Starting outer brick shell;making life difficult trying to get brick level to line up with DPC level etc. Made my life even more difficult by getting hold of some cheap engineering bricks and only having a hammer and chisel to cut them! Decided to break up the brick work a bit by having a different 'panel' , so used some breezeblocks in the outer wall- though I could render these, or tile them, so it's not all red brick. trying to stop it looking like a public toilet, or electricity sub-station! Thought I may as well practice my arches now, rather than where it really matters (on the oven!). Though now I think about it it means the floor of the storage is below the DPC. so I guess any logs will have to be raised up on something? (didnt put ploythene below the slab as there will be paving coming up to the walls) (Fans of narrow, uniform mortar gaps look away now!)
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Post by prestonpizza on Apr 25, 2015 15:26:42 GMT
First arch remained standing!(I did wait 24hrs before pulling the support!)So repeat performance on the other side... Mocking up the next level of bricks, trying to figure out the spacing (chew on pencil, scratch head, drink beer...)
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Post by prestonpizza on Apr 25, 2015 15:42:33 GMT
Next 2 courses on top of the arches and the side completed. The plan was/is to have the outer brick wall higher than the internal block work so that it acts as shuttering when pouring the oven base So this is where we are today- inner and outer brick work completed; I know there's some dodgy/wide/uneven mortar gaps, but I'm hoping it's strong enough for the job, and at least it's given me some practice bricklaying (so hopefully the oven looks better and distracts people!) I'm now having doubts about how best to put the base on now- the 'recess'in side the outer brick walls is 120cm wide, by 130cm front to back.So I need a base spanning this, before I put my Thermalite blocks on top. How best to form the base??- If I used thick paving stones would they need additional support other than the existing internal walls(lintels as well?)in which case this the oven is getting pretty high off the ground. If I por it with concrete (I promise I'll use proper re-bar this time)then it will need shuttering underneath- as you can see I wont be able to get that back out of the rear half of the oven.... 1) could I just leave the wood there, (though it will need support from below- source for damp if in contact with the floor?) 2)could I use a concrete type panel- was thinking aquapanel or hardibacker type of thing, seems OK to leave in place, but I'm assuming that there would still need to be wooden supports that would be left behind in the back compartments??
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Post by my2girls on Apr 29, 2015 5:38:18 GMT
I would go with large paving slabs , the type the councils used to use as they are a lot thicker and it would be a cheap way tondo it , if support is needed use tantalised fence posts or similar , where in contact with ground concrete add a but of dpc or visqueen for timber to sit on .
I used a half sheet of 25mm osb board to cast my concrete slab in and that works fine
The build looks great , really nice arches
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Post by prestonpizza on May 22, 2015 20:35:36 GMT
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Post by rivergirl on May 22, 2015 21:01:21 GMT
I love those arches!
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Post by prestonpizza on May 22, 2015 21:03:17 GMT
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Post by prestonpizza on May 22, 2015 21:05:02 GMT
Progress to date, slab cast 10 cm thick with 8mm rebar. Thermalite blocks cut to size and placed on top of slab. Overhung at the front of the oven to gain a few mor centimetres on the hearth, and to keep rain out of the log store.
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Post by prestonpizza on May 31, 2015 20:27:28 GMT
Change of plan: going down the modular route! Upcoming events mean if I don't get the oven finished in the next 4 weeks it's going to be winter before I can get back to it. Ordered a Woodfire Gourmet kit with floor and transition; seems well made and very heavy so far! Floor fitted and photos show the dome sections being trial fitted. Please move to Modular board if this is now in the wrong section!
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Post by prestonpizza on May 31, 2015 20:29:54 GMT
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Post by prestonpizza on May 31, 2015 20:34:42 GMT
25mm ceramic blanket, double layer on top, then held with chicken wire. I tried to make life easier with the vermicrete; hardboard scored every 3cm and bent to create circular shuttering around the dome. Worked a treat and 10cm layer applied on top of the ceramic fibre blanket.
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Post by prestonpizza on May 31, 2015 20:41:07 GMT
vermicrete applied, and quarry tiles placed around oven. Waiting now for vermicrete to dry before rendering. Woodfire Gourmet advise twin wall flue, 6 inch internal diameter; going for a 100cm length with rain cap.
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Post by prestonpizza on Jun 8, 2015 22:24:14 GMT
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