Best clay for dome...

[lovepizza]

Good afternoon WFO builders

Before I shell out on my clay, can anyone please advise me of the best type of clay, dry or wet (ready to puddle) and what the right ratio of sand to clay should be as I have seen different opinions. I guess you can only advise on what has worked for you!

If I have to spend hours puddling then so be it but I of I can get away with it, I will use powder.

Cheers

Stuart

[cannyfradock]

Hello Stuart

The best clay is usually what you can dig up yourself. If you have any access to somewhere ...especially near water...and permission then you only need to take the surface and soil off the ground until you start hitting clay. If there are any building construction sites near you, even small extensions...the excavation from strip foundations will expose perfect clay as these foundations need to be minimum of 4 foot deep.

I use a lot of clay for my Clay oven courses and have found a supplier from a "turf" supplier. I live in an industrial town/city (Newport Gwent) but on the outskirts it's suprising how many farms and companies sell manure, aggregate,soil, turf etc. Many places may seem too big for you to enquire but most all will give you "time of day" when you tell them what you need the clay for.

I always think it's a shame when people buy powdered clay or potters clay as that turns a fairly cheap bread'pizza oven build into an expensive project.

If you reply to this thread please put a general location of where you live. Maybe other members will see your post and give tips on where to find clay in your area.

The general rule for clay sand ratio is 2 parts sand to 1 part pure clay. In all honesty I only ever manage to puddle the sand clay into about 50/50 percentage although my clay has about 25% fine grit/dust in it.

All the best with your build.

Terry

[lovepizza]

Hi Terry, thanks for the reply.
I live in south cambridgeshire (near Duxford).
Has anyone got any ideas of where to source free clay locally?

Thanks

Stuart