Complete newbie - Surrey

[deanm85]

Hi all from sunny Surrey.

So I’m planning on starting my oven next week - my plan is to create the plinth from sleepers first with a concrete top. This will then have fire bricks on it as my oven base. I am then planning to build my dome from just bags of fire clay over a sand mould, which I will then scrape out once dried. This is all new to me and also very exciting. I’m so happy I stumbled across this forum and look forward to reading all the posts and getting tips on how to ensure my build is successful.

Thanks, Dean

[downunderdave]

Jul 20, 2020 19:38:41 GMT deanm85 said:

Hi all from sunny Surrey.

So I’m planning on starting my oven next week - my plan is to create the plinth from sleepers first with a concrete top. This will then have fire bricks on it as my oven base. I am then planning to build my dome from just bags of fire clay over a sand mould, which I will then scrape out once dried. This is all new to me and also very exciting. I’m so happy I stumbled across this forum and look forward to reading all the posts and getting tips on how to ensure my build is successful.

Thanks, Dean

You need to do plenty more research before committing to start. First up you need to ensure the supporting slab is sufficiently strong to take the weight of the oven you plan. This will require some calculations of volume, density and mass. Secondly you must make sure that there is insulation between the fire brick floor and the supporting slab. Placing the fire bricks directly on the supporting slab will quickly wick heat away from the firebrick floor rendering the oven heat inefficient and pretty much unusable.
Moulding clay over a sand mould will result in a cracked structure as clay has a shrinkage rate in the vicinity of 10%. It should be mixed with 2 parts sand to one part clay by volume and reinforced with straw, this mix has a far lower shrinkage rate. Search "cob ovens". A more permanent mix can be made using 3:1:1:1 by volume of sand, portland cement, hydrated lime and powdered clay with polypropylene fibres added to reduce steam spalling. Search "home-brew cast ovens"                                                                                                                                                               

[deanm85]

Jul 20, 2020 23:02:14 GMT downunderdave said:

Jul 20, 2020 19:38:41 GMT deanm85 said:

Hi all from sunny Surrey.

So I’m planning on starting my oven next week - my plan is to create the plinth from sleepers first with a concrete top. This will then have fire bricks on it as my oven base. I am then planning to build my dome from just bags of fire clay over a sand mould, which I will then scrape out once dried. This is all new to me and also very exciting. I’m so happy I stumbled across this forum and look forward to reading all the posts and getting tips on how to ensure my build is successful.

Thanks, Dean

You need to do plenty more research before committing to start. First up you need to ensure the supporting slab is sufficiently strong to take the weight of the oven you plan. This will require some calculations of volume, density and mass. Secondly you must make sure that there is insulation between the fire brick floor and the supporting slab. Placing the fire bricks directly on the supporting slab will quickly wick heat away from the firebrick floor rendering the oven heat inefficient and pretty much unusable.
Moulding clay over a sand mould will result in a cracked structure as clay has a shrinkage rate in the vicinity of 10%. It should be mixed with 2 parts sand to one part clay by volume and reinforced with straw, this mix has a far lower shrinkage rate. Search "cob ovens". A more permanent mix can be made using 3:1:1:1 by volume of sand, portland cement, hydrated lime and powdered clay with polypropylene fibres added to reduce steam spalling. Search "home-brew cast ovens"            

Hi Dave

Thanks for the heads up, I'm still researching as we speak and there is so much conflicting information on the internet. I have come across several companies who could just build me an oven, but I want to do it myself and accomplish it. I will continue to research and so pleased i came across this site. Dean                                                                                                                                                  

[dave36]

Jul 20, 2020 19:38:41 GMT deanm85 said:

Hi all from sunny Surrey.

So I’m planning on starting my oven next week - my plan is to create the plinth from sleepers first with a concrete top. This will then have fire bricks on it as my oven base. I am then planning to build my dome from just bags of fire clay over a sand mould, which I will then scrape out once dried. This is all new to me and also very exciting. I’m so happy I stumbled across this forum and look forward to reading all the posts and getting tips on how to ensure my build is successful.

Thanks, Dean

Dean, sounds like you are about to build something similar to mine, I also happen to be in Surrey. Have a look at London Build newbie in the build section, date 2016 and 2017, bits of it might help.

D

[dave36]

Jul 20, 2020 19:38:41 GMT deanm85 said:

Hi all from sunny Surrey.

So I’m planning on starting my oven next week - my plan is to create the plinth from sleepers first with a concrete top. This will then have fire bricks on it as my oven base. I am then planning to build my dome from just bags of fire clay over a sand mould, which I will then scrape out once dried. This is all new to me and also very exciting. I’m so happy I stumbled across this forum and look forward to reading all the posts and getting tips on how to ensure my build is successful.

Thanks, Dean

Dean, sounds like you are about to build something similar to mine, I also happen to be in Surrey. Have a look at London Build newbie in the build section, date 2016 and 2017, bits of it might help.

D