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Post by itznigel on Dec 29, 2020 0:10:57 GMT
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fox
valid member
Posts: 63 
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Post by fox on Dec 29, 2020 18:20:07 GMT
You could try and get a price from a builder to build you a basic concrete block base?
I assume you already have a substantial base at ground level ?
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Post by itznigel on Dec 29, 2020 22:56:21 GMT
Hi, we currently have concrete flag stones 50mm thick. I was hoping to get away with a metal stand covered with some outdoor tiles.
As yours suggested, I might have to reach out to a builder to build the base.
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Post by truckcab79 on Dec 29, 2020 23:59:44 GMT
I’ve not seen a metal base like that over here so getting one built, whilst entirely possible is likely to be an expensive venture.
If you’re not confident with your block laying skills then have a look at some of the builds on various forums for ideas. Dry stacked hollow blocks are easy to build with. Lay them out to the size you need. You can reposition to your hearts content. Then when you’re happy just fill the voids with concrete. Strictly speaking you should also drive / drill rebar into the base and up and through the blocks but if you didn’t it’s not going anywhere. Just think about how the blocks tie together and that you can access the voids throughout so that you don’t end up with 4 separate walls. Need to think ahead to how you’re going to support the arch assuming you’re going to have a wood store. You can use an off the shelf reinforced concrete lintel for this or pour your own. Once your walls are up it’s just a case of building a supporting ‘ceiling’ so that you can pour the base.
Simpler still some of the modern house-building systems of insulated formwork. Essentially a polystyrene Lego block that you stack up and fill with concrete, and then render over.
Read loads of builds and you’ll soon realise that building something simple and strong is well within most people’s capabilities. I saw one on a Facebook group this week that had been built by someone who clearly didn’t own a level or a string line. Brickwork was all wonky. All over the place.....and looked amazing, and has been cooking well for eight years. Some of the building work I’ve see in my professional career is horrific. Just thrown together....but it’s still standing and doing it’s job somehow...😂. Just go for it. Think it through and be prepared to go back a few steps and re-do it if you make mistakes.
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Post by truckcab79 on Dec 30, 2020 8:31:30 GMT
Also. Just having a closer look at those stands you’ve still got to pour your own pad for the top and they advise a minimum base depth of 5 1/2 inches of reinforced concrete. Worth bearing in mind it’s not that much less work by the time you’ve don’t that and finished it with some sort of render, tiles or cladding. Also worth lifting a couple of your slabs that you already have. At 2” thick they’re quite hefty but really you want to know what they’re laid on. Could be on a substantial MOT base and continuous mortar bed but if they’re concrete slabs then quite likely to have been laid onto a shallow bed of sharp sand or even direct to soil. The latter two wouldn’t really be ideal for building on. Probably wouldn’t go anywhere but isn’t to spec and you’d hate it to shift after you’ve built your oven. That would be disastrous. Of all the elements you could do yourself a solid reinforced concrete base is by far the easiest bit.
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Post by oblertone on Dec 31, 2020 9:07:06 GMT
I had a steel base made up by a fabricator albeit to sit on a trolley; if you’re on a pc you should see my build thread linked below. The base is still doing sterling service.
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