Post by cannyfradock on Jan 20, 2013 15:44:33 GMT
Hello Mario......welcome to our forum
I've only just seen the message that you sent so I hope this post can help you out with your clay oven build.....
Mario wrote:
"Greetings from San Diego, CA. I would like to join your group. I am building a clay oven myself. Love its simplicity. I have lots of questions. To start, i am using fire bricks on the floor over an insulation board. Q: what should I use beneath the bricks? Mixture of sand clay? Wet or dry? I tried wet. Failed on leveling the bricks. Dried to quickly. Dry seem to help, but leveling is an issue. Please advise. Thanks."
Normally, even if a ceramic fire-board is used, a thermal layer is recommended also. This can be vermecrete (vermiculite, cement and water) or insulation blocks, laid with normal mortar on your slab. Have a look at this link to give you a better idea....
ukwoodfiredovenforum.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=ceovens&action=display&thread=599
Whichever way you do this....even directly on fibre-board, you can use dry or wet method.....
Dry mix.....Sand, hydrated lime,cement, Powdered fire-clay at a ratio of 6:1:1:1.....or sand, lime and cement at a ratio of 8:1:1. Mix dry and spread out about 5/8ths of an inch thick. Level this dry mix with a small spirit level to leave a level finish. Lay your fire-bricks on this mix tight against each brick (no mortar between the bricks) and slightly tap down with a rubber mallet. Only tap these bricks into place SLIGHTLY. When all bricks are laid, use a straight edge or level to tap down further to leave your fire-brick hearth perfectly level. (the fire-bricks look perfect in shape but are not exact, so you may have to use a 4 inch angle grinder to smooth off the rough edges.
Wet mix... Use the same as above...just add water or use powdered 2 part flexible tile adhesive and lay a bed of this wet mix using a 10 or 12mm notched tiling trowel and spread an even bed of this mix. You will have "less play" with this method but the principle will be the same....tap down slightly, then.......tap further when all the bricks are laid to leave a level surface.
I hope this advice doesn't come too late, but please feel free to join the forum and ask further questions.
Terry
p.s.......Have you tried posting questions in this section of the FB forum www.fornobravo.com/forum/f43/ .....you may find a better response from the FB guys there.
I've only just seen the message that you sent so I hope this post can help you out with your clay oven build.....
Mario wrote:
"Greetings from San Diego, CA. I would like to join your group. I am building a clay oven myself. Love its simplicity. I have lots of questions. To start, i am using fire bricks on the floor over an insulation board. Q: what should I use beneath the bricks? Mixture of sand clay? Wet or dry? I tried wet. Failed on leveling the bricks. Dried to quickly. Dry seem to help, but leveling is an issue. Please advise. Thanks."
Normally, even if a ceramic fire-board is used, a thermal layer is recommended also. This can be vermecrete (vermiculite, cement and water) or insulation blocks, laid with normal mortar on your slab. Have a look at this link to give you a better idea....
ukwoodfiredovenforum.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=ceovens&action=display&thread=599
Whichever way you do this....even directly on fibre-board, you can use dry or wet method.....
Dry mix.....Sand, hydrated lime,cement, Powdered fire-clay at a ratio of 6:1:1:1.....or sand, lime and cement at a ratio of 8:1:1. Mix dry and spread out about 5/8ths of an inch thick. Level this dry mix with a small spirit level to leave a level finish. Lay your fire-bricks on this mix tight against each brick (no mortar between the bricks) and slightly tap down with a rubber mallet. Only tap these bricks into place SLIGHTLY. When all bricks are laid, use a straight edge or level to tap down further to leave your fire-brick hearth perfectly level. (the fire-bricks look perfect in shape but are not exact, so you may have to use a 4 inch angle grinder to smooth off the rough edges.
Wet mix... Use the same as above...just add water or use powdered 2 part flexible tile adhesive and lay a bed of this wet mix using a 10 or 12mm notched tiling trowel and spread an even bed of this mix. You will have "less play" with this method but the principle will be the same....tap down slightly, then.......tap further when all the bricks are laid to leave a level surface.
I hope this advice doesn't come too late, but please feel free to join the forum and ask further questions.
Terry
p.s.......Have you tried posting questions in this section of the FB forum www.fornobravo.com/forum/f43/ .....you may find a better response from the FB guys there.