 Re: arched opening?
I think 2 reasons:
1) The bricks pictured all appear to be tapered, with the bottom brick on each side appearing larger than a tyical firebrick - Tapered bricks can be very expensive; the local refractory supplier (the only place within 100 miles who stocked them) had prices that started at $4.50 per brick and wnet up to nearly $8 depending on size and degree of taper.
2) Novice builders are a bit intimidated by the geometry involved and more importantly the skill they think they need to accomplish this. Remember, the basic Pompeii plans really don't call for anything more than right angle cuts and 1/2 bricks. Personally, I had done considerably BASIC stone, tile, and masonry work in the past and I too fell into this category to some extent. I actually started with the arch and entry, then proceeded to the dome where I tapered every brick...I think the confidence I gained building the arch and entry was the driving force behind tapering every dome brick and attempting as tight a fit as I could achieve. Bottom line, I think many believe arches to be difficult and as I mention, a bit intimidating. If I ever build another it most certainly will have a more decorative and supportive entry/arch.  |