Foundation - Scotland build - require advice please

[rekha]

Hi Iain, thanks for getting back to me, can i ask when you say floor tiels as the base of the inside of your oven what kind of tiles do you mean? Are you using anything to stick them together? Heat res silicone? With regarsd to your bricks are you cutting them yourself if so is it easy? Do you have a brick cuter or are you using a chisel? Also, where did you get your rebar?

Cheers!

[aeu99217]

Hi Ian,

Can't give you any advice but maybe moral support. I'm about to start building my own pizza oven here in sunny Glasgow too. Just waiting to get a tree removed from the spot where I'm going to build the oven.

Incidently, you can get the hollow concrete blocks on ebay. £74 for a pallet of them. Only seen this myself the other day, after I had already bought a pallet of dense concrete blocks! Also, I cant remember where i read it, but I'm pretty sure that you can use those aereated concrete blocks you see in b and q instead of the vermiculite concrete base. Going to start posting to look for advice about that once I get the foundation made.

Anyhoo, good luck with the base!

Cheers Ross (Clarkston)

[rekha]

Hey Ross, I live just down the road from you in Waterfoot, can I ask how yo are making your foundation?

[aeu99217]

Hi Rehka,

Waterfoot is a nice part of the country. Such a small world.

To be honest, I'm just going to follow what's on the plan, except extend the foundation a little to include space for a wee prep area and a bbq. Are you concerned about dampness?

Have you downloaded the pompei plans from this website?

Cheers Ross

[rekha]

Hi there, my journey to the world of wfo has been quite circuitous! I actually got the idea from a blog clayoven wordpress, but he did not put much emphasis on the foundation. It was whilst I was looking for materials that I came across this forum and I to say people on this forum take the whole process a lot more seriously with cement, rebar, vermiculite etc. I am a bit overwhelmed as I have never built anything. My husband and friends are going to help but we are all similar in terms of experience. However, I appreciate the need for a proper foundation given our climate and the weight and heat of the oven. I have been reading about the pompeii oven but can't find the link to down load the plans, could you tell me where on the forum they can be found please?

[aeu99217]

Here's the link to the plans. You can download them in pdf.

Brick Oven Plans | Build an Italian Brick Oven

They're really detailed. I'm pretty much following them, except replacing some of the materials with cheaper alternatives. For instance, firebricks are really expensive, so i've managed to acquire some old pressed red bricks off of gumtree for free (which according to folk on this forum aren't great, but are better than not having a pizza oven). Although, I think you are right in being cautious with the foundations. If the pressed reds don't work out, it is easy enough to replace the dome, rather than trying to sort out a dodgy foundation.

I'm hoping to start the build in just over two weeks, so i'll post photos of the foundation then.

Cheers Ross