Granite surface hearth

[vitoduke]

Can the oven sit directly on a granite surface. I just started to dry stack the base and was told by the granite yard that it would not be a problem. Thanks for all the information on this site---Mel

[james]

Hi Mel,

Are you thinking of using granite as the cooking floor? I don't think that would work -- though granite makes a great oven landing, outside of the oven chamber. I have granite counters and a landing on my Healdsdburg ovens. The oven floor itself should be porous, and extract moisture from food, which is releases as steam. It should also hold heat.

Or, are you thinking of granite under a brick or refactory floor?

Let us know.

James

[vitoduke]

James- We intend on building a Forno Bravo Oven on top of the granite.
Thanks---Mel

[james]

Hi Mel,

I see.

I think you want granite for the oven landing (in front of the oven, where you set food going in and out), which works really well, but not under the oven. You will want a traditional insulating hearth, with two layers -- a concrete thermal layer and a vermiculite concrete insulating layer. The thermal layer absorbs and returns heat to the oven chamber, and the vermiculite layer stops the heat from leaving.

The good news is that the hearth is neither expensive or difficult to build.

Does this help?
James