dsm Build.

[Les]

Dave,

As was mentioned, not much you can do about it. I suggest you finish the front with the brick you have used. It will still get exposed to soot but will not show as bad. I am contemplating raising my vent, not for draw, but on fire up the smoke gets pushed back down from my vent cover and lands on the stucco finish of the dome. You will not have that issue. Your overhang may get exposed but you can cover that with many things that can be easily washed.

[Tscarborough]

You could also slice the same brick thin and face the oven with that, it will show less soot than stucco, but sealing in either case is your best bet.

[Neil2]

Or just live with the soot. I don't find the soot buildup unattractive. I think it adds to the "old world" charm of the oven.

[vtsteve]

Are you using a blast/draft door? They help the oven heat up faster, and channel the smoke up the vent. I can't decide between SS and Neoceram... in the meantime, I'm using a piece of cal-sil wrapped in heavy aluminum foil (my temporary bake door) shimmed up and tilted back in the entry.

[dsm]

Yea im might just go with stone like i have on the bottom half and then stucco the sides and back, then seal the front of it like tscarborough said ...ok thanks for the replies - much appreciated..

[deejayoh]

How much is your oven smoking out the front? Is it badly enough that your outer arch is smoke stained? If that arch isn't getting sooty, why would your enclosure get soot-stained?

I ask because I am building the same sort of enclosure and I'm not terribly worried about soot staining. I've had maybe 10 big fires and there's no soot on the outer arch bricks. And like you I am adding a decorative arch which is going to add another 3-4 inches of depth, which I think will reduce the potential further.

[dsm]

I have only had a couple of big fires so far and some of my wood wasn't really as dry as it should be when i did see the smoke come out (not much at all really)and I know new ovens do tend to smoke I could just be paranoid and just want to do something now while In the building process then regret it later.

[david s]

Ovens get pretty dirty. It is probably easier to simply repaint your stucco annually. You will learn to light your fires with minimal smoke by not overloading the chamber and starting with the upside down fire method to make it virtually smoke free at the door, provided your vent and flue are adequate and your oven and wood are dry.