Insulation information Pompeii Oven Construction Discuss Insulation information in the Pizza Oven Design and Installation forums; OK... get out of the box and let me know what you think about this hair brained, lazy idea. I ...

[dusty]

OK... get out of the box and let me know what you think about this hair brained, lazy idea.
I have set the floor and placed the first row of half brick around the perimeter to see how it looks. But now I don't want to pick them back up!
I'm thinking of putting tape up around the back side of the perimeter bricks, like a form, and filling all of the thin little triangles with mortar. I am using the sand, portland, clay, and lime mix. What if I mix the mortar really wet, put it in a zip-lock bag, cut off a corner, and squeeze it into the triangles like a cake decorater? I could spray bottle the bricks first to wet them, sqwirt it in, stir the mortar with a sharp object to get it to the sharp end of the triangle, and repeat. This wouldn't mortar the first cource to the floor, except for maybe some seaping cream, but, other than that, I think it might work. Do you?....Uno?

[Kemo]

Dusty,

I like the shims along the top of the arch. That looks pretty cool. Gets me thinking...

thanks for posting the pics,

[Acoma]

Dusty, Uno and others can correct me if I am wrong, but mortar between the bricks if you want to leave them in place. Also, do an inch of mortar around the exterior base of the dome with refmix. I suggest you do the whole dome upon completion with 1" refmix anyways, that is why I say to put around base with 1" now if you want continued stability. Dome should be fine this way. Anyone disagree?

[asudavew]

Personally I would remove them, and mortar between each one. I'm not sure if you can get good adherent with just squirting it in. Although I think I have read where others have used a grout bag to do that.

I am also not sure if you would get air bubbles in the mortar and what the effects of doing so would be... do air pockets in mortar cause cracks during heating?

Plus, the less water that you use the better. The cement sets stronger with less water.


Just my two cents... BTW I love the look you've got going.

Have any pictures of your layout and hearth?

[Les]

put it in a zip-lock bag, cut off a corner, and squeeze it into the triangles like a cake decorater?

Dusty - you can buy a real grout bag at a masonry store for around $5.00, and it will last forever.

Les...

[DrakeRemoray]

Originally Posted by asudavew

Drake,

I like the idea of only 3" inches of insulation. But I am curious about your outside temps, because I will soon be at the outside insulating stage. How hot does your dome get on the outside?

Thanks a bunch!

Hey Asudavew, Just saw this question. I went back over my notes (and previous posts), I think I did have 4" to insulate. 2" of blanket, 2" of loose vermiculite, then concrete board, then decorative thin brick (it is like 1/4" thick).

The oven is very well insulated, I have done large burns two days in a row with the outside only going up about 20 degrees at the end of the second day. On a normal bake day, you cannot detect any difference in temperature, even directly outside of the fire's location.

Drake

[Acoma]

Drake, what about the Refmix? You did 1" there too I believe? NO?

[dusty]

Grout bag? That bottom brick on the left of my back-door arch represents the first brick I ever laid. Good or bad, I'm not intimidated by any project. If it can be done, I feel as though I can do it. But I do lack experience. I've never heard of a grout bag but I can imagine what it is. Like a canvas cake decorater bag I'm guessing.
I was drinking beer and listening to the baseball game last night when I came up with that gooofy scheme. I thought more about it, and looked at some of Ken pics, and I have decided to install an angle on top of the soldiers so as not to have a big mortar joint on the back between the soldiers and the second course where I plan to make my largest angle transition. So... if I'm going to pick them all up again anyway...... (I still like my idea, though).
Do you think I should mortar between the floor and the bottom of the first course or just set them there?
Thanks guys, Dusty

[dusty]

I almost forgot. Here is a recent photo of my oven floor and the first cource I was talking about Dave. I plan to build a red brick enclosure around all 5 sides. You can see the ledge that they sit on in this pic.
Dusty

[Les]

Dusty,

I believe you wanted the walls sitting on the insulation, not the floor. But given the size of your hearth, you have to go with what you have. I really don't see it as that big of an issue. I wouldn't mortar the two together, they will pretty much get locked together with the cladding on the side. In regard to the grout bag - you nailed it.

Les...