Is Mortarless Realistic?

[SCChris]

I’m not aware that any of us in the conversation is a professional Mason and a “Certified Heater Mason” in addition. This is in mind, I think we all fare pretty well for a bunch of rank amateurs. The Stovemaster oven, is very clean I wish he was my neighbor during my build, if for no other reason than to get a bit of feedback from time to time..

Kudos to all!

Chris

[Tscarborough]

I am not a professional mason, but I am a masonry professional. In theory, there is no particular reason you could not build a mortarless oven, entryway included, but practically, you will always have some gaps. Gaps=leakage, leakage=erosion, erosion=fire hazard.

Mortar is to hold the bricks apart, that is, to allow imperfect units to be used to create a solid wall.

[SCChris]

Tscarborough,
I salute you!! I saw your post show up in the thread just after I hit the post, you beat me to the post.. I remembered that you had more direct mason experience, and didn’t remember immediately to what depth. No slight meant to you or other real masons in FB at all.

Sincerely

Chris

Learning is expensive, ignorance is even more so..

[asudavew]

Design Squared: Yours Trulli, third in a series on Vernacular Architecture

[Les]

Wow Dave - it's been a while. Or have you just been lurking?

[asudavew]

Hi Les!

No lurking. Just haven't gotten on in awhile. Brings back some great memories.

Maybe I should hang around more!

How are you?

[Ken524]

Hi Dave, nice seeing you around!

[eprante]

Didn't Frances build a mortarless oven. She used a mixture of sand and fireclay to seal/keep the bricks apart. Does that meet the definition of mortarless?
E

[GianniFocaccia]

Eric,

My guess is Frances' sand and fireclay constitute a mortar, which according to TScar is to keep the bricks apart. She just skipped the portland and lime.