Pompeii Oven in Switzerland: the Saga Continues...

[Acoma]

Frances, I am going for high insulation. Based on what you have done so far, finish with the vermic combo, but I would do 3 inches of Matrilite 18 around the sides with 5 inches up top. By the looks, your not doing any structure surrounding the oven so finish the job with some accrilic stucco type of finish afterwards. This is just a suggestion though, and there may be better ideas.

[sarah h]

Originally Posted by Frances

Will you be cooking in your oven over Winter at all, or have you closed down completely for the time being?

I successfully cooked eight pizzas on Saturday night in an outdoor temperature of around -20C (that's less than 0 in farenheit), and still no insulation on the oven! Heat management was a tad tricky, but it worked. Likely not as well as it will once it's insulated, which I hope is soon - depends on how busy things get in the next few weeks.

I plan to operate the oven all winter, just maybe not as often as I would if it was warmer ... if I can still get to it, that is ... we've already got lots of snow and it looks like it's here to stay - they're predicting the longest, coldest winter in 15 years. Figures, now that I've built an outdoor oven. Good thing I finished the dome when I did!

Hope your tonsilitis clears up soon and that you get an answer about your mortar in time to take advantage of your good weather ...
... ANYONE LISTENING? (Frances, I'm being a loudmouth on your behalf, hope you don't mind)

Sarah

[Acoma]

Was my advice not the answer Frances was looking for?

[Frances]

Thank you for the advice Acoma. I'm not sure it was quite what I was looking for though... Matrilite 18 is an insulating product, right? Or not? (Please bare in mind, all products have different names where I live )

The insulation on my oven is already finished, for better or worse. 4 inches of rockwool and about the same of loose vermiculite. The vermiculite had to be loose because the rockwool shouldn't get wet. The question is, with the vermiculite layer covered in chicken wire it still has quite a squishy surface, so how much mortar do I need to cover it with, and how much reinforcement will it need?

I visualise this layer as a self-supporting structure sitting up ontop the hearth, protecting the oven and insulation below it. A bit like an egg shell - and that's where I start getting worried bout how thick it needs to be

Sarah, I don't mind in the least . It sounds as if you're having fun with your oven: The eternal struggle of womankind and her oven against the elements. You're doing good!

[asudavew]

Originally Posted by Frances

Dave, where are the pics of the structure over your insulation??? You said you'd started, I want to know how you're doing this bit!!

I posted some pics on my thread today Frances. They show my dome insulation.

Are you feeling better today?

BTW I can't help you much with your outside mortar, I haven't reached that point yet. I am planning on just putting on metal lathe and coating it with plaster.... I've never done that before either.

But it looks like you are doing great! Remember, I'm following your lead here!

Cheers,

Dave

[gjbingham]

Frances,
My masonry book says:

"Stucco can be applied to masonry surfaces such as concrete block, or over wood or other building materials that have been covered with building paper and metal lath. When applying stucco over brick or block, two coats - a
3/8" inch thick base coat and a 1/4 inch thick finish coat - are applied. Over building paper and metal lath, three coats are applied - a scratch coat (3/8" - 1/2" thick), a brown coat (3/8" thick), and a finish coat."

The pics make it appear that the scratch coat and the base coat are the same thing. What the brown coat is, I have no idea.

Hope this helps a little.
George

[Acoma]

I would say that George is correct. If you applied loose vermic over the blanket to 4" thickness, go with the directions George stated. With that you should be fine.

[Frances]

Thank you guys.

I think I see where my problem is, its one of those trans-atlantic translation situations again. See, I was under the impression that "stucco" was like some kind of waterproof paint, which you put over the top of the finished stucture, whereas it seems to be the product the structure is made of... like a specialised kind of mortar you use on the outside of something you built... is that anywhere near right?

Anyway, I'm feeling a lot better today , so I went to the DIY: we don't have strech metal here (well, we do, but at 15 USD for a dinky little piece the size of a hankerchief), so I'll be sticking to the chickenwire-mortar method. No screen either, as I said. But they DO sell fence wire exactly like Dave used... Not that I need it now, but its nice to know that SOME products are the same in our increasingly globalised world...

I've also ordered a German book on masonry which should be helpful. I hope. At least then I'll maybe know what the products I'm looking for are called in this country. All I can say is, if anyone from around here ever joins this forum I'll be able to give them so much advice. And they'll say...

"...duh, doesn't she know ANYTHING?"

[Acoma]

Frances, you are right. Your concern being to finish the vermiculite coating as insulation, then to cover it as an exposed oven without framing it. If that is right, finish the vermic coating, do chicken wire over it, and use the stucco after approx. a week break. See what Jim is doing on his Casa 110 installation thread P.1 . You can also email him and ask details. I am sure you will need a certain duration after your last fire before doing this too.

[gjbingham]

I think that you are correct. Same idea, different names for the product.
Check this out:
Stucco - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia