Questions about weather sealing

[Ken524]

Stephen,

I haven't done anything about it (yet). My arch work and roof seem to overhang enough to keep 95% of the direct precip off the landing bricks. One of these days I'm going to make a vinyl/elastic cover to fit over the decorative arch bricks to protect the landing.

[sjmeff]

Hey Ken - that's great that the majority of the water doesn't hit your landing. I'm planning to have an igloo enclosure without any kind of roof above it (we have a view in the back of the oven that we don't want to obstruct), though perhaps a similar vinyl/elastic cover over a decorative arch would work for me, too.

How important do you think it is to have the isol board extend to the end of the landing? Another idea I had was to have 2" lenghtwise cut brick for the last 4-5 inches instead of the isol board (so that the landing floor would still be level above it). I suppose water could still build up below and seep into the isol board. I'll have to think more about this...

Cheers,
Stephen

[Ken524]

Maybe some others will chime in. I don't think it a really big deal to have a bit of water get into the SuperIsol board. Next fire you have will dry it back out.

I made the mistake of using Kaowool board under my oven; it turns to mush when wet. So, I have to be a bit more careful about moisture.

[Bandrasco]

There are many options to solve this problem. The one that first comes to mind would be to use a waterproofing trowel-able cementicious membrane used for setting tile in and around heavy water areas like pools, shower pans, etc. I have used them in my past career and they work absolutely fantastic. Since they are cementicious you can bond mortar to them (as long as you use an acrylic/latex admix or premixed latex modified mortar). I would definitely use this method if it were me since this is it's function. Heck, you can even set tile with some of these products. I believe C-Cure, Mapei, and Custom all make waterproofing trowel-able mortars and they're available at most tile distributors. Most are multi-purpose meaning that they can be used as crack isolation membranes as well. I'm going to use this to waterproof my dome once insulated. I can then use my nice Chicago brick I just picked up and not worry about water intrusion!

I hope this helps.

Bill

[sjmeff]

Thanks, Bill! Do you know if such products are well suited for high heat? I'm assuming the landing doesn't get too hot, but I'm nowhere near that point in my project to really know. I just finished the base, but am obsessing about this issue for some reason. : )

Cheers,
Stephen

[Wiley]

sjmeff, I would think that keeping water out of the insulation would be a good idea in any region that is subject to extended periods of freezing during the winter. I can't imagine that water intrusion and subsequent freezing would be good for the insulation board. It might be a worth considering the idea of putting a temporary light (60 watt or better) in your oven and closing her up during the winter months if you are not using her.
Wiley

[egalecki]

I was wondering about sealing where my metal chimney meets my stucco. I have the double-wall insulated chimney, so while it does get hot, I can still touch it. What could I use like caulk? I just don't want water to get in there, but I'd rather use something white or clear. Is silicone ok or will it get too hot? Does anybody know?

[Wiley]

Elizabeth, 100 % pure silicone caulk is good for any temperature that you can still touch with your bare hand. I would recommend masking off well before caulking and using the soapy water trick for making a smooth fillet. Silicone is great stuff but be careful about getting overage anywhere you may want to paint or attach something in the future as it is hard to remove all traces. You can buy if in white or clear or colors and it's widely available.
Wiley

[dusty]

Originally Posted by egalecki

I can still touch it. Is silicone ok or will it get too hot? Does anybody know?

Elizabeth,
Silicone is VERY heat resistant. If you can touch the pipe and not get burned, then silicone will work great.

dusty