Cut face inside? Mortar under floor bricks? And what belt to sand with?

[Rickbaro]

Hello, Noob here. Is it okay to face the cut side of the bricks towards the inside of the oven? Since there is no difference between the outer surface and the inside of the brick, it shouldn’t matter?

Also, why not just mortar the bricks down to the vermiculite hearth?

And finally. What do I use to sand down the floor? A belt sander, but what kind of belt?

Thanks!

[Fairview WFO]

Another Texas Oven...welcome

Most don't face the cuts to the inside for both consistant aestetic reasons to duribility reasons. Do some searches on the forum, there are some long discussions on that subject.

Most do not mortar down the first corse of brick to allow the dome some movement. If its anchored to the floor it could cause more cracking as the dome will want to swell when it hits high temperatures.

Most spend a lot of time on the floor leveling so they don't have to sand it. If you do have a high spot, some have hit those areas with a grinder or sander. You'll have to get a coarse belt with the black aluminum oxide grit.

I've said a lot of most as there are several techniques you'll find here. Do as much research as you can and pick what you think will work best for you. Good luck.