Double Firebrick ??

[ThisOldGarageNJ]

Hello All,
Would it be usefull to put a double firebrick hearth under the dome, OR would that take away to much heat from the oven and not act as an insulator like the vermiculite does. ???

Mark
TOGNJ

[dmun]

Firebrick is not an insulator. If pizza is your goal, one layer of flat firebrick is what you want, with insulation underneath.

[berryst]

Fire brick will add mass to the oven and create a heat sink, This is good for breads and baking but takes longer to reach pizza temps. I doubled the floor and added an extra layer of fire mortar over the dome to create this very effect. I can't say that it take longer (but it must)to heat because I have nothing to compare it to but....it work great. The real key I believe is to insulate heavily. Insulation is more important than mass. I like doing long slow roasting say ribs or roasts.

[DrakeRemoray]

For the record, I have a single layer of firebrick on the floor and a little extra refractory mass (1") in the dome. I can bake 25lbs of bread in one firing (or more, but I have never had more to bake). My temps are still 300 degrees the next day. So unless you are a commercial baker, the regular plans will work for you. Insulate everywhere!
Drake

[Neil2]

It is a trade off between fast heating and sustaining the heat.

As noted by DrakeRemoray, the typical one layer design will also work well with bread baking.