Newbie firebrick Q...

[grapenut]

This is the summer I finally build my pizza oven,therefore I have a few Q's. I live in New Brunswick,Canada, I'm a former carpenter now employed as a winemaker at a U-Brew-It shop. So I'm fairly good with all sorts of tools and concepts,etc.I most likely will be building an Adobe oven I first saw featured in Harrowsmith Country Life magazine 6 years ago. My question is about firebricks for the oven floor. The ones I can source in my area are rather expensive for the 9x4.5x2.5 in bricks. The other choice is from a hardware store. They are only 1.25 in thick and most likely are the insulating kind used in wood stoves. They are about 25% less expensive. Are these suitable for the floor at all? They will be set uopn a base of sand over concrete. Thanks...more Q's as time goes on.....andy j.

[Lburou]

Keep looking for a better source of firebricks. We found some used firebricks and repurposed them for our oven (on Craigslist).

The thinner bricks would work IF they do not float in water (insulating firebricks float in water and would cripple the performance of your oven).

[grapenut]

Thanks for that....I sourced some proper firebrick. I also acquired some great red clay material that apparently has 33% sand,33% silt,33% clay in the mix. I'm hoping now to build a cob type of oven with a brick arch door. Now I just have to figure out the proper sand to clay mixture for the different layers. Does anyone care to give opinions on this.? I've read different theories on this on the internet and i'm wondering which mix actually works best.

[Karangi Dude]

Hi grapenut,

Whatever bricks you use for your hearth, make sure you put them on a well insulated base. Insulation is most important under the hearth and on top of your oven, download the plans for more info on insulation.

Cheers Doug

[grapenut]

Thanks....which plans do you speak of?

[benguilford]

Hi Grapenut,

Doug is referring to the Forno Bravo Pompeii WFO plans, they're free to download, just go to eBooks & CD ROMs :: Forno Bravo Store and click on the Pompeii Oven Instruction eBook V2.0 and follow the registration instructions. It seems like you're going to buy something, but worry not! Tis entirely free, and it is chock full of great information for building your own WFO, even if you're not building the Pompeii.