Oven Dome Newbie Forum Discuss Oven Dome in the Good Background Information forums; Hi I have just poured the foundation slab for my wood fired oven today. I have spend the last few ...

[Coskun]

Hi I have just poured the foundation slab for my wood fired oven today.
I have spend the last few weeks reading just about all the information I can find on building wood fired ovens on the internet and several books.

I am hoping that someone can advise on the following.

I am investigating the possibility of using a refractory castable concrete for the dome instead of fire bricks. However, I will still use fire bricks for the base.

Here in Australia I have come across a company called Darley Refectories who sell a product called DENSECRETE 135.

It states that it has a maximum recommended service temperature of 1350 0 C.
TYPICAL COMPOSITION:
Alumina 40 %
Silica 43
Calcia 9
Ferric Oxide 6

Has anyone built an oven using this product or similar castable refractory product for the oven dome?

The reason why I am interested is that I think I can build better shaped Neapolitan oven using castable refractory concrete for the dome, rather then using bricks for the dome.

I do not want to use it if people who have built ovens in the past think that the life expectancy or the operation of the oven would be reduced.

I look forward to advice from the experienced oven builders.

[David Reekie]

Darley densecrete - I thought that name rang a bell, and it does.

http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/f2/c...tory-5669.html (castable refractory)

("search" is your friend ;-)

cheers,

Dave.

[Johnny the oven man]

Coskun, our company sells the same product. Check your P.M's

[pacoast]

Well, casting the dome is not the traditional Neapolitan method. But there doesn't seem to be any reason why it shouldn't work well. Due to shipping costs the refractory business is often very localized. So anyone else's experience is likely to be with a different brand.

I used Mizzou to cast my dome and it worked quite well. I choose this specific product because it has thermal properties very similar to firebrick & reports from others using it were generally favourable. If you have lots of positive reports from people using the product you are considering it should go well.

There are lots of people on this site and elsewhere that have cast domes. E.g.
http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/f28/...rill-2207.html (Casting Refractory - This is NOT a drill!)
Using Castable Refractory Concrete In The Field - Pyromasse
Pizza Raquel

Some things for you to think about.
What kind of form(s) will you be using?
Will you be casting in sections or a single pour?
Will you follow the factory curing schedule?
How tall will your dome be?

If you've already poured, let us know how it turned out.

.