asudavew needs some advice..

[asudavew]

Ok..

I've been thinking about how to finish my dome.

I really want to keep the shape of the dome. But....... I don't want to coat it with perlcrete. I think the cement in the perlcrete lowers the perlite insulating value,.(it's the fluff and the air pockets that makes it such a good insulator.)

So what I have been thinking of doing is building a dome-shaped wire cage around my oven. (I would leave about 6-8 inches between the cage and my dome.) Then covering the cage with aluminum screen, and finally filling the cage by pouring in the perlite through a hole in the top.

Then I am going to place wire lathe around the screen for my stucco layers.

Is this doable? Any reasons why this wouldn't work.

I'd really like to know what everyone thinks.

Thanks a bunch.

Dave

[Dutchoven]

Sounds like a very logical way to accomplish what you are looking for
Dutch

[james]

Hey Dave,

That is definitely do-able and lots of people do it that way. As you say, you build a thin rebar and stucco lathe form around the oven, leaving room for insulation, then do the scratch coat and finish coats on top of that structure.

Go for it!
James

[Les]

Dave, that's going to be my approach and it's in the plans - page 52.

les...

[dmun]

Make sure your outer enclosure is well sealed around the edges - loose perlite has a tendency to leak out. Otherwise, it sounds like a good plan.

[asudavew]

Thanks everyone!

I was hoping for positive encouragement!

I plan on starting this weekend. And I also need to make a door.

So ... Dave will be busy on his oven again!

[james]

It's fun working on an oven where you have already cooked. You now get to mix soot with your mortar. It makes a nice greyish, black color, and it doesn't wash out of your shirt.

Enjoy. :-)

[dusty]

Very clever. Have you been staying awake thinking of this stuff?