Vermiculite Board Tools, Tips and Techniques Discuss Vermiculite Board in the Pizza Oven Design and Installation forums; We have a local supplier called "Thermal Ceramics" which supply Vermiculite in granule form but also recommended to me a ...

[Benny]

We have a local supplier called "Thermal Ceramics" which supply Vermiculite in granule form but also recommended to me a precast vermiculite board to use under the base fire bricks. The board is 25mm thick. 1.2 metres x 0.9 metres. It can be cut to size; just wear appropriate protective gear (Safety glasses & Filter mask etc). The 25mm Vermiculite board is rated to 1100 degrees Celsius and will give a perfectly flat surface for laying the fire bricks on.
I am going to give this a try.
Has anyone else had any experience using this board???
I have finally finished my concrete base and base top which is ssoooo perfectly flat my spirit level sings to me when I place it anywhere on the surface.
Having a great time!

Benny:

[dmun]

Vermiculite board is a perfectly good, if somewhat old fashioned insulator, I've had a piece that I got as a soldering board after asbestos was revealed as a hazard: a small square of half inch vermiculite board has held up well for years in hard service.

It's no more an insulator than vermiculite concrete (or loose vermiculite): four inches (102mm) is the recommended thickness.

Since you would need twice the amount of it that you would for mineral wool or cal-sil board, it would need to be less than half the cost to be economical.

[nissanneill]

Benny,
if you have your concrete slab

"concrete base and base top which is ssoooo perfectly flat my spirit level sings to me"

,
why not put the same effort into vermiculite cement. I dare say it would be much cheaper (I know and deal with the lovely lady at Thermal Ceramics) than the board and I found that by screeding it well, getting it perfectly flat, that it came up with an almost polished smooth finish!
Why not save a buck where you can and put it into the tucker for the oven later?
Cheers.

Neill

[Tim F]

I'll just say that I poured castable insulation for the base and wished I had used board, as I had to use a bed of sand to get my floor bricks properly level. However if you are that good at screeding then you might be fine with the vermiculite

[Johnny the oven man]

Why dont you try Calcium Silicate board, very good insulation, harder than v'lite.

[Benny]

Thanks for all the information. As I already have the board I will use it so I know I will get a flush finish (thanks for your input Tim F.) The concrete it will be sitting on is very flat and smooth so there should be no hollows under the board. Hi Neil, I was lucky in getting the base so perfect and dmun as I am a bit old fashioned I guest it will work for me.
Fingers crossed, wish me luck. Although not a project to be rushed, I am really enjoying this.

Benny