material for the cooking floor

[douglasroso]

Folks,

As per the oven plan I have to use a paste made from
sand, fire clay and water as a "bed" for the cooking floor. My question is: can I use pre-mixed refractory mortar instead?

Thanks and regards,



Instructions
These instructions show how to build a cooking floor using
firebricks. With this method, you do not mortar the bricks in
place, but rather spread a thin layer of paste made from
sand, fire clay and water as a "bed" for the floor.

[dusty]

Welcome douglasroso,
I think the reason the plans call for the "paste" is so the floor (or part of it) could be replaced later...probably years later, if something bad were to happen.

Good luck!

dusty

[dmun]

The leveling layer is just that, something to level your brick floor. It's needed if you use vermicrete, which leaves a rough surface. If you use the insulation board, you can usually just set the bricks down on that.

As far as mortaring the bricks together: anything rigid will have a tendency to crack.

[douglasroso]

Thanks Dusty thanks Dmun,


It makes sense. So, as i am using the same bricks for the base instead of the insulation board, I think I can just seat the cooking surface brick on them.

Thanks.

Originally Posted by dusty

Welcome douglasroso,
I think the reason the plans call for the "paste" is so the floor (or part of it) could be replaced later...probably years later, if something bad were to happen.

Good luck!

dusty

[Neil2]

"So, as i am using the same bricks for the base instead of the insulation board"

Don't use bricks "instead of" insulation board.

The sequence, from bottom to top, is:
1. Structural suspended slab.
2. Insulation Layer. (vermicrete, insulating board or a combination thereof)
3. A thin leveling course if necessary. ( sand or fire clay)
4. Refractory hearth layer (usually firebricks)