To cover or not to cover??

[bzxhms]

Hello all
I'm about to start building the dome for my oven using red clay bricks. People are telling me that I will have to build a roof over the oven to protect it from the weather to reduce the risk of cracking. I was planning on doing some sort of mosaic tile design on the dome and having it as a feature in the garden. What material are people using to do the final render that will protect it from the weather? Have people had problems with their ovens being exposed to the weather? Any advice will be much appreciated.

[Tscarborough]

I would use marble dust in it, no matter what kind you end up using to help waterproof it.

[dmun]

I'm about to start building the dome for my oven using red clay bricks. People are telling me that I will have to build a roof over the oven to protect it from the weather to reduce the risk of cracking. I was planning on doing some sort of mosaic tile design on the dome and having it as a feature in the garden.

You may want to look at Frances (Pompeii Oven in Switzerland: the Saga Continues...) build thread: She is the original mosaic maven here on the forum.

You do know you need a significant layer of insulation between the brick dome and the outer covering, as well as under the oven floor?