Metal Hearth?

[sharp21]

On page 22 of the guide it briefly mentions using a fabricated metal tray for the structural layer.
Would I just cut a 1/4" plate to size & drop it on top of the foundation? If I welded sides onto it I could then pour the insulating layer?
Has anybody built using a metal tray? Seems like it would be easier than pouring two layers of concrete.
Or what about putting down just a steel plate & then blocking off the whole thing with bricks for insulation?
S.

[egalecki]

I used steel decking under my hearth- see my thread, elizabeth's oven, under the construction heading. I haven't figured out how to make it a hyperlink yet, unless I can just open a new window, find it, and copy the address bar? Hm. http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/f8/e...oven-3714.html

someone else had a piece of 1/2 inch steel plate I think they used under theirs, but I can't remember where that was. You need some mass and insulation under the oven floor- or it won't retain heat and it will get so hot under the hearth that things will get ugly.

[sharp21]

Elizabeth, that sure is a nice setup you have! Still the metal portion isnt really what I was thinking of.
Im thinking more along the lines of a 1/4" plate, with sides that would hold in the concrete. Just set the steel on top of the stand & pour
S.

[egalecki]

You could do that, I suppose. Sort of like a tray. I'm not sure why that would be better than doing it the other way. I think a few people have skipped using the vermicrete layer altogether by using more FB board on top of the structural layer- I'm just using both because I'm a believer in overkill on insulating.

If you try it, just be sure you get it well insulated underneath or you'll have a really hot steel plate at belly button level!