Michelle 42" oven question Getting Started Discuss Michelle 42" oven question in the Pizza Oven Design and Installation forums; I am getting ready to put the floor of the oven. I am doing the herringbone pattern. I do not ...

[mgreene]

I am getting ready to put the floor of the oven. I am doing the herringbone pattern. I do not want to cut a circle floor I just want the rows (courses) to start on top of the floor.

Next is my problem.

1. We want to build the 42" Tuscan (high dome) interior height 21". The directions state the "first course" can be done in 2 ways, 1) stand a brick cut in 1/2 upright (4 1/2 ") as shown in (Photo 7.1) 2) or you can lay a 1/2 brick on its side (2 1/2") as shown in Photo 7.2 (Page 37 in the directions)
I understand the 2nd course (row) is where the bricks are cut in 1/2 laying on their wide side

Which is the best way to do it, in order to acheive the 21" dome height. the 4 1/2 " standing upright on the floor or the brick cut in hald lying on its side???

2. Is that considered the 1st course (the bricks on the oven floor)??

2. Do we put down 3 courses (rows) of brick, then start to angle with shims?

Thanks, Mgreene

[That's Amore]

As per the plans, you can do it both ways ( your choice) the key is to follow a mold that you would make. This will allow you to angle the brick correctly no matter how you start you first coares. FYI, I started mine with a full soldier coarse then the half brick.

[mgreene]

Great, thank you for the information. That makes great sense. Curious, did you start your 1st course on top of the oven floor?
Michelle

[That's Amore]

No, I started the coarse on 2" thick FB board or insulating board. Also on the first coarse I cut a slight angle to help start the curve. Hope this helps. Cheers!!

[mgreene]

We have already pured the 4" of concrete, then 4" of vermuiculite. Do you know if one can get just 1/2 think of insulating board as the bricks for the oven floor are not totally flushed side by side?

[GianniFocaccia]

Although any amount of insulation helps (and it's difficult to over-insulate) 1/2" isn't going to be significant. An inch would be better, two inches ideal. I would call around to refractory insulation suppliers to see if they'll sell you less than a full box. The Insblock 19 I bought could be easily pulled apart into 1" thick pieces. Don't forget you can always use leftover pieces for a door.

[That's Amore]

I agree, 1/2" just does not cut it. If your bricks are not flush on your oven floor don't worry as you can grind them flush. If the floor is not yet installed you can use a mix of fine sand and fire clay with no cement and use a tile knotched trowl then set your brick like laying tile. I recomend reading the PDF for building a pompeii oven several times as each time I read it, I discover a new detail that I missed before. Cheers, Here are a few pics of where I'm at.

[ATTACH][/ATTACH]

[Tscarborough]

I have mentioned it on other threads, but it is worth repeating:

You should always clean off* unset mortar from the bedding area of your brick. That is the area where you will lay mortar for the next course. If it is hard already, don't worry about it, but it is best practice to do so for bond.


*Not clean off with a damp sponge clean, just get any buildup off by scraping with your trowel.

[That's Amore]

That is a good point, I will use my grinder to touch that up thanks,

Cheers

[mgreene]

I read somewhere in the forum, that someone suggested just setting the outter edge of the oven floor with fireclay/fine sand, then putting the others without pasteing them down. Had to do with, if one needs to replace a brick it is not pasted and easier to remove. Any thoughts?

My husband thought just using sand vs the paste to help level the bricks on the oven floor. Would the intense heat be bad for just sand?

Michelle