new floor

[Food&Fish]

After putting up with my crook floor i have finaly pulled it out it had 4 in concrete base then fire bricks [standard 8=4=3 ] then fire tiles 9=9=1.5
the floor never got hot enough
questian how do i build the floor now
Thanks in advance

[david s]

You have to insulate under your floor to avoid heat conducting down.

[Food&Fish]

Originally Posted by david s

You have to insulate under your floor to avoid heat conducting down.

I know but whats the best way

[david s]

Vermicrete, perlcrete, insulating firebrick, cal.sil.board. Take your pick
How? Look at the free FB plans.

[azpizzanut]

Hi Food&Fish,

You need to insulate under the hearth.

Can you send a few photos of the project with enough detail for us to review and recommend a solution?

Without more information, I will assume you will be working within the confines of the oven dome. It is possible to do a good job retrofitting the oven with insulation and hearth if you plan ahead and make the necessary tools or construction aides for leveling the insulation and placing fire bricks. Your project is challenging but will be satisfying when completed.

Cheers,

[dmun]

If your oven is uninsulated, removing the floor and putting in a two inch layer of refractory insulation board under the floor will greatly improve things, but if your dome is sitting on the bare concrete there is still going to be a huge heat leak from the thermal bridging. You also have the issue of raising the floor: this will reduce your oven and door height.

[shuboyje]

Is there a reason you originally went for so much mass in your floor(3" fire bricks + 1.5" tiles = 4.5", a full two inches over the standard 2.5")?

If you can find some 2.5" fire bricks in place of the 3" you have you could use 2" of ceramic board insulation and end up with the floor exactly where it is now and the ratios unaffected. If not you can still use 2" of board and your 3" bricks and only be half an inch higher which shouldn't effect the function of the oven.