Floating Hearth? Pompeii Oven Construction Discuss Floating Hearth? in the Pizza Oven Design and Installation forums; I have seen other plans that call for a floating type hearth on top of the cinder blocks. My question ...

[Squeem]

I have seen other plans that call for a floating type hearth on top of the cinder blocks. My question is- is this needed for the Pompeii Oven plans?

I have some angled rebar that I was going to use to tie the foundation and the hearth together. I am planning on filling those cores and setting the height of the rebar, then adding wire mesh on top of it all.

Can anyone think of a reason not to do this? Is there any concern about thermal expansion that would make this an unwise decision? I should think this would make for a nice and sturdy oven, but I'd like to hear other's opinions.

Thanks!

[Dutchoven]

There are varying methods with regard to the floor support. If you are planning to use perlcrete or vermicrete or superisol or some other high temp insulation layer above the structural layer I see no reason to do something different than you are planning. Looks good to me.
Best
Dutch

[nissanneill]

I have no problems whatso ever with your thought. In fact I would prefer to incorporate that structural integrity than building a half ton or more 'floating' on a base. I tired my base foundation into a double brick (brick in flat) with an F62 steel mesh reinforced concrete core retaining wall. This was also over a 90° corner which made it doubly strong. See:

http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/f8/n...-1-a-2005.html (Neill's Pompeii #1)

Go for it, the firmer the better!

Neill

[Unofornaio]

Make sure your rebar is bent at the proper angle before you set it in concrete. That looks like 1/2" and the only way to safely bend it after you set it in the grouted block without moving something is to wait several days, about a week.

When you do the slab take the 3 bars running front to back and put 2 of them on TOP of the ones coming from the sides cut the 3rd one in half and tie it to the bars in the center of the walls going left to right (webs 4 and 6 from the front) its doing no good in the middle by its self, you already have more than enough steel in there.

Since you already have it keep the angle iron but with that much steel of that size you really don't need it. Your front span is only 32" and the 4" slab will more than carry the weight. Rebar should be kept away from the concrete edge by at least 1 1/2", if you cannot achieve that in the front loose the bars and put the angle iron in the center of the blocks on either side of the span this way it will be out of site and still function as a support.

Wet the blocks down very good before filling them no standing water but make sure they are nice and wet. If you have an extra piece of rebar use it to stick in the webs to make sure there are no air gaps.