Has anyone? - Forno Bravo Forum: The Wood-Fired Oven Community

Lousdepot · #1 03-01-2011, 08:25 AM

this may be crazy idea but has anyone built a brick dome around their oven. This is hard for me to explain. But can you build a brick dome over your finished dome in order to get a brick dome look? ya now i am confusing myself.
i don't know if you could lay the brick right on the dome or create a space that could be filled. If anyone has tried this i would love to hear from them. And if i come across as confusing just ignore me its been a long winter!! thanks

GianniFocaccia · #2 03-01-2011, 09:04 AM

Others have built brick enclsoures (Balty Knowles) but make sure you insulate. You can also apply brick splits (Breven) to concrete board. If you lay brick directly against your oven dome you will be adding uninsulated heat-soaking mass. Definitely not efficient!

Lousdepot · #3 03-01-2011, 09:22 AM

why would anything laying on the outside of the dome draw heat? when i have a fire and get up to cooking temps the outside of my oven is ambient temperature. anyway what about building a dome similar to my oven and fill space between with loose vermiculite?
i guess what i am trying to achieve is a brick dome look for the outside! i lioke my igloo look but hate my stucco.

Nic The Landscaper · #4 03-01-2011, 09:25 AM

I haven't seen it done, but it is something I've been wanting to do for some time now.

If I were to do it, I would build a normal Pompeii, do 2 to 3 inches of insulation blanket to absorb heat and dome expansion, then create a 2"-3" "shell" with lath and pearlcrete. Then lay up half bricks one layer at a time around the dome just like building a Pompeii in reverse. I might also consider installing a water proofing membrane between the pearlcrete and bricks just for good measure.

Lousdepot · #5 03-01-2011, 09:58 AM

Nic, i think you and I are on the same page! My dome is now stucco'd and pretty much water proof. i imagine it would be tough to lay up half bricks on top of stucco. I also thought of trying to build a roundish form with metal and concrete board. but i cant imagine being able to or even want to try and cut that concrete board into small enough pieces to create a round shape!!

Tman1 · #6 03-01-2011, 10:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GianniFocaccia

Others have built brick enclsoures (Balty Knowles) but make sure you insulate. You can also apply brick splits (Breven) to concrete board. If you lay brick directly against your oven dome you will be adding uninsulated heat-soaking mass. Definitely not efficient!

You didn't state previously how you would be doing it, so this statement is correct. If you will put insulation on the main dome, and not be resting the outer bricks against the inner bricks, that would make this statement non-applicable.

Nic The Landscaper · #7 03-01-2011, 10:16 AM

The bricks will need to be cut into halfs 3.5" wide, 3.5" long, and 2.5" tall, or into thirds 3.5" wide 1.75" long and 2.5" tall and you will have to think of it more as laying the bricks on as a veneer rather than a self supporting external structure. The dome will easily support the little bit of additional load. The 50" oven I just finished easily supported 2 180 lb people standing on it, with building materials in hand. The big thing is having a material like ceramic insulating blanket in there to absorb expansion and contraction, or your mortar joints will crack bad on that outside veneer.

What kind of stucco do you have on the dome? is it a synthetic material like Dryvit or STO, or is it just a cement based sand mix?

IF it is a synthetic, use a bonding additive in your mortar mix. If it's cement based the bonding additive is less important. The Technique will be to, lay down a little bedding mortar, then butter up the back side and the side of the brick that will touch the previous brick and just start laying them in, one row at a time. Tap them into place with a rubber mallet or your trowel. Joints should be 3/8" to 1/2" on all sides. Scrap excess mortar flush with brick faces as you go, let firm up for 2 to 3 hours and then use a jointing tool to smooth and press mortar neatly into brick joints.