mix between floor insulation and floor bricks

[Dolf]

Hi All
At the risk of asking a very stupid question: I note in all plans I read that the fireclay mix between the floor layers (vermiculite & bricks) should be dry. Yet being an outside installation, wont the first rain wet the lot anyway? Why not mix wet from scratch like floor tiles?
Reason I want it wet is to set hard before I start the dome. Since the dome in my case will be on the floor, I fear that the weight may push down on the outers of some bricks and thereby slightly lifting on the inside creating peel catching ridges?

Thanks for your patience :-)
Dolf

[black olive]

I read "dry" to mean a little bit of moisture to start the cement curing process, but not wet like a pouring mortar/conctrete.

[david s]

I believe the recommended mix is sand and fireclay 50/50 wet or dry. You are correct in assuming that it could turn into mud if it got sufficiently wet. It can be made more permanent with the addition of lime, however I think the idea is that it doesn't become too permanent so that floor bricks can be easily replaced if required.

[dmun]

It's just a leveling medium: it doesn't get hard like mortar. It will get wet during your construction project, in fact once you get the floor the way you want it, you're supposed to wet the floor to solidify the loose sand/fireclay mixture. In the long run, the inside of your oven will stay dry. You don't want the oven to get wet or it will take forever to heat up.