Pompeii Oven floor from Forno Bravo

[james]

We have located a source for 18"x12"x2" high duty firebrick slabs for use as the Pompeii Oven floor. They weigh 32.6 lbs each. I am happy with the 2" thickness, and don't think we need to go to 2 1/2" for residential ovens. There are a number of advantages of using these slab, compared with discrete bricks.

1. The larger pieces replace roughly 6 9"x4.5" firebricks, greatly reducing the number of seams inside your oven.

2. The larger pieces are easier to get level than the individual bricks, making it easier to place your floor.

3. Handling many fewer pieces makes it easier to assemble your floor.

4. The firebrick slabs are high duty brick, which are more dense than light duty (fireplace) firebricks and have a higher alumina content, so they will last longer and will be more efficient at absorbing heat.

The cost will be more than the cost of the discrete firebricks -- due to both the more expensive material and the more complicated, lower volume production process, but I think it will be worth it.

Final specs, prices and photos will be coming soon, so if you have started an oven, and haven't bought the floor bricks yet -- think about using these. We will let you know when we have them in stock, and we will be adding them to the FB Store.

Pretty cool (or really hot). :-)

James

[SpringJim]

James, the two inches would be fine. Additional material (like more sand/fireclay mixture) could be put under them if the builder/baker wanted more thermal mass.

Now about shipping cost

[james]

Exactly. If someone wants thicker than 2", they can always just use bricks.

We'll see how the cost and shipping sort themselves out...
James

[james]

Here is a photo of the FB Floor. I will have the exact specs, densities, composition, etc. early next week.

Drop me an email if you need prices sooner.

James

[wayne20]

I am a new member. I did go through the different threads trying to find my answer, I'm sure I missed it somewhere. Was wondering if anyone could update me on the floorwhere to find info on "firebrick slabs for use as the Pompeii Oven" I see this thread is dated 2005. Also noticed you can buy a special mortor mix on the "Forno Bravo" site, was wondering if one can just form up their own floor and use this mix. "RefMix " is the mix I was thinking of. Any help is greatly appreciated. Thank you.

[Les]

Wayne,

Why not use fire brick? That's probably the easiest thing to do in regard to the build.

Les...

[wayne20]

Thanks for the quick reply Les. I don't have anything against the brick, I was just thinking it may be nicer to have the floor of the oven seemless. Do you know if I could use the RefMix and form a floor?

[dmun]

I think the FB floor units are in four pieces: not exactly seamless. Does James still sell them individually?

RefMix is a dry mortar mix like Heatstop. It's made to put refractory units like firebrick or oven components together. It's not made for casting large units. There are castable refractory mixes, but they are expensive, and prone to cracking unless reinforced with expensive stainless needles.

Firebrick floors work first time, every time. If they are laid on the diagonal, they never catch a peel. If they are laid on a dry underlayment, any damaged brick can be sucked out by shop-vac and replaced. (Has anyone actually done this?) There are lots of other kinds of oven floors, but refractory material has shown to work well and be economical.

[wayne20]

dmun, thanks for the reply. Thanks for the info too. Firebrick it is. I think I saw in a different thread where you were explaining to set the brick in a dry mixture and then sprinkling water. I will re-read those a little closer. Haven't started an oven yet, just talked my wife into building one, still planning. Thanks for all the help to you and Les. This web site is going to give me a lot more confidence doing this for the first time. Thanks again

[mfiore]

Wayne,

Welcome to the forum. If you haven't done so yet, download the plans for a Pompeii oven (it's free!). It's really quite informative, the foundation of knowledge for oven building. Use the forum for ideas and questions. There are very knowledgeable people here. By far, the friendliest internet group I've encountered.

I'm in the middle of a build, east of you in Saginaw. I have in laws that live in K-zoo.

Welcome!