My Old Kentucky Dome

[Ken524]

Re: My Old Kentucky Dome

4 Days of curing... Time to take off the cover and forms and see what's lurking beneath.

The pour turned out really well. There is only one spot that looks a bit ugly. Front right, where the pour started (same spot rlf5 had the problem!). I remember the concrete going into that spot and I hit it several times with my hoe and tapped it a bunch of times. Oh well! The rest of the hearth turned out perfectly .

Now, the plastic cover goes back on for a few more days while I get some CalSil sheets and brick!

Ken

[rlf5]

Re: My Old Kentucky Dome

Looks great nonetheless. Good job!

[Ken524]

Re: My Old Kentucky Dome

I have a newfound respect for professional masons who make laying brick look like child's play.

Armed with my father-in-law's tool box full of masonry tools, I took a crack at laying brick (how hard can it be!?). After 2 disastrous false starts (disassembled, hosed away the mortar), I started to get the hang of it (sort of ).

The 2 columns are done and the arch is test fitted with styrofoam spacers. Tomorrow morning I'll start mortaring the arch. It will be interesting to see how long my patience holds out before I ask my father-in-law for help.

Ken

[rlf5]

Re: My Old Kentucky Dome

Looks good! Its been raining here for the past week so I haven't been able to do anything. Bad part is, that its gonna keep on raining another week or so.

[Ken524]

Re: My Old Kentucky Dome

Looks good! Its been raining here for the past week so I haven't been able to do anything. Bad part is, that its gonna keep on raining another week or so.

Thanks!
We would kill to have some of your rain here in Kentucky.

Ken

[JoeT62]

Re: My Old Kentucky Dome

That looks great! What are your plans for the rest of the stand?

[Ken524]

Re: My Old Kentucky Dome

That looks great! What are your plans for the rest of the stand?

I wish I knew! I'm sort of making it up as I go.
Most likely it will be a southwestern (U.S.) style stucco.

I've been having so much fun working on the stand, I have sort of forgotten to go get my firebrick and cal-sil sheets.

Ken

[Ken524]

Re: My Old Kentucky Dome

Finished the wood storage arch last night. It wasn't as difficult as I thought. Getting the keystone inserted with the limited space above was a bit tricky.

If a pro had done my brickwork, I would make him tear it down and do it again. Since I did it, I'm pretty proud of it and will accept the "Rustic" look

Note about the pictures:
This is my first attempt at masonry. I have no idea if I did this correctly. The photos are provided for entertainment purposes only and are not intended as educational material!

[DrakeRemoray]

Re: My Old Kentucky Dome

Looks great Ken...very professional looking!

[james]

Re: My Old Kentucky Dome

I like that. Very nice -- I am really coming to like the curved arch into the storage.

Do you like working with the hollow bricks for decorative brickwork? Would our pro builders recommend doing that? I am guess that it is lighter and the bricks and mortar adhere better.

Finally, how did you calculate your brick layout to set the screws in the mortar? Again, would our pros recommend that.

The curved landing and curve storage frame work well together.
James

[Ken524]

Re: My Old Kentucky Dome

Do you like working with the hollow bricks for decorative brickwork?

This is my first attempt at any brickwork so I'm really not qualified to answer.

I am guess that it is lighter and the bricks and mortar adhere better.

I suspect the hollows do hold the mortar better. I used a couple of cut solid bricks for the tops of the columns. They were considerably heavier and the mortar seemed to slide off easier... but that may be due to my lack of skill.

Finally, how did you calculate your brick layout to set the screws in the mortar?

A few posts up I posted a photo of the arch test fitted with the bricks propped into position with bits of styrofoam and rocks. I placed pencil marks on the curved form and the block wall as guides (I still screwed up a couple of joints even with the pencil marks!). Once I had the marks, I drilled a few holes where the joints would go and screwed in 2" wood screws (about 1.5" sticking out).

My father-in-law (retired mason) recommended that I do something to help attach the bricks to the block wall. When I gave him the wood screw idea, he said it should work.

The curved landing and curve storage frame work well together.
James

Thanks! I'm pretty happy with how this is turning out.

[asudavew]

Re: My Old Kentucky Dome

Yeah, It's looking great!

I wanted to catch up to you, but I won't be able to pour my hearth until at least next weekend.

But I sure like your curved arch and cantilever.

[Ken524]

Re: My Old Kentucky Dome

I wanted to catch up to you, but I won't be able to pour my hearth until at least next weekend.

You'll catch up! My local supplier for Cal-Sil sheets is backordered. I have to scramble on Monday and start calling refractory and insulation places.

[Unofornaio]

Re: My Old Kentucky Dome

Very nice looking work. Go over those with a little bit of acid wash and they will really look great.

James- the hollow brick really are not much different to lay.

Most real manufactured brick (not the home depot in stock reds) have cores or holes. Most manufactures also offer solids in the same style. This is for end pieces or somewhere you will see the holes. You can easily tell an unprofessional job by the last brick on a cap being a core instead of a solid. I got a booklet from Lowe's a couple of months ago, for their wood working club and right there on the front page was a patio that had a brick sitting wall and the last brick was a 3 hole core. Un freaking believable.

As to the screws to hold the brick, wall ties are made for this. They are a galvanized corrugated piece of metal with pre stamped holes for nails.

[Ken524]

Re: My Old Kentucky Dome

Very nice looking work. Go over those with a little bit of acid wash and they will really look great.

Thank you. I have been reading up on the acid wash and will definitely do that.

Any idea when it will be safe to remove the arch form? The mortar feels hard as a rock after 24 hours but I don't want to pull the form too soon. I have been keeping it wet.

As to the screws to hold the brick, wall ties are made for this. They are a galvanized corrugated piece of metal with pre stamped holes for nails.

Ahhhh... something to remember for the next project