Breven's Outdoor Kitchen Progress

[MAVANO]

Re: Breven's Outdoor Kitchen Progress

thanks for the info. I'll try home depot,again fantastic job on your project.

[Breven]

Re: Breven's Outdoor Kitchen Progress

Made some nice progress with the brickwork over the holidays...the rounded back end of the oven enclosure is coming out great. The only problem I'm running into is the slow progress. I can only knock out about 40 bricks in a full day- with 800 or 900 bricks in total, it's taking forever! I also ran into a big problem with my tile counters. I think I grouted while the weather was too cold, I have cracks everywhere. Looks like I'll need to take it all out and try again. Maybe a latex additive will help keep it from cracking?
Also have a pic here of a pizza I made over new years...black beans, rice, guac, sour cream, chorizo and white cheddar. Sounds gross, but it was actually great!

[bturton]

Re: Breven's Outdoor Kitchen Progress

The brickwork and the pizza both look great! Good job!

[Les]

Re: Breven's Outdoor Kitchen Progress

Looks Great. I know what you mean about taking forever - I think that if you don't do it everyday, it is a slow process. Very clever on your lines. I was able to stretch string, don't think that is possible on a radius.

[Breven]

Re: Breven's Outdoor Kitchen Progress

Hey Les...I gotta say, brickwork is tough. Since I have no clue what I am doing, I constantly run into little problems. Turning the bricks on end over the counter to avoid cutting a little sliver of brick at the bottom only took about an hour of staring at it to figure that out! I'm going to scratch mason off of my list of possible career changes- no way could I do this everyday.

[exceloven]

Re: Breven's Outdoor Kitchen Progress

Breven,
You may not want to do brickwork for a living but you are certainly doing a great job. How are you bending those bricks around the radius.

Mark

[asudavew]

Re: Breven's Outdoor Kitchen Progress

Nice Man!

One of these days I need to finish mine........

Good work bro!

Add that kegerator yet?

[Breven]

Re: Breven's Outdoor Kitchen Progress

Hey Mark....thanks for the compliment, it is turning out pretty good. The full size of the brick split is about 7 3/4" long...which is a little to long to turn that corner cleanly. I've been cutting 3/4" off of each edge at a 10 degree angle. A shorter brick and the angled edge helps me to get a tighter turn. It's not completley rounded off, if I take a close picture you'll see the corners sticking out a little...but it's uniform and looks clean enough. If I could only speed up my 1 brick every 15 minutes...maybe I'll actually finish!

[Breven]

Re: Breven's Outdoor Kitchen Progress

Oh Dave...it ain't done yet, not even close. I think still have about 300 or so bricks and then the stone roof to contend with. Not to mention the fact that I have to rip out and re-do all of the grout work on the unter tops. I'm hoping to throw the "it's finally done" party next summer! And no kegorator...I wish. Just didn't have the room. I went practical and put a sink in (but it's a double sink, which will hold a 12 pack in ice just fine!)

[Frances]

Re: Breven's Outdoor Kitchen Progress

Hey Breven,

I recently ran into a product which you can paint on grouting to seal up small cracks - I dunno, but maybe it'd be worth looking into something that before you rip everything out.

My limited experience with grout seems to show that the cracks will develop sooner or later, but can be kept in check if you apply a sealant each autumn. Just an idea....

I love the brickwork btw, its looking great!

[Breven]

Re: Breven's Outdoor Kitchen Progress

Funny you mention that Frances. When I put the stone tile in, before I grouted, I rolled on a Dupont stone sealer from Lowe's. I thought it would be a good idea so that when I do grout, cleaning the grout off of the stone would be easier (and it was). THe sealer looked great. Put a nice low sheen on the stone tile. The day after I finished the grout, I rolled the tiles and grout again. The sealer had the look and feel of milk. When it dries, it dries clear. The intructions said not to let any of the sealer pool up or it would dry white rather than clear. So after rolling on the counters and grout lines, I came back to my starting point with a brush to brush out any areas where the sealer had pooled. Bad news is, the sealer wasn't penetrating the grout at all...it had froze! Needless to say, all of my grout lines were white. THe very next day we cout 15 inches of snow (biggest snow here since the 1970's). After 4 days or so, the snow melted. I scrubbed the grout and tile with a warm soapy water to try to get the white sealer off of the grout- and I got about 80% of it off- but the cracks where everywhere. I think the cold weather was the problem here. OH...and I read the instructions on the sealer a little closer and it said to let the grout dry for 48 hours before sealing. I only waited about 18 hours. I may be able to salvage the parts of the grout that haven't cracked, but the parts that have crakced, I think I'll just grind it out and do it again. If I'm going to do that, I might as well grind out allt he grout and do it right. I think the uncrakced grout will probably crack up too eventually. Question is, what is right? I think maybe a latex additive would be a good idea, since its outside. Not sure. I do know I'm going to wait for a warm day and let the grout dry for a few days before I seal it.

[exceloven]

Re: Breven's Outdoor Kitchen Progress

Breven,
My brother is a tile contractor, so from what I know I would definitely recommend a latex additive to the grout.

Mark

[Breven]

Re: Breven's Outdoor Kitchen Progress

Thanks Mark. That's what I figured. At least I don't see how it could hurt.

I'll give it a try- but first I have to get all of the old grout out! Live and learn...

[tony boca]

Re: Breven's Outdoor Kitchen Progress

Breven,
I just looked at all your pictures and your detailed notes. Overall an amazing project! I'm going to start my oven soon but wish to make the entire oven circular. What were the materials you used for the slab and hearth that made it round?

Tony

[Breven]

Re: Breven's Outdoor Kitchen Progress

Tony-

Thanks! I've really been neglecting photos, I've made a lot more progress (though slowly) and I need to post some pics.
To make the hearth stand round, I would use the square grey blocks...I think they are 8" x 8". You'll be able to lay them out in a nice circle and you can dry stack them to make it easy. I would include rebar vertically from the foundation slab, and then about 3 rows up include a row of biner blocks and tie in a horizontal row of rebar as well. Fill up the cores with concrete and you'll have a nice solid support for the hearth slab. For the hearth slab, I would make a sturdy square frame using 2 x6 or 2 x 8's, then use bender board to form the circle (you can find this at Home Depot outside in the garden section, it's covered in a green plastic generally used for outlining flower beds). It's thin and flexible, but when supported correctly, it will hold its shape well. Just know that the cement will push these bender boards out and you'll lose the shape, so be sure and support it well.