We have a crack

[Dutchoven]

Sorry to report that on day 5 of curing I have noticed a crack...visible from the interior as the exterior is covered. It looks like it cracked through one and possibly two bricks but otherwise follows a mortar joint. I have told many others that cracks happen but, until it happens to you it is hard to understand the feeling. Feeling a bit dejected but will continue to cure the oven as per the schedule...
Keep your fingers crossed that it will be the only one...
All the best!
Dutch

[roncut]

Re: We have a crack

I had the same luck and kept on firing it and built my final fire to cook and ended up with 3 cracks one about 1/4 inch I dug out the mortar and started again to temper it and dry it out. now I am going to , in a week fire it up and make pizza. Hope I don't have any more bad luck

[egalecki]

Re: We have a crack

Sorry about the crack, Dutch. I have several, but they're all in joints, not thru bricks. Keep an eye on it, I bet it doesn't get worse.

Someone posted a picture last week, I think, of a commercial freestanding oven, and there was a big ol' crack on the outside of the dome- they were using it just fine with the crack! So don't worry too much.

[mfiore]

Re: We have a crack

Dutch,

I wish I had enough credible experience to provide you with some reassurance, but I don't (yet). Hang in there with the cures. Slow and steady.

It's all coming together nicely. I can't wait to see you pull your first pizzas out of that beast!

[james]

Re: We have a crack

Sorry about that Dutch. Keep an eye on it and let us all know how it goes. Often those first little cracks just sit there and don't ever move again.

Keep it going!
James

[Frances]

Re: We have a crack

I know you must feel differently about it, but it doesn't look like a very big crack from here... it fits in very nicely with the old oven look actually.

[SpringJim]

Re: We have a crack

Dutch, do not despair (for long)
.....I'm convinced that cracks are just character for your WFO
on with the cooking!

And so far as my experience goes, they're hard to eliminate once you have them. Masonry tends to expand with heat and makes me wonder if you could just design an expansion crack into an oven design??..... don't fear them, I anticipate them.

[Dutchoven]

Re: We have a crack

More curing done today...crack is still there...damn! Anyway had a couple of cool pics and unfortunately what might be another crack...damn!
All the best from rain soaked north mississippi!
Dutch

[RTflorida]

Re: We have a crack

Dutch,
Try clicking your heals together 3 times and reciting "Theres no cracks in my dome, theres no cracks in my dome"

Seriously, you will be fine. After the initial disappointment wears of you will think of the cracks as "character lines".

I've given up on the 2 hairline cracks that I have on the exterior mosaic grout lines...fixed them twice, keep reappearing after about 10-15 fires. Weird, no cracks at all on the inside.

RT

[concreteoasis]

Re: We have a crack

dutch, do not let it get you down most masonary projects crack and it does not compromise the structure. A dome is a perfect shape to counter all the outside forces . Your oven will be just fine. The one thing we tell all our customers the one shore thing in life is all concrete cracks

[Ken524]

Re: We have a crack

Hang in there Dutch.

I'm with the others. They are there for character. I found that after I got my oven up to full steam, the cracks stopped growing and stayed put. I'm hoping the same for you.

Merry Christmas from Louisville!

[RTflorida]

Re: We have a crack

Concreteoasis makes a few great points on which I can relate and elaborate.

Here in FL, virtually every new home built in the past 25 yrs is on either a supported slab or monolythic slab (no basements, and crawl space homes are pretty much a thing of the distant past). The slabs are all steel reinforced and are from 6" to 10" thick; my monolythic slab is 6" throughout the inside area and is 10" on the perimeter where it bares the weight of the walls and roof system. Mine has two lengthy cracks less than 1/16" in width(1 is virtually the entire width of my house and the other runs the width of my bedroom; both have several hairline spider cracks running off of them).As I was told by EVERY home builder - EVERY home ends up with multiple cracks. Builders only guarantee against cracks that open up beyond 1/4" in width, usually only for 1, 3, or 5 yrs.
I guess what I'm saying - as long as you follow standard building practices, masonry cracks will pose no structural problems and absolutely should be expected.

RT

[concreteoasis]

Re: We have a crack

RT- well put! if built right it will be fine**

[Dutchoven]

Re: We have a crack

dutch, do not let it get you down most masonary projects crack and it does not compromise the structure. A dome is a perfect shape to counter all the outside forces . Your oven will be just fine. The one thing we tell all our customers the one shore thing in life is all concrete cracks

Oasis
We had a fellow here on the forum some time ago in the concrete business...he said he told his customers two things about poured concrete slabs..."firstly, it will crack, secondly no one is going to steal it"
Thanks
The crack is fairly significant in my opinion and some of the little chips of brick appear to be ready to fall off...I think I will continue to fire it as is right now and let it move however it will move...I think then once everything starts to stabilize a bit I will get in there and clean out those joints and possibly grind a little notch along the cracks in the bricks and squeeze in some high heat fireplace mortar...either the stuff in the tube or some heatstop...what does everybody think of that plan?
Best
Dutch

[thebadger]

Re: We have a crack

I agree with the others - cracks happen. I would just keep an eye on it.

I would use it for a season and see where you end up. I actually developed a few "exterior" cracks - just in my outer coat that I"ll patch in the spring.

Oh, and yes I do have some cracks in the dome as well. At first I was concerned but they're fine. I need to wait until my 6 year old can get in and fix them for me as I can't fit.

Happy Holidays.
Dick