Hello from near Seattle. I've been working slowly toward my oven since last fall and with the weather getting better I'm actually able to work outside. I poured the slab last fall and had the concrete blocks strategically stacked until a month ago. Since then I've arranged the blocks in the proper manner and have poured the concrete into the holes in the blocks that were doweled together to the slab. Now I'm getting ready to try the hearth and have a couple of questions. I'm pretty sure from what I've read that some of the oven builders ahead of me can answer these questions.
1. In the new hearth configuration would there be any reinforcement in the insulating portion? I'm thinking not.
2. Is the insulating part of the hearth (top 4 inches or so) structurally sound enough to support the dome? I realize the dome's weight would be at the outside of its circle. In some earlier postings I noticed a couple of builders that isolated the part of the slab outside the dome area by using a metal and in one case a wooden separator for more standard concrete at the outer edge. I have seen a recent picture that shows anchor bolts extending through the insulating pour into the structural concrete. This sounds like a good idea.
3. Is the insulating layer simply a portland cement and vermiculite mix?
Thanks for your help. We're reaching critical mass out here in the woods.
Mike
1. In the new hearth configuration would there be any reinforcement in the insulating portion? I'm thinking not.
2. Is the insulating part of the hearth (top 4 inches or so) structurally sound enough to support the dome? I realize the dome's weight would be at the outside of its circle. In some earlier postings I noticed a couple of builders that isolated the part of the slab outside the dome area by using a metal and in one case a wooden separator for more standard concrete at the outer edge. I have seen a recent picture that shows anchor bolts extending through the insulating pour into the structural concrete. This sounds like a good idea.
3. Is the insulating layer simply a portland cement and vermiculite mix?
Thanks for your help. We're reaching critical mass out here in the woods.
Mike
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