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Am a newer member am in the middle of building a dome style oven and have been using a lot of info from this great site and feel the need to bring this up.....hope this does not offend anybody but am seeing what I consider a common mistake and that is the use of metal flues ... to build an authentic pizza oven and then put a cheap metal flue liner that will only last a few years needs to be addressed... use clay flue liners or thimbles instead.. easier and lasts as long as the oven.
Having said that metal liners can be replaced / relined they do it to old fire place chimneys all the time with metal tubes usually after having a chimney fire that has cracked the masonry flue and surround.
FWIW the Heat Stop mortar is far superior to the tub type castable refractory as far as ease of use .
When using any type of mortar/concrete no matter what application always and I mean always use pressure when applying to surface such as buttering brick or pouring a slab.. I spread a thin layer of mud (mortar) with pressure on surfaces that meet. Poured concrete that is not floated with pressure will not be as strong as just dumping...it you don’t believe me just put a shovelful in a shallow pan with out using pressure repeat in another pan with pressure.
Pressure creates a proper bond when laying brick/block and when pouring slabs or footings it brings the butter to the top and helps eliminate air and pockets.
This is also why you wet/soak brick including previous course if it is dry....usually pull the brick out several min before using too wet is not good either and if it’s hot out and in the sun use shade to keep it from drying out too fast (this will make for a bad bond)
I am not a mason by trade these are tips my father who was a master mason passed on to me hopefully they will help someone else as well.
It would be nice if you had what appears to be European style trowel with round tip , easier to use when backfilling joints..might find one in a large masonry store where they sell tools for swimming pools or hot tubs..am using standard pointed trowels myself.
Am not trying to sound like a know it all, these are all time proven tips that will make for a better job.
I am Mike from NE Georgia and am about half way thru the dome taking my time with the oven as it is part of an overall landscape plan with lots of stone work to go ..
will try and post pictures when done hopefully by late spring
Good luck with y’alls projects.
Having said that metal liners can be replaced / relined they do it to old fire place chimneys all the time with metal tubes usually after having a chimney fire that has cracked the masonry flue and surround.
FWIW the Heat Stop mortar is far superior to the tub type castable refractory as far as ease of use .
When using any type of mortar/concrete no matter what application always and I mean always use pressure when applying to surface such as buttering brick or pouring a slab.. I spread a thin layer of mud (mortar) with pressure on surfaces that meet. Poured concrete that is not floated with pressure will not be as strong as just dumping...it you don’t believe me just put a shovelful in a shallow pan with out using pressure repeat in another pan with pressure.
Pressure creates a proper bond when laying brick/block and when pouring slabs or footings it brings the butter to the top and helps eliminate air and pockets.
This is also why you wet/soak brick including previous course if it is dry....usually pull the brick out several min before using too wet is not good either and if it’s hot out and in the sun use shade to keep it from drying out too fast (this will make for a bad bond)
I am not a mason by trade these are tips my father who was a master mason passed on to me hopefully they will help someone else as well.
It would be nice if you had what appears to be European style trowel with round tip , easier to use when backfilling joints..might find one in a large masonry store where they sell tools for swimming pools or hot tubs..am using standard pointed trowels myself.
Am not trying to sound like a know it all, these are all time proven tips that will make for a better job.
I am Mike from NE Georgia and am about half way thru the dome taking my time with the oven as it is part of an overall landscape plan with lots of stone work to go ..
will try and post pictures when done hopefully by late spring
Good luck with y’alls projects.
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