Building with common bricks (sydney)

[maximo]

Hi All,

Has anyone build with common bricks? I think some bricks are kilned and some pressed would the kilned ones be good for a wood fire oven?

Thanks,
Maximo.

[ThisOldGarageNJ]

Re: Building with common bricks (sydney)

Hey Max,
From everything Ive ever read here on the forum, Down Under you want to use the pressed reds.... Do a forum search fo pressed reds..

Cheers and welcome
Mark

[dmun]

Re: Building with common bricks (sydney)

I think some bricks are kilned and some pressed

All bricks are fired in a kiln, except those made from concrete, which you want to avoid absolutely. Some are harder than others. Look for bricks that are shinier and less porous. You want to avoid bricks with holes. Pressed? All modern bricks are made in a press of some kind.

[Johnny the oven man]

Re: Building with common bricks (sydney)

The bricks with holes are extruded, not pressed. Solids in red will do the job but do use a refractory mortar.

[maximo]

mortar and brick to use for dome and floor

Hi All,

I would appreciate appreciate so much your advice on using these materials:

1- use solid common bricks for dome (pick the grey dark ones because they have been manufactured at higher temperature than light coloured ones)

2- use refractory bricks for oven floor (direct contact with fire)

3- for mortar:
1- use as little as possible
2- use a mix of grey cement (builders cement) with fireclay - do not put sand in it because it comes off grain by grain when heated

4- render the dome with 1 to 2 mm of the fireclay and grey cement mix to protect bricks from direct flame

I would appreciate so much your advice:
---------------------------------------
A- what do you think of rendering the dome?
B- what do you think of the materials to be used and the mortar mix?

Cheers,
Maximo

[ThisOldGarageNJ]

Re: Building with common bricks (sydney)

Hey Max,,,

1. Sounds good

2. By refractory bricks, Do you mean FireBrick ??

3. 10 sand 6 fire clay 2 portland cement 2 lime this is one of the common recipes
I've never heard the sand comes out, (that doesnt mean its not true)

4. No need to render the inside of the dome, You can render the outside for additional
strength and peace of mind...

Pompeii Oven Instruction eBook V2.0 (pdf) :: eBooks & CD ROMs :: Forno Bravo Store

Here is the link, for the free plans if you havent downloaded them yet,,, read it as many of your questions are in here and probably better answers than I have,,,,

Cheers and hope I helped you some
Mark

[cynon767]

Re: Building with common bricks (sydney)

maximo- this thread was a pretty good discussion of mortar, including homemade fireclay-based ones

[maximo]

Re: Building with common bricks (sydney)

Hi Mark,

Yes- by refractory brick I meant Firebrick.

Thanks everyone for your help, very much appreciated!

I'll check the forum and the popmpeii pdf for additional information.

Cheers,
Maximo

[nissanneill]

Re: Building with common bricks (sydney)

Maximo,,
have a read of the book by Russell Jeavons, he has a wood fired pizza restaurant here in SA and builds all his ovens with pressed red bricks and poor mans mortar. He even uses a double layer of 2" pavers for his cooking hearth.
I used secondhand firebricks for my oven and non refractory mortar and no cracking at all in over 2 years.
Use the bricks that break when hit with a hammer rather than those that shatter. They are harder and fired at a higher temperature. They were closer to the fire within the 3 day firing process in the kilns.
Today's solid fired clay pavers are very popular and a lot cheaper than the med fire firebricks especially here in Australia.
Check out my build for all the finer details and hit me with some specific questions as they rise.

Cheers.

Neill

PS and welcome to yet another Aussie to the forum.

[Rodneyf]

Re: Building with common bricks (sydney)

maximo, I have built my oven in Sydney out of 92 yr old bricks from the front fence of a federation house at Bexley. So far the oven has done exactly what it was supposed to do and cooks great pizzas and superb roasts the same way as the Italian community in Australia has been doing for the last 60 yrs. Check out the link below to see my build.

Picasa Web Albums - rodneyaf - Pizza oven

[dmun]

Re: Building with common bricks (sydney)

4- render the dome with 1 to 2 mm of the fireclay and grey cement mix to protect bricks from direct flame

I would appreciate so much your advice:
---------------------------------------
A- what do you think of rendering the dome?

I think this is a really bad idea, it's asking the thin layer to flake off.

Common brick, for all it's faults, is a much more heat resistant substance than portland based mortars. And yes, your home brew mortar needs sand, as fine a silica sand as you can find.

[maximo]

Re: Building with common bricks (sydney)

maximo, I have built my oven in Sydney out of 92 yr old bricks from the front fence of a federation house at Bexley. So far the oven has done exactly what it was supposed to do and cooks great pizzas and superb roasts the same way as the Italian community in Australia has been doing for the last 60 yrs. Check out the link below to see my build.

Picasa Web Albums - rodneyaf - Pizza oven

Hi Rodney,

Thanks so much for posting the photos. Step by Step, excellent!!

May I ask what is the material (yellow square tiles/bricks) you used for your oven floor and where you bought it?

Thanks,
Maximo

[Rodneyf]

Re: Building with common bricks (sydney)

The floor is made of 300 x 300 x 50 mm fire brick tiles from Feild Furnace at Wetherhill Park. They can supply all of the mortar, insulating bricks and ceramic insulation. If you talk to a guy called Leigh he has helped a number of poeple around Sydney build their ovens and he is only too willing to help. With the advise you get there and here on the forum you will be cooking in no time. Where abouts in Sydney are you from?

[maximo]

Re: Building with common bricks (sydney)

The floor is made of 300 x 300 x 50 mm fire brick tiles from Feild Furnace at Wetherhill Park. They can supply all of the mortar, insulating bricks and ceramic insulation. If you talk to a guy called Leigh he has helped a number of poeple around Sydney build their ovens and he is only too willing to help. With the advise you get there and here on the forum you will be cooking in no time. Where abouts in Sydney are you from?

Hi Rodney,

Thanks so much for your response.
There's a few of my friends & myself looking at building ovens. We are in Burwood council area and Chatswood area.

Which plans did you follow? Are they availabe for download?

Cheers,
Maximo.

[Rodneyf]

Re: Building with common bricks (sydney)

Maximo, I am in Padstow, so not far from you if you need help. The plans are free from this site and I have included the link below, just add to cart and they will be yours for free. PM me if you want my contact number and I will be glad to help.

Pompeii Oven Instruction eBook V2.0 (pdf) :: eBooks & CD ROMs :: Forno Bravo Store