Ohio countertop options for the stand

[leckig]

Friends,

I built my oven 10 years ago, following the ebook here. I was rather active on the forums at that time.

10 years later I need to redo my tiled countertop. Perhaps I was not sealing the grout often enough. The grout cracked much, allows water to seep into the insulation, brick floor in the oven gets wet. Further, the water intrusion damaged the stucco finish on my stand.

what are my options for more permanent fix? Are tiles viable option in the outdoor environment in Ohio, with all the rains and freezes?

greg

[david s]

Hi Greg,
i’d be Trying some leveller straight over the tiles on top of which paint some of that waterproof membrane used in bathrooms prior to tiling, then redo new tiles over that. Make sure you grout the new tiles with a quality outdoor grout. Also, if you haven’t already, drill a few holes up through the supporting slab into the underfloor insulation to allow moisture there to escape more easily.

Dave

[leckig]

Thank you very much Dave. This I think this should work very nicely. What do you recommend this days as a transition between the tiles and the dome?

[david s]

I always slope this area down slightly so water is not encouraged to sit against the dome. You should be able to arrange this with the leveller. As there is no elasticity in cement grout you could try a 100% acrylic render between tiles and dome. But the bathroom sealer should also act in the same way. Keep an eye on this join as it is a place where a crack and water entry can occur.

[leckig]

David, I am now done with replacing the tiles. I followed your instructions. Now I have the grout to apply and the sealant between the tiles and the dome. Lots of bathroom sealants out there. Are some of them better suited to this situation?

[david s]

I’m not sure what products are available in your country, but make sure it is suitable for outdoor use, ie UV resistant.