Utah Brick Ovens

[csmeutah]

Hey, I'm ready to pour my hearth and am looking for sources for the firebrick/mortar/ceramic insulation etc. Utah refractory has most of this but their high temp brick at $3.65 seems overkill. Am I okay with Beuhner's firebrick at $1.70? Any other local sources would be appreciated.

[Gulf]

I'm not a local, but you don't really need high temp firebrick to build a great oven. And, you probably don't want them for the floor. Firebrick sold by most local suppliers are residential fireplace grade. That usually means low duty. Most of the ovens on this forum were built with low duty firebrick, simply because of the availability. It might be a good idea to find out all that you can about the $1.70 brick. Size, manufacturer, grade etc.

[jmhepworth]

Beuhner is what I used. It's fine.

[csmeutah]

Beuhner is what I used. It's fine.

Thanks, Where did you get the other materials, mortar (is buehners good enough? they tell me it's only good for 1/4" gaps), FB Board, FB Blanket?

[UtahBeehiver]

Here is where I got some of my stuff in SLC
Fire clay - Interstate Brick
CaSi board ThermoGold 12 - EJ Bartells
FoamGlas - EJ Bartells
Quartz sand - Sutherlands
FB blanket - NPS but this place is a hit and miss, try BJ Bartells
SS double wall chimney - Restore but again hit and miss. Try KSL Classifieds, NPS is also hit and miss although I see 6" quite often so if you are building a 32" or 36" 6" would work.
Used Home Brew mortar
Firebrick - Also try Interstate Brick or KSL

[jmhepworth]

I used Heat Stop 50 for mortar, purchased directly from CMS Industries, Inc.. They gave me a good price since I couldn't find a local distributor. I agreed not to disclose the price, but I've long since forgotten what I paid, so I couldn't disclose it if I wanted to. I used insulation from Forno Bravo, both under and on top of the dome. For the chimney, I bought clay chimney tile from Buehner.

[csmeutah]

So I got the stand completed and purchased my brick and other supplies. I found MVP in SLC to have the best pricing on the ceramic board and roll insulation, talk to Gregg he will hook you up. As for the firebrick I went to Beuhner block for the best price.

I have the following questions as I now start the actual oven:

How best to position the oven, is it better to have it closer to the front edge or centered on the stand?

If I am building a 42" oven I will need a ceramic board circle with a radius of 21" + 4.5" = 25.5" correct? and the brick oven floor will be a radius of just the 21"? Diagram 5.1 shows the brick all the way out to the edge of the ceramic board which seems to be different than what the drawing on page 26 shows.

I plan to make a metal vent with open sides as per diagram 10.9 in the plans, do I still want/need an oven landing or just enough brick for the opening as it meets the dome? Does the oven landing serve a purpose? if I don't have an oven landing do I want to move the oven closer to the edge?

A square opening fits our craftsman style architecture, any disadvantage over the more traditional arch? does it impact the flow of smoke?

I see a lot of chat on the way to cut the wedge shapes, I've made an IT, what is the easiest way to calculate the wedge angles?

Is there an optimal opening size for a 42" oven?

I see doors with and without vents for fresh air, are the vented doors more useful?

Lastly, do I need underfloor paste where I'm placing the brick directly on the ceramic board or is that instruction only for the insulated concrete method?

TIA