Help! Need foundation measurements, for walls, for 48" (interior) corner unit

[robinreese]

Is there an oven 911 line? The cement truck comes in a couple hours and I want to know where to put the rebar that sticks up for the concrete block base. The drawing on page 18 of the Pompeii Bible, I mean the Plans, is a little unclear to me. Are those exterior measurements of the outside edge of the support blocks, meaning I add 4 inches to a side for reveal and finish OR are those measurements for the outside edge of the foundation itself?

The little squares around the whole drawings are odd in that page 17 seems a bit different than page 18.. Am a bit confused about final shape of the foundation.

Please advise. BTW I'm adding counter space and a grill out each of the two sides to make a kitchen in the corner of my space. If in fact the drawing on page 18 of the 48" interior oven is the actual outside measurement of the oven support/hearth then I realize I only need to add 2" for each side to allow for the insulation/finish. (Right?)

Once I get this foundation poured I'll have much more time to read through and figure out the rest.

Thank you in advance for any help. My number is 575-770-1884 if you want to call..

~Robin

[Tscarborough]

Re: Help! Need foundation measurements, for walls, for 48" (interior) corner unit

Better to leave the vertical bars out than to get them in the wrong place. You can drill them in later, once you are able to do the foundation layout on the slab.

[robinreese]

Re: Help! Need foundation measurements, for walls, for 48" (interior) corner unit

Thank you for your fast response, Anarchy. I'll probably end up having to do that. My main issue is, if I do that, allow for a lot of potential space in front of the oven/kitchen, I have to make the top of the concrete/flagstone floor flush with the rest of the yard which means a lot more digging.. I was hoping to get a pretty exact placement for the hearth concrete blocks because then I can simply have a 2 inch reveal around the whole thing.

[robinreese]

Re: Help! Need foundation measurements, for walls, for 48" (interior) corner unit

I tried to use the wonderful measurement system that James used in a post from 2006 but it's not for a corner unit. I think my job computation should be fairly easy, I was a math major in college, but I'm having trouble getting my head around this fairly simple equation. Brain fog!
Okay, so since the brain isn't working have decided to fall back on sheer man-power, digging deeper hole for cement-pour. I'll then have an oven foundation flush with the yard level. Thank you again to all you wonderful beings who care about such things.

[mrchipster]

Re: Help! Need foundation measurements, for walls, for 48" (interior) corner unit

If you have extra re-bar (and it is cheap) I would suggest just putting in several pieces where you think they will meet the opening of your blocks in vertical so they extend beyond the surface about 16 inches that way you can use the ones that work and easily cut off the ones that are in the wrong spot with a grinder and a cutoff wheel. This is much easier than drilling holes later.

[mrchipster]

Re: Help! Need foundation measurements, for walls, for 48" (interior) corner unit

I'll then have an oven foundation flush with the yard level.

I am also a little concerned about the above comment. Your foundation should be slightly higher than the surrounding land area and slope down to the opening so you can use the foundation as a wood storage area that does not fill with water when it rains.

Chip

[robinreese]

Re: Help! Need foundation measurements, for walls, for 48" (interior) corner unit

Great idea, Chipster. Thanks!
I think we're good to go. I'll take the best guesses about where goes vertical rebar at 16". The space is almost dug down enough. I simply allowed for a nice standing area outside all the kitchen stuff. I think having concrete/flagstone masonry to stand on will be nicer than the "floated" flagstone that covers the rest of the yard. I'll be loading some pictures soon. Want to chronicle this (huge) landscape job as so many have done. What fun!

[mrchipster]

Re: Help! Need foundation measurements, for walls, for 48" (interior) corner unit

I am looking forward to following your progress You are about a week ahead of me on your pour.

Good luck with the wet concrete and be sure to wear gloves.

Chip

[robinreese]

Re: Help! Need foundation measurements, for walls, for 48" (interior) corner unit

Well, my guess is that you're at least several weeks ahead of me on your overall grasp of the design. The oven was a rather spontaneous addition to the larger project so I'm hustling to take advantage of the cement truck that's coming in 40 minutes.

I know.. why am I typing??? :-)

I'll have plenty of time in the future to read up and experiment with the actual building as well as the sculptural elements. My occupation is artist/designer and I'm thrilled to have a new venue in which to create.

[Cheesehead]

Re: Help! Need foundation measurements, for walls, for 48" (interior) corner unit

Re: rebar location

I'm with the idea of doing that later - or even skipping it. I've put in a retaining wall along with my oven, and I drilled 2" deep every other core for the wall, putting a piece of rebar into that hole and extending into the poured core. No way that wall is moving.

But I'm not sure you need rebar for pinning your stand to the slab. I'm finishing a 39" internal oven corner build, I didn't bother. Once I've got about 100 CMU blocks (36 lbs apiece = 3600 lbs), 200 firebricks (x 7 lbs = 1400 lbs), 40 60 lb bags of concrete plus the water (~2800 lbs) ~200 lbs of mortar, 200 lbs of portland cement + vermiculite, ~12 10' lengths of 1/2" rebar... you get the idea.

It's probably at 4 tons or so. It's not moving.

I'll add that I changed the setup several times once I got block and mocked it up. Had I put the rebar in with the slab pour, no way I would have been able to change on the fly.

[robinreese]

Re: Help! Need foundation measurements, for walls, for 48" (interior) corner unit

Thanks guys for all your comments. The foundation for the oven was poured yesterday right on time, had some wire and rebar in the forms and a few poking out in the case that they (miraculously) work. I was able to allow a LOT of room for future oven changes because I decided the space in front of the oven, grill and counter area would be nice as a solid piece, a soft triangle space in the corner. It will be flagstone mortared onto the concrete. Everywhere else in the yard, except for the fancy steps and the "stage" under the portal I designed, will be flagstone that is "floated" on a bed of gravel and then weed cloth and then crusher fine sand. A low growing flat thyme will grow between the stones as I'm g\adding massive amount of seeds to the sand we finally sweep between the stones. That's the way they do it here in New Mexico. My outdoor space is being designed as an outdoor room -- the weather is so gorgeous up here at 8000 feet. We're at the Southernmost edge of the Rockies, the Rio Grande starts right here in this valley, draining those mountains. I'm putting all my construction photos, in order, in a file on Picassa if you want to check it out. There's no oven yet, just a poured corner section.

Special thank to Chip who quite literally responded with a 911 call. Man, that really helped! What a great site, great community. Looking forward to getting my oven designed and built. Hope to start it in earnest in a few weeks, once the big part of the landscape is completed.

Thanks again!
~robin

https://picasaweb.google.com/1104148...CJXg3ZafzZzNZA

[robinreese]

Re: Help! Need foundation measurements, for walls, for 48" (interior) corner unit

Ack. Dear Moderators, how on earth do I delete posts here!? I'm obviously a beginner. I promise to figure this out....

[Cheesehead]

Re: Help! Need foundation measurements, for walls, for 48" (interior) corner unit

That's the way they do it here in New Mexico. I'm designing my outdoor space as an outdoor room -- the weather is so gorgeous up here at 8000 feet. We're at the Southernmost edge of the Rockies, the Rio Grande starts right here in this valley, draining those mountains.

Ack. Dear Moderators, how on earth do I delete posts here!? I'm obviously a beginner. I promise to figure this out....

You are only allowed to delete posts if you invite all who contributed to the thread out to inspect your progress first-hand. Pizza and barley pop would help with that inspection.

[robinreese]

Re: Help! Need foundation measurements, for walls, for 48" (interior) corner unit

Hah. You're on! That would be great..

[lwood]

Re: Help! Need foundation measurements, for walls, for 48" (interior) corner unit

Robin, your in God's country. Skiing Taos is also great. Good luck on your build