Curing the oven

[Elcho]

Hi

I am up to the 7th course of bricks and on the homeward leg to completion. My question is do you start the curing fires before you put the fire blanket and insulation on so any moisture has somewhere to go rather than being trapped inside the shell?
Then do more as the outer layers are completed???

Thanks
Grant

[deejayoh]

Re: Curing the oven

congrats on getting close to closing up the oven. You can start your curing fires before or after adding insulation if you are using blanket. The moisture can still get out through the fibers. It won't be trapped unless you do something to seal it.

If you are using vermicrete I think there are other considerations, but it doesn't sound like that is the case.

[Elcho]

Re: Curing the oven

Thanks, was going to use a 25mm blanket and then cover in 75-100mm of vermiculite. and then finish in stucco as a weather proof coat
What difference would that make?
Cheers Grant

[Gulf]

Re: Curing the oven

I may have missed something from the conversion chart that I used but it looks like your are going to use the equivalant of 1" blanket and 4" of (what I am assuming is) 3 to 4" of vermicrete? (depending on the vermiculite to portland ratio)
It sounds like enough insulation to me but, as far as curing is conscerned: leave ample time between layers, or leave a vent hole in the top of your stucco render layer, through your vcrete layer to your blanket. In my opinion this will allow any remaining moisture a means to escape during the curing process. The hole can be sealed in after you are sure of the final curing or a permanent type of water shedding relief vent can be installed.