Design Recommendations Wanted For Adoquin Stone Base

[johnt]

Hello, I'm finally ready to start this project and very thankful for this resource. I've got some Adoquin Stone secured for the floor of my future pizza oven. I have 3 pieces 24 x 24, 16 x 24 and many 16 x 16 in pieces as well as plenty of chipped and cracked extras. I'm thinking the design should start with the oven floor and go from there. Because they are all 3/4 inches thick and I have so much stone, I'm thinking of doubling the floor. Would the 1 1/2 inch floor be worth it and if I want say a 40 inch floor, do I need to make the floor roughly 40 in plus 2 times the width of the fire brick that would make the dome. I am also not sure I need 40 inches, but definitely don't want to go through all this work and not make it big enough. I'd say I would do two or three pizzas at a time max and want the ability to do roasts or bread as well.
Thanks,
John

[mrchipster]

Re: Design Recommendations Wanted For Adoquin Stone Base

Make sure the stone will hold up to the heat of an oven, I do no believe it will. Based on the limited search I just did. You will be much better off with FireBrick for the floor.

Chip

[Tscarborough]

Re: Design Recommendations Wanted For Adoquin Stone Base

Yes, that is a very soft porous stone of consolidated (volcanic) ash. Save it for the cladding.

[johnt]

Re: Design Recommendations Wanted For Adoquin Stone Base

Thanks Chip for the tip. I was told it was good by the stone company, but I have some scrap pieces. Is there a way I can test it? Can I just get a really hot fire going with a couple pieces of stone in it and see if it cracks or breaks?

[johnt]

Re: Design Recommendations Wanted For Adoquin Stone Base

What a bummer if these don't work as they are so big, I thought I wouldn't have hardly any seems, but I guess they will look good around the outside too.

[Tscarborough]

Re: Design Recommendations Wanted For Adoquin Stone Base

Layering stone is not a good option either, airspace=insulator and you want at least 2-3" of floor.

[johnt]

Re: Design Recommendations Wanted For Adoquin Stone Base

Ok well that just about settles it. At least I have good cladding. Is there a preference about having the dome rest on the floor or having the floor inside the dome. I'm a little worried about my brick cutting skills even if I rent a nice tile saw, how do they make the curved cuts so round?

[Les]

Re: Design Recommendations Wanted For Adoquin Stone Base

The thinking is that if you ever need to replace a floor brick, it's best to have it inside. I went that route but after using my oven for a few years I don't think it will ever be required. If you want to put it inside, just draw your arc on the brick and start cutting. The brick is really soft and you basically can grind the arc. It's really pretty easy to do.

[Gulf]

Re: Design Recommendations Wanted For Adoquin Stone Base

Ok well that just about settles it. At least I have good cladding. Is there a preference about having the dome rest on the floor or having the floor inside the dome. I'm a little worried about my brick cutting skills even if I rent a nice tile saw, how do they make the curved cuts so round?

Don't rent!
Buy a cheap Harbor Freight saw and sell it when you are done. Wait, second thought. I don't think that I will ever sell my saw .
Seriously, you will pay much more in rental than the cost of one of these saws. There is also Ebay and Craig's list for used saws.

The curved cuts are just many straight cuts just repositioned on the saw with each pass. You will get the hang of it after the first brick.