Lightweight Santa Cruz 36" Build

[TJRad]

Hello All,

I am planning to build a outdoor kitchen on top of a raised deck in Felton Ca.
This build will not begin for a bit because my actual job right now is to get some legitimate numbers for my engineer on what this thing may (will) weigh.

Sorry for such a long winded post to start but stick with me for a second, I believe the discussion of weight vs. insulating mass, and modular vs. brick will be an interesting one, I see no reason for these things to be required to weigh 2 tons. I look forward to input from anybody with experience in any of these areas. You all seem to have a lot.

My goal is to come to a number that is acceptable to the engineer that does not require 12' deep piers for the deck or any other outrageously expensive undertaking in the sub floor construction. I am a contractor and it has always been my experience that if I tell my engineer what I need to do he always comes back with the most expensive way to do it. Well, this is my house and thats just not an option this time, (no offfense to any of the engineers out there)

I will start with the weight as I have researched for the two systems I am thinking of, then a brief discussion on things that are required for both, followed with a later post on how to keep the surround weight down. Please keep in mind the goal here is to have the thermal mass required for a good working oven while keeping the weight, and the footprint, to a minimum and please, don't hesitate to tell me where I am wrong!

Thanks for having me on the site, I look forward to getting to know you all and thanks in advance for the help!!!
Ty

[TJRad]

Re: Lightweight Santa Cruz 36" Build

Pompeii 36" Brick oven vs. Casa2G90 36" Modular Oven
Weight and space requirement comparison

Pompeii 90 Kit

listed on the Forno Bravo site as being 1600#

Things Excluded
only comes with two rolls blanket vs 3 with casa +40#

Aside from that the kit seems all inclusive although It seems a bit light when you figure it all out, I am thinking about +100#

Overall weight pre-install parts only 1740#


Casa2G90 Modular kit

listed on the Forno Bravo site as weighing 825#(Dome, vent,floor only)

Things excluded in weight but included in kit

Three rolls insulation +105#

FB board +60#

Mortar and other extras approx +100#

Overall weight pre-install parts only 1090#

If you do not use the kit, you would rather use brick for the floor. The floor of your standard pompeii 90 has roughly 55 full bricks to make up the floor, thats +440# - weight of supplied floor
There is no way the supplied floor makes up half the weight of the casa2g kit and it is the same floor so I believe you could add some more to the Pompeii as far as parts weight, lets say 200#.

So for the sake of being safe,

Pompeii parts only before install 1940#
Casa2G90 1090#

On top of that, it seems the Casa can be built approximately 4" smaller in every dimension

Id really like to build a brick oven but the homemade oven is losing by almost 100% right now. A lot of what comes next is apples to apples for the install so that thousand pounds will more than likely be the difference, although common sense would tell us that a lighter structure requires a lighter base.

[Les]

Re: Lightweight Santa Cruz 36" Build

TJ,

You live close enough to take the drive to Salinas and check out the FB showroom floor. You might be sold on their product. Take it home, drop it on the stand and you are done. When you see the cast ovens up close and personal you can see why the weight is far less ( and they look pretty damn nice).

[TJRad]

Re: Lightweight Santa Cruz 36" Build

I'm just gonna keep going, haha it might look like a book before Im done but this is helping me out alot just putting it all in one place. Especially a place where somebody with knowledge can call BS on me.

Lightweight Base Plan Weight

Mild steel frame on wood plate over waterproof deck +/-300#

Durock for base 25#

3" Vermicrete slab over plywood covered with galvanized pan 200#

Veneered brick for base with real brick arch #200

Firewood #200

Total weight below oven #925

Not sure about the vermicrete number at all, I figured that out from numbers off the net, seems pretty light.

[TJRad]

Re: Lightweight Santa Cruz 36" Build

Thanks Les, but Im building an entire outdoor kitchen. Its just that Im the architect, designer, and for the most part engineer( he'll stamp anything I give him for my house). I may end up with a modular I would just rather build it myself.

Oh and Im definitely going down there soon, and I have put in a bunch around Los Gatos- Saratoga (err my mason has put in a bunch around Los Gatos Saratoga)

[Les]

Re: Lightweight Santa Cruz 36" Build

TJ,

If I recall your deck isn't built yet. If that's the case, I would just design the thing so you can load it with any thing you want. The satisfaction of building these things from scratch is pretty cool!

[TJRad]

Re: Lightweight Santa Cruz 36" Build

That's absolutely the goal Les, and in a perfect world not a problem. I live in Santa Cruz county though, I'm in a fault zone, slide zone, watershed zone, all inside a protected habitat because of an endangered beetle. Enviro planning gets involved if I want to plant a non indiginous plant. If I show up to the county with all my ducks in a row I win.

If I spend 20 hrs researching how to get my ducks in a row it saves me a year of dealing with the hippies. You guys have no idea how bad it is, I dont think Gulf would like it much

[Les]

Re: Lightweight Santa Cruz 36" Build

I moved from San Jose - saw the writing on the wall. My sister in law live in your hills during the 89 quake. Split their house in half by 16 inches vertical. I threw a rock down a crack in the middle of the street and never heard it land - amazing. With all that said - MOVE

[TJRad]

Re: Lightweight Santa Cruz 36" Build

Can't do it, born and raised. I know the house your talking about, at Summit and Melody ln? I got to see it too having so much family on Summit. Crazy that's your sisters house, what a bummer. I was raised in San Jose, bet we know some of the same folks. Oh well, 6 minutes to the beach and 20 minutes to Los Gatos is nice, but you sure pay for it. I live in Mount Hermon

[Les]

Re: Lightweight Santa Cruz 36" Build

Wow - It was on Summit (small world). After that they moved to Maryland - can't get much further away than that. They still have the winery in the mountains - Savannah Chanelle.