Hi, I built my 32 x 36 oven per the Bread Builders Alan Scott/ Daniel wing book. Not knowing any better I built a substantial support under the hearth slab as support, and hadn't planned on removing it, as with a layer of fire brick, 3-1/2" concrete slab, and 2-1/2" vermiculite/ Portland I didn't think it would get all that hot. We'll I did my first full firing a couple of day's ago and wow it is really hot (in the center especially). So my question is do most everyone remove all of the wooden structure and plywood support that is under the slab, and since it is obviously gonna get hot, what can i put down there as additional insulation?
Also I built this with the 5/8" rebar grid layout resting on the cinderblock's as the bread builders book describes. Just seems like about a gabillion lbs of brick and concrete for rebar to support?