Cob or brick & cement? First time build in Winchester, UK

[bigdavenorcott]

Re: Cob or brick & cement? First time build in Winchester, UK

Are you building an oven or a house? :wink: No, that thing isn't going anywhere... EVER!

Hehehe - part of the driver to finally getting around to it was the need to get rid of some of the huge slab of crappy old concrete outside our back door where the wife wants a patio...

[bigdavenorcott]

Re: Cob or brick & cement? First time build in Winchester, UK

Heh - I knew this stuff was gonna be a pain to work with but it's bloody awful! Hard to believe it'll have the compressive strength to hold the oven, but we'll see...

[UtahBeehiver]

Re: Cob or brick & cement? First time build in Winchester, UK

Some how I missed you thread. Check with Bookemdanno on this forum, he is from the UK and did a build out of solid red and I think heater tiles for the floor as well. He can help you with local advice and material sources. Good luck.

[oblertone]

Re: Cob or brick & cement? First time build in Winchester, UK

There is an eBay vendor of vermiculite boards based very close to you; he did me a very good deal a couple of weeks ago when I wanted a base layer for my moveable Pompeii. If you're thinking of going down that route then look him up, his trading name is Dorset Stoves and I have no other connection to him other than as a customer.

[bigdavenorcott]

Re: Cob or brick & cement? First time build in Winchester, UK

There is an eBay vendor of vermiculite boards based very close to you; he did me a very good deal a couple of weeks ago when I wanted a base layer for my moveable Pompeii. If you're thinking of going down that route then look him up, his trading name is Dorset Stoves and I have no other connection to him other than as a customer.

Thanks a lot - will do so. Didn't realise you could get vermiculite boards; are they solid enough to build on? If cheaper I'm sold.

[cobblerdave]

Re: Cob or brick & cement? First time build in Winchester, UK

G'day
Your V-Crete once dry you can dent it with a fingernail , but it will support your oven, no probs. and insulate like a champion..
I have not used vermiculite board , but I've seen it said that it doesn't suite in open situations as it is not completely waterproof.
Just worth a check... If I were you
Regards dave

[oblertone]

Re: Cob or brick & cement? First time build in Winchester, UK

Thanks a lot - will do so. Didn't realise you could get vermiculite boards; are they solid enough to build on? If cheaper I'm sold.

I've used them as an insulation layer underneath my oven floor bricks ( storage heater blocks) and it's fairly fragile stuff, almost like a crumbly softwood so I wouldn't use it as a base to build directly upon. My board was 47" x 52.5" x 1" and cost me ?80 if that helps.

[bigdavenorcott]

Re: Cob or brick & cement? First time build in Winchester, UK

G'day
Your V-Crete once dry you can dent it with a fingernail , but it will support your oven, no probs. and insulate like a champion..
I have not used vermiculite board , but I've seen it said that it doesn't suite in open situations as it is not completely waterproof.
Just worth a check... If I were you
Regards dave

Ah thanks Dave that's a load off my mind.

I'm in two minds what to do next; I sort of intended to get CaSi board to go under the oven, but my budget is already disappearing over the horizon (I didn't *really* intend to spend anything when I started).

There's 20cm of V-crete on there now (covered up for the minute). What I'm wondering is:

A/ is that insulation enough to just build straight onto?
B/ does this stuff (v-crete) ever get waterproof, or am I going to have to cover the whole bleedin' lot watertight?

At a low oven-related ebb at the moment, seems to be an impossible amount still to do =D

[bigdavenorcott]

Re: Cob or brick & cement? First time build in Winchester, UK

Yay! Dozen big free storage heater bricks sourced this afternoon.

[oblertone]

Re: Cob or brick & cement? First time build in Winchester, UK

Yay! Dozen big free storage heater bricks sourced this afternoon.

I've got about 10 spare ones if they're of any use to you ?

[bigdavenorcott]

Re: Cob or brick & cement? First time build in Winchester, UK

Devon's probably a bit far to go, but thanks very much for the offer! Was surprised how many bricks there are per heater; am hopeful that I'll fill the quota easily enough.

[oblertone]

Re: Cob or brick & cement? First time build in Winchester, UK

Devon's probably a bit far to go, but thanks very much for the offer! Was surprised how many bricks there are per heater; am hopeful that I'll fill the quota easily enough.

I commute between Devon and London on a weekly basis along the 303; if you come up short just let me know because repurposing stuff is what it's all about.

[cobblerdave]

Re: Cob or brick & cement? First time build in Winchester, UK

G'day
Your V-Crete once dry you can dent it with a fingernail , but it will support your oven, no probs. and insulate like a champion..
I have not used vermiculite board , but I've seen it said that it doesn't suite in open situations as it is not completely waterproof.
Just worth a check... If I were you
Regards dave

G'day
Sorry I was wrong to use the term waterproof.
Pearlite and vermiculite board are bonded together usually with sodium silicate which is water soluble which is why it's to be protected from moisture.
Any insulation should be protected from water because firstly it doesn't work when wet. Secound if you heat water to steam one litre of water expands into 1500 ltres of steam which is enough to damage an oven.
Don't worry I've had a wet oven on more than one occasion and you just have to be patient and dry it slowly rather than trying to do with one or two big fires!
Regards dave

[bigdavenorcott]

Re: Cob or brick & cement? First time build in Winchester, UK

That'sE=oblertone;175002]I commute between Devon and London on a weekly basis along the 303; if you come up short just let me know because repurposing stuff is what it's all about.[/QUOTE]

That's really good of you, thank you very much indeed! Couldn't agree more RE repurposing. I'm actually only just off the A303 @ Sutton Scotney. Maybe i could drop you a line if I don't get enough in the next week or so?

Cheers

Dave

[bigdavenorcott]

Re: Cob or brick & cement? First time build in Winchester, UK

G'day
Sorry I was wrong to use the term waterproof.
Pearlite and vermiculite board are bonded together usually with sodium silicate which is water soluble which is why it's to be protected from moisture.
Any insulation should be protected from water because firstly it doesn't work when wet. Secound if you heat water to steam one litre of water expands into 1500 ltres of steam which is enough to damage an oven.
Don't worry I've had a wet oven on more than one occasion and you just have to be patient and dry it slowly rather than trying to do with one or two big fires!
Regards dave

G'day Dave

Phew