Limestone sand to level pizza oven floor bricks?

[saltwatermax]

I'm here in Bermuda at the middle stages of building a pizza oven with a precast dome and floor slabs. We have low access to specialised materials but I did import a whole pile of perlite to make the insulation.

At the moment the oven stand is completely finished - 5 by 5 - on Bermuda sandstone blocks - with a 6 inch reinforced concrete slab and 5 inc perlite 6 to 1 insulating base with large antique yellow firebrick on the perimeter for edge strength.

The perlite layer is strong but a little uneven in the centre and will require a thin bedding of some kind to level the pre cast floor slabs. I have a limited amount of refectory cement (dry in tubs) and need to save it to seal the joints in the dome - I have read I can use sand but want to confirm that Bermuda sand - limestone origin - is ok as I have seen references to silica sand etc, . It is a nice very fine sand.

Alternatively i have access to lime and of course more perlite and portland cement.


With thanks,

[UtahBeehiver]

Should be fine, you really only need a enough to level out the pcrete, a little clay helps bind the sand from shifting but not a deal killer. Lay the sand down with a 3/8 or 1/2 inch notch trowel and set floor bricks. Start a build thread so all your post can be centralized and a place to doc you build.