floor inside dome or under dome?

[toddj]

Should the oven floor of fire brick be cut to fit inside the dome or can the dome just be built on top of a bed of fire brick?

Thanks
Todd

[dbhansen]

Re: floor inside dome or under dome?

Yes.

Both methods have been used successfully. You'll find some pro/con arguments on both sides, based on theories about thermal expansion of the floor and dome. There are some threads here discussing this.

[Ken524]

Re: floor inside dome or under dome?

I agree. It's a wash.

[toddj]

Re: floor inside dome or under dome?

cool - i picked up a dewalt 24000 tile/brick saw and saturday morning it begins!

HA! I just figured out you can tilt the head like a compound miter saw...

They have a small hand held that looks useful but I got the table mount one:

[Ken524]

Re: floor inside dome or under dome?

cool - i picked up a dewalt 24000 tile/brick saw and saturday morning it begins!

Dang! That's a serious saw. Most of us are clowning around with the Harbor Freight toy. You should be able to do some serious cutting with that.

Good luck and keep us up to date on your progress!!

[toddj]

Re: floor inside dome or under dome?

would it help with thermal expansion to not morter the soldier bricks to the floor of the oven, just let the dome rest / expand on the flat floor of fire bricks?

[Breven]

Re: floor inside dome or under dome?

No kidding! Nice saw. That's my only complaint with the Harbor Freight one...not enough power...takes forever to get through one brick. But it works...

[Ken524]

Re: floor inside dome or under dome?

would it help with thermal expansion to not morter the soldier bricks to the floor of the oven, just let the dome rest / expand on the flat floor of fire bricks?

Right. I would mortar the soldiers to one-another, but not to the floor. Let them stand freely. Anyone disagree??

[Breven]

Re: floor inside dome or under dome?

I agree with Ken.

[toddj]

Re: floor inside dome or under dome?

cool- i thought that made sense but iv not seen it referenced anywhere..

[MumsOven]

Re: floor inside dome or under dome?

I am also at this stage and my oven floor is on the inside - I am a little worried about the floor expanding and inturn cracking the dome or maybe the dome will expand....mmm

[Ken524]

Re: floor inside dome or under dome?

I did my floor the same way. No worries, here's the solution:

http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/21/my-old-kentucky-dome-2346-5.html#post15367

It's post #47 about half way down the page - with pictures, too!

[dmun]

Re: floor inside dome or under dome?

In theory, the dome and the floor, made of the same material and similarly insulated, will heat up and cool down as a unit. In practice, the fitted-in floor always has a slight gap between the wall and the dome wall which fills up with fluffy wood ash. No problem either way.