First post, first clay oven build, first of many questions!

[zeker]

Re: First post, first clay oven build, first of many questions!

howdy all. canada here. just got back from a run for clay.. had to use the boat as the claybank is at rivers edge.. very slippery trying to stand and dig and fill buckets. havent tested it yet but it looks like the blue clay. very little organic if any. I was picky when digging different spots.
I will be building the clay oven with sand and clay and the outter layer will have straw or wood shavings. working on the roof for the whole shebang rite now.

a question..
would it be benficial (insulating barrier) to leave a 1" airspace b4 the outter coating? I could fill it will vermiculite or verm mixed with masonry cement.
I have been waiting till I could find clay , to continue.. the base is 8x16" blocks and a cenemt pad was poured with 2" sand spread, then. 1/2" cement board, then 1" more of sand.. the firebricks are lid on top of that.. looks to be a bout 36" circle.

this is the first post i stopped at in this secondary forum.. good stuff ..

gord in canada

[thickstrings]

Re: First post, first clay oven build, first of many questions!

I would say that you will need a insulation layer under your fire bricks, or all the heat will go south.....a heat sink. At least 4" of perlcrete or vermicrete and or a CF board would be needed.

[zeker]

Re: First post, first clay oven build, first of many questions!

the sand, then cement board , then snad under the firebrick was for insulating.. its about 3-4" thick

[mrchipster]

Re: First post, first clay oven build, first of many questions!

the sand, then cement board , then snad under the firebrick was for insulating.. its about 3-4" thick

Sand is NOT an insulator!!!

Use vermicrete or Perlcrete or 50-50 mix of each, mix at about 7-1 by volume with portland cement and put down about 4 inches. This goes directly under your brick floor.

[zeker]

Re: First post, first clay oven build, first of many questions!

ty.. its early enuf to redo..

[mrchipster]

Re: First post, first clay oven build, first of many questions!

ty.. its early enuf to redo..

Mix to a dry oatmeal consistency with water and mix gently with shovel, do not use a concrete mixer it will break it down to much. Shovel directly into your form and let set up covered for a couple of days before setting floor. Forms can remain in place to keep from cracking the edges of the mix.

[zeker]

Re: First post, first clay oven build, first of many questions!

mrchipster.. that is one VERY beautiful oven in your avatar. that will be next yrs project.. just wanna get the hang of this for now. and familiarize myself with working with the mats.

murphys law.. my oven floor is perfect rite now.. I,ll redo it and insulate under it and it will be a disaster when I,m done..

[zeker]

mods plz delete

I just noticed my post is in someone elses thread.. my apologies.. dont know how that happened.. mods plz delete.. i thot I was starting my own post ..not taking over.. very sry

gord