Northeast PA newbie ready to go!

[SableSprings]

Water will wick through concrete, so we have been recommending putting a few 1/2" holes in the hearth (concrete top pad) to allow any moisture that may find its way in, some exit routes (a little piece of screen glued on the underside keeps bugs from using the hole ). Another recommended addition is some old porcelain tiles (discarded/discontinued sheets of small tiles work very well) between the hearth and the CaSi board. If you use the sheets, flip them upside down so the mesh is on top. This keeps the channels open below. You arrange the sheets so the holes you drilled are not covered and lay your insulation board directly on the tiles...you don't need to mortar or glue them down...the weight of the build will keep it in place. (I understand some of the new CaSi boards are now resistant to water, but I'd still put in the separation system.) Aluminum foil used to be advised to provide some slippage for dome movement during firing/cooling cycles...it is NOT recommended anymore. Turns out it creates a vapor barrier and you end up retaining water instead of blocking it out. Don't wrap your insulation in it!

Likewise, you don't need to mortar or glue down the cooking floor (oven base) to the insulation...the weight alone will keep it there. You will note sometimes a thin layer of fine sand & clay are used between the insulation board and the cooking floor, but that's only if you need to level parts (or all of it). Lots of builds don't need to do any extra leveling for the cooking floor.

The tarp should be more than adequate to keep your insulation fairly dry...just check for holes in the tarp and make sure you cover the entire top area. You don't want water running in from a corner or side that's open. Also make sure you weight or secure the tarp down...you don't want a gust of wind lifting your tarp off during the height of a rain storm

I have added a link to a well illustrated build that used the water drainage system I described above...hopefully, his pictures will make a lot more sense than my blathering on...

https://community.fornobravo.com/for...andpoint-idaho

p.s. Yes, humidity can be absorbed into the insulation materials especially if you are covering it for long periods of time and in humid conditions. David S in NE Australia reports significant moisture uptake can occur in the sub-tropics even when ovens are covered during the rainy season. The good news is that the insulation will dry out again with a couple extra early fires.

Hope this helps.

[w650gb500]

A small update. I had basically convinced myself that I was done with this build for the winter due to the weather changing. That and I’ve been crazy busy doing landscape work here at the house. Luckily we got a string of unseasonably warm weather and I stole a few hours to work on it. I was able to get the base and metal framing done. Tomorrow I will get the Insulation board down, chicken wire installed under the castings and the ceramic blanket secured in place. Then off to buy the supplies to close up the “dog house”. I’m going to cover the whole thing with 1/4” Hardie Backer Board then the brick as the exterior finish. I
hope it can be done in the next week if I push.

[MarkJerling]

That's coming along nicely.

[w650gb500]

We had an excavation crew at the house all weekend, so when we finished up last evening, I had a few of the guys help me lift the 3 pieces into place. First was the base and luckily it is perfectly level. Then both sides fit in place. I put “poultry fencing”, I guess that’s the new politically correct term for chicken wire. We must have pissed off chickens and had to change the name! Any way, I set 2 10’ pieces under the base to use to wrap the ceramic blanket. Once the dome was mortared together and dried overnight, today I installed the ceramic insulation blanket. Two 1” layers wrapped in “poultry fencing”. It would have been MUCH EASIER to wrap/wire the dome if there wasn’t a metal framework so damn close. It looks sloppy, but will work just fine. Finally this evening, I work until dark and was able to get both sides, the back and 1/2 the roof covered with 1/4” Hardie Backer Board. Both screwed and glued in place. I’m under the gun as tomorrow will be very nice, but then we have 2 days of heavy rain in the forecast. I grabbed a 10’x10’ piece of EPDM roof rubber from one of our buildings and will be using that to ensure that no water gets to my insulation. Better safe than sorry.

[w650gb500]

Finished to this point last evening until I couldn’t see anymore.

Hopefully I can get the whole thing closed in and ready for brick work by the end of the day. Come on warm weather, I need a few more days!

[MarkJerling]

You're rocketing along. Well done!

[w650gb500]

OK, I had a few more hours of warm weather and was able to completely cover the framework with Hardie board. It’s glued and screwed to the steel stud framework and all of the seams are sealed. I also decided on a final style for the whole thing and sourced all of the materials. I’ll leave that part a suprise and will post pictures once I begin the outside.

[sergetania]

That was quick! Nicely done! The weather is getting cold though.

[w650gb500]

As you can see in some of the pictures, there is air space between my ceramic blanket and the walls of the enclosure. Is there much of an advantage to filling those voids with perlite? I can buy loose perlite, drill a hole in the hardy board and fill everything up. I don’t know how much insulating value it will add, but now would be the time to do it before I start the exterior brick work.

Any suggestions?

[MarkJerling]

As you can see in some of the pictures, there is air space between my ceramic blanket and the walls of the enclosure. Is there much of an advantage to filling those voids with perlite? I can buy loose perlite, drill a hole in the hardy board and fill everything up. I don’t know how much insulating value it will add, but now would be the time to do it before I start the exterior brick work.

Any suggestions?

In my view, the more insulation, the better! Filling the enclosure with loose perlite should be a good thing in my view.

[w650gb500]

OK then, I’ll grab a few bags of loose Perlite and fill the voids as much as I can. By the time I’m done with this oven, I should have enough insulation board and blanket left over for another build!

I also picked up a damper and will try to modify it so I can incorporate it into the chimney pipe. Pix to follow...............

[w650gb500]

Well, if you’re going to do something you might as well do it right. When you don’t know what you’re doing, ask the experts and do what they say. I bought 3 bags of Perlite, used 2-1/4 of them to fill the voids as well as I could. “IF” I ever do another build, I will incorporate filling the enclosure before sealing the backer board. I cut 3 holes in each side and began pouring in the loose insulation. Since my backyard is quite exposed to the elements, it was challenging getting the perlite inside the holes. The wind blew it all over including in my eyes and that isn’t fun. It took a while, but it’s done and the holes are covered back up. Tomorrow and Saturday look like warm weather, so it’s time for brick and stone! There might be a chance that I can get this done this year! I have my fingers crossed.

[w650gb500]

I had a mason lined up to do the brick/stone work on the exterior today. He was supposed to be at the house at 9am. I get a text that his “helper” was running late and they won’t be here until 10. No problem, with a helper, we should be able to get most of it done. So, I wait and get all the supplies down near the oven to make everything easier. 11 o’clock comes around and I call him to see what their ETA might be. No answer! Send a text, no response. Figures, a 60 degree day and no mason! I decide to mix some mortar and start myself. I’ve met many masons and they are only good at what the do because they do it over and over. I’ve watched and figure I can do it just as well, just slower. So, here we go!!!! I had 4 good hours setting the soldier course on 3 sides and the fieldstone veneer on the facia. Also built the arched opening out of brick cut to 3”. I like the way it looks as it’s different than the others that I’ve seen. Tomorrow I plan to be outside at 8:30am and not stopping until 4:30 when it gets dark. I believe I can get it done if I don’t run into any issues.

Today’s progress.

[Gulf]

Looks good to me. Did you send a text to cancel the mason? Did you leave a little reveal for a storm door?

[w650gb500]

I’m hoping the mason shows up unannounced tomorrow. He lives 45 minutes away and it will be my pleasure to throw him back in his car and make him leave the property. He wasted my time and I will gladly waste his. I honestly don’t think he has the “balls” to show up, but either way, I don’t need him. It might take a bit longer, it may not be as pretty, but I will take the extra satisfaction in knowing that I did it myself.

I did leave about a 1/2” to 3/4” reveal for a door. I also picked up a damper and will be installing it in the chimney pipe.