Mortar for first course?

[Rockermike]

Building a Pompeii oven. Never done this before. Trying to follow PDF directions but some things unclear?

First, I put clay and sand "mud" under the floor. Got the floor laid out and it looks OK (except for question number two below). Now I'm starting on the first course (4.5" upright, 2.5" facing the fire). Does this course get full on mortar to attach it to the floor bricks? or does it just sit on the floor, held in place I assume by the weight of the dome?

Second question; I made a mess of the all the bricks when laying the floor. Is there any reason NOT to just spray off the mud with a hose, or is the water going to cause a problem. My underlayer is FB ceramic fireboard.

Thanks in advance
rocker

[aceves]

Re: Mortar for first course?

Hi RockerMike,

Welcome to the FB Forum! As for your first question, I will let a builder who has set the soldier course on top of the floor bricks answer your question. I set my soldier bricks around the floor bricks and on top of the FB Board itself and I didn't mortar them from below, only from the sides, outside and top.

As for your second question, don't spray, just wipe clean with a humid sponge. You want to avoid having excess water seep through the floor bricks on to your FB board.

aceves