K79 Oven Build

[K79]

Ok, so I took some of your advice and started my own thread for all of my oven questions and photos

My next questions has to do with the dry stack method for the cinder block base? I would like to construct my base using this method. Pros/Cons from your experiences?

Thanks

[K79]

Re: K79 Oven Build

In reading the FB plans on pouring the hearth it seems like it is much easier to just buy some FB board and place that under the oven floor instead of mixing and pouring the insulated concrete. What did you guys do here?

Thanks.

[K79]

Re: K79 Oven Build

If I end up using the FB board I can get away with only 2 boards for a 36" oven but I would have to get creative with the scrap pieces to cover the entire floor. Is this ok? I would have most of my small gaps under the vent landing.

[K79]

Re: K79 Oven Build

What size metal studs should I use for my enclosure. I'll be attaching concrete board and stone veneer to it.

Thanks.

[SCChris]

Re: K79 Oven Build

I used standard metal studs, but a recommendation was made recently to use heavy gage studs because of the added durability, higher quality, of the heavy gage product. When you build the oven house, around the oven, you want to do everything possible to maintain a dry interior and keep the insulation and bricks dry. Wet is your ovens enemy second only to structural movement, foundation movement. Your oven will crack during curing, it's not 100% but very close. This movement is expected and isn't really a problem as long as the oven is built on a solid base. So overbuild rather than under, the cost isn't going to be very different.

Remember that these steel studs are going to be cold and that as the oven warms the moisture in the oven house will find those cold studs and they will get wet.. Others in the colder areas can and should be the target of these questions. I don't know how others in cold areas have built their oven houses.


Chris

[K79]

Re: K79 Oven Build

What aspects define over building the base/foundation?

[SCChris]

Re: K79 Oven Build

My feeling is that the concrete block structure is over engineered, the foundation that this sits on is really more problematic. If your oven is in a frost heave area then you'll need to adjust the foundation and base to accommodate the threat. Don't skimp on steel in the foundation and in the block stand, and don't skimp on concrete. Don't skimp on a good roof that allows you to work comfortably in nasty weather and don't skimp on workspace. What you believe can be adequate most likely will only be barely enough. Remember the French saying "mis en place". Give yourself enough room to organize the pizza builds and a place to present the completed pizzas along with everything else that a large party requires.

Welcome to fornobravo!!

Chris

[K79]

Re: K79 Oven Build

Has anyone constructed their oven using a some sort of precast angle iron entry door? I'm confused as to how you would build that into the brick structure.

Thanks

[K79]

Re: K79 Oven Build

Ok, I've read the plans and as many posts as I could find here at FB. The question is:

Do I want all of my bricks to be touching if I'm looking at the oven from the inside and fill the remaining with mortar. I know it is common practice to fill some of the gap with fire brick wedges, but how much of the gap can you fill. There has to be mortar in there somewhere

[K79]

Re: K79 Oven Build

Ok so it's FINAL we are going with a 40" oven. Here is my layout. Do these dimensions look right? The 1/2" dimension is for my lip around my oven opening for my door, and the 9/16" dimensions would be the mortar joint for my soldier course. Seems a little wide. Should I use fire brick wedges here?

[K79]

Re: K79 Oven Build

Ok, I know I'm not imagining this, but it is acceptable to have my soldiers resting on the insulation board and not the oven floor bricks right. Isn't that actually the preferred method that way you can replace the oven floor bricks over time?

[deejayoh]

Re: K79 Oven Build

Ok, I know I'm not imagining this, but it is acceptable to have my soldiers resting on the insulation board and not the oven floor bricks right. Isn't that actually the preferred method that way you can replace the oven floor bricks over time?

It's a matter of choice as to soldiers on/off floor - but yes it's acceptable to place them on the *insulation* (I typed floor earlier) and many many ovens have been built that way (including mine)

[K79]

Re: K79 Oven Build

Does it matter if you use common brick or firebrick for the vent landing and arch? Do you want to use common brick so it holds up to wet weather conditions? If so do you still use high heat mortar with the common brick?

[V-wiz]

Re: K79 Oven Build

I was in the same boat, since i was finishing in red bricks i wanted to skip the firebricks and just do red bricks. I was advised to use firebrick as the arch and chimney transition gets really hot. However when you think about it red bricks can definitely handle the heat, its not direct flames? just heat going up. I have no answer to your question, but id be interested to see what other say. Either way you should use high heath mortar aka homebrew mix.

[mrchipster]

Re: K79 Oven Build

Does it matter if you use common brick or firebrick for the vent landing and arch? Do you want to use common brick so it holds up to wet weather conditions? If so do you still use high heat mortar with the common brick?

I would use Firebrick for the arch as it does see direct flame and gets very hot.

The floor of the landing stays at reasonable temps and could be common brick.I would not mortar the floor of the entry until you reach the decorative arch.

Provide a thermal break at the inner arch/oven floor to reduce heat transfer to the commons if you are concerned this will help.

Chip