Starting my WFO in N. Carolina

[NCMan]

Re: Starting my WFO in N. Carolina

I forgot I had taken some photos of the foundation before I blocked it all up. I did this the first day, then the next day I filled it all in and capped it off. Any way, this shows what the actual perimeter foundation looked like before it got filled in. Hope to get to doing some of the form work soon for the hearth slab.

[NCMan]

Re: Starting my WFO in N. Carolina

I was just curious, not trying to be a masonry cop or anything.

LOL. Masonry Cop. I don't mind. You can ask anything you like, anytime. You have alot more experience w/this stuff than I do. And I appreciate the keen eye.

[stonecutter]

Re: Starting my WFO in N. Carolina

Oh, you mean the stacking of the block. I started out doing it, but after awhile, I just laid them whatever way. For what they are doing, in my opinion, it doesn't make a bit of difference, as long as they are mortared in correctly. I just wanted to get them in and beat the rain. They are all solid laid w/mortar in all bed joints w/complete bonding so they can hold the weight. If for some reason I wasn't going to pour a reinforced concrete slab on top, that may have been done differently, but it's fine as is. As I said, all bed joints are solid and wherever needed, I mortared the head joints to make it solid.

I was just curious, not trying to be a masonry cop or anything.

[NCMan]

Re: Starting my WFO in N. Carolina

Your dimensions seem right, but just to be clear (from the quote above): Does this mean that you will not have any vermiculite/conc insulation under the oven landing (the space between the inner arch and outer arch?

I guess you could do that if you have some sort of gap and or insulation between the pizza oven floor and oven-landing so that heat doesn't transfer to the concrete below the landing area.

Just checking, looks like a solid oven foundation. Good work!

Thanks, Dino. I hope mine turns out half as nice as yours! Yes, I plan to insulate under the landing and I will have small gaps (heat stops). I was also thinking of possibly getting a few insulated firebrick to use at the edge of the oven landing to eliminate heat loss/transfer from the oven. This is all a learning process for me and I appreciate folks like you that have "been there, done that" on here to help us WFO Newbies.

[Dino_Pizza]

Re: Starting my WFO in N. Carolina

Then, pour another slab later for the vent/landing, but at a higher elevation, even w/the oven floor. Anyone see any issues w/my plans? Love to hear some opinions from a few of you experienced builders, since this is my first oven. Do my dimensions seem right?

Your dimensions seem right, but just to be clear (from the quote above): Does this mean that you will not have any vermiculite/conc insulation under the oven landing (the space between the inner arch and outer arch?

I guess you could do that if you have some sort of gap and or insulation between the pizza oven floor and oven-landing so that heat doesn't transfer to the concrete below the landing area.

Just checking, looks like a solid oven foundation. Good work!

[NCMan]

Re: Starting my WFO in N. Carolina

Oh, you mean the stacking of the block. I started out doing it, but after awhile, I just laid them whatever way. For what they are doing, in my opinion, it doesn't make a bit of difference, as long as they are mortared in correctly. I just wanted to get them in and beat the rain. They are all solid laid w/mortar in all bed joints w/complete bonding so they can hold the weight. If for some reason I wasn't going to pour a reinforced concrete slab on top, that may have been done differently, but it's fine as is. As I said, all bed joints are solid and wherever needed, I mortared the head joints to make it solid.

[stonecutter]

Re: Starting my WFO in N. Carolina

Your cmu on that front wall are stack jointed. Bonded work doesn't have stacked joints...I'm curious why you did that there, the rest of the base is bonded.

[NCMan]

Re: Starting my WFO in N. Carolina

One question...how come you didn't bond the cmu on the front wall?

I'm not sure where you mean. All the block are mortared in. I just did the bed joints, mainly to level it all up and to bond them to the slab, etc. All four corners are filled w/concrete mix w/a rebar in them. Can you explain where you are referring to?

[stonecutter]

Re: Starting my WFO in N. Carolina

One question...how come you didn't bond the cmu on the front wall?

[NCMan]

Re: Starting my WFO in N. Carolina

I should add that my plans are to pour the hearth slab only to where the cap block currently end in the front. In other words, wherever you see solid cap block, that is where I plan to pour the first slab. From the back to front, it is approx. 55". Plans are for a 4" hollow block enclosure for a 36" oven and 3" (or a bit more) for insulation. Hopefully, I can have the oven arch right at the edge of this slab. Then, pour another slab later for the vent/landing, but at a higher elevation, even w/the oven floor. Anyone see any issues w/my plans? Love to hear some opinions from a few of you experienced builders, since this is my first oven. Do my dimensions seem right?

[NCMan]

Re: Starting my WFO in N. Carolina

I have gotten most of my block foundation done. Since we are not using the space under the hearth slab, it was easier (for me) to just block it up. Putting the solid cap on worked out nice, since it's the right elevation we need and it's all solid under the next slab now. Next I plan to pour a 4" concrete hearth slab, using a 3/8" rebar grid, approx. 1' on center. Then 4" of vermiculite. I'll post more photos when I get the formwork up.

[NCMan]

Re: Starting my WFO in N. Carolina

Very impressive. I like it. Thanks for sharing. Pics are great to explain it all. Now I understand pretty clearly what you did. Very cool.

[Gulf]

Re: Starting my WFO in N. Carolina

........Another alternative is to build a sliding drawer or cabinet that can be pulled out to access the contents stored under the oven. There are several recent builders that have done this too (e.g. rsandler and Gulf - off the top of my head). If the drawer would be cantilevered above the ground when it is pulled out, it would require some additional thought (engineering) to make it work. Food for thought..............

Sorry NCMan, I know you are not in the market for an under oven drawer.

AT,
I may have not stessed the point very well in my thread. But, there is currently about a five inch drop in front of my oven. There will still be at least a two and a half inch drop when the flooring is finished. I solved that problem, for me at least, with stock garage door tracking and hardware. My drawer pulls out easily to over 2/3rd's of the way .

I do like the idea, it's just not what I need on my own oven. I'd love to see some pictures if you have any though, Gulf. This is all a learning experience for me and it'd be great to see what you've done. I have a good feeling that I'm going to be building another oven, for my neighbor. After mine is done, of course. He comes by alot wanting to see what's going on, etc. I do believe he's caught the WFO Fever. Your drawer idea may be something he'd want.

Here are some pics I took of the drawer and the garage door hardware. To handle the weight of the drawer when it is pulled out, I anchored the track anchor screws in concrete. There are five pairs of rollers attached to the bottom of the drawer. Every thing is really easy to get to.

[stonecutter]

Re: Starting my WFO in N. Carolina

Apple burns hot and is great for the oven and I had all I wanted up north. Not now....

[NCMan]

Re: Starting my WFO in N. Carolina

Just let me know if and when you're in the area and have room for a bit of wood. I love it all, but for me, nothing compares to the apple wood for cooking/smoking. I've obviously never had the pleasure to cook w/it yet in a WFO, but am really, really looking forward to it.