Reinforcing arch sides?

[Ken524]

Oven Experts and Masonry Engineers,

I'm not 100% convinced I need to add additional structural support to the sides of my vent arch walls. If I do it, I'm looking at it as cheap insurance.

I really like DrakeRemoray's enclosure (http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/atta...n-dsc_0006.jpg) and would like something similar. If I add reinforcement, I won't be able to use his idea for framing. I'm willing to shift gears if it means I won't have trouble with my vent walls.

I went to the Depot and picked up a couple of concrete building blocks to experiment with. I came up with 3 ideas. The pictures will explain better than I can.

The pics all show a 1/2" piece of hard Kaowool board between the blocks and the vent wall. My reasons:

1. A small bit of insulation.

2. More importantly, to give the wall a *little* room to move. The Kaowool has some give. I figure if the wall wants to move due to thermal expansion, it probably *needs* to move. If I force it to stay in position, something has to give (crack).

Input? I'd like opinions on this idea and definitely other ideas if you have them. The chimney and cap will be the DuraTech system from FB.

As always, thanks for the input!

[asudavew]

Re: Reinforcing arch sides?

leave it alone.....

I'm with ya.. I've had one small crack in the arch... no biggie.

pressure from the: side, down, up, ... it'll work

Fire that sucker up.
And trust it. Your work is superb. Keep the faith.

Pizza -- my man

Head to the promise land!

[Gentcpa]

Re: Reinforcing arch sides?

My oven is still new. So maybe I'm talking out of turn. However, I didn't use any additional reinforcement on my arch sides. I did choose to go with a nice light duratech system though.

My arch has cracked due to me not allowing enough expansion room for the anchor. No other cracks so I'm pretty bummed about it.

[Les]

Re: Reinforcing arch sides?

Ken, if you don't plan on loading your arch with a ton of weight - you are probably good to go. I am going to surround my chimney with brick - quite a lot of weight. If you go the two brick with iron route, I think you would be good for a nuclear hit

Les...

[Frances]

Re: Reinforcing arch sides?

Just a thought, but if you want just a bit of extra support, couldn't you build the framing to provide it? An iron bar part of the way along the side of the archway should do for that. Then you could have it both ways maybe.

In any case, I think your right in wanting to leave some room for expansion. One other thing, my archway gets pretty hot right next to the dome when I fire it up. Or did you put in an insulation break there?

[Ken524]

Re: Reinforcing arch sides?

Dave, thanks for the confidence! I may scale down my support ideas a bit.

Les, if we have a nuclear attack, PIZZA at my house; 6pm!

Frances, I like your iron bar idea. It gave me a thought (looks like a trip to Home Depot today). I'm thinking about a "L" shaped support like they make for building wood gates, that would be perfect and take up less space.

Thanks everyone!

[Ken524]

Re: Reinforcing arch sides?

Julian, You're not at all out of turn. Your work is superb. Your arch and sides are similar in design to mine. It sounds like you are getting really close to pizza heat. Sorry to hear about your arch/anchor problem.

Dave, thanks for the confidence! I may scale down my support ideas a bit.

Les, if we get nuked, PIZZA at my house; 6pm!

Frances, I like your iron bar idea. It gave me a thought (looks like a trip to Home Depot today). I'm thinking about a "L" shaped support like they make for building wood gates, that would be perfect and take up less space.

Thanks everyone!

[wlively]

Re: Reinforcing arch sides?

Ken

For what it is worth, I did not really reinforce the sides of the arch. My arch is built a little differently and the only weight on it is the cast vent and duratech. I guess technically you could say there is a little reinforcement, as I extended the cladding at the dome interface a few inches over the arch bricks. I have no cracks.

[Ken524]

Re: Reinforcing arch sides?

OK... I used an idea inspired by Frances' comment. I picked up a couple of heavy duty shelf brackets at Home Depot and used lag bolts and lead anchors to secure them to the concrete.

Wedged tightly between the bracket and the arch wall is a 1" thick piece of Kaowool board. If the wall wants to crack, it will crack and maybe shift slightly, but the bracket should deter any catastrophic failure.

This solution gives me the flexibility for a couple different enclosure options.

Thanks for all the input gang!

[asudavew]

Re: Reinforcing arch sides?

Looks good man.

[Kemo]

Re: Reinforcing arch sides?

Ken,

that is an excellent idea, especially for those of us building an enclosure.

[Guerito]

Re: Reinforcing arch sides?

Ken,

So, what are we saying here? If you stay light, arch support bricks perpendicular to the door are fine. But...if we want to use flue tile or brick, the columns or sides of the arch should be full bricks set parallel to the door, there by forming their own buttress.

This is when they should have required engineering classes in college.

Guerito

[Frances]

Re: Reinforcing arch sides?

Cool! Glad to have helped (indirectly)

[Ken524]

Re: Reinforcing arch sides?

So, what are we saying here? If you stay light, arch support bricks perpendicular to the door are fine. But...if we want to use flue tile or brick, the columns or sides of the arch should be full bricks set parallel to the door, there by forming their own buttress.

I'm going to bow out of this discussion at this point because I lack the engineering knowledge to answer. Folks suggested I beef up the supports, so I did .

At this point, I will simply say a chant to the Oven Gods, sacrifice my first pizza and hope for the best!

This is when they should have required engineering classes in college.

BINGO! I wish I had taken some!

[Les]

Re: Reinforcing arch sides?

Sorry to send you down that path Ken - but as you said, an ounce of prevention. And since you beefed it up, no harm, no foul.

Les...