Vent floor

[RandyJ]

I am getting close to ready to do my vent floor. I know that many have done stainless steel. My question is how thick did you go, and do you now wish you went thicker or thinner? Also how much of a gap did you leave around the edge? Thanks for all the help

Randy

[Gulf]

I am sure that this is meant just for those that used stainless for their entry floor. But, I for one, am glad that I did not .

[NCMan]

I am sure that this is meant just for those that used stainless for their entry floor. But, I for one, am glad that I did not .

[ATTACH]n355767[/ATTACH]

I am also glad that I didn't. Just a personal preference. But, from what I understand, thinner is better.

[Gulf]

I am also glad that I didn't. Just a personal preference. But, from what I understand, thinner is better.

"Thinner" could be true. I have a homemade ss turning peel. It is made of fairly thick stock. I normally use a disposable pie pan. But, one evening I laid my turning peel in the entry to protect the floor from the char of lighting a charcoal chimney full of oven made lump charcoal and twigs. All went well until I noticed that my peel was cupping from the heat like a spoon. It went back to it's normal flat shape after it cooled down. But, like NCMan said, it is a personal preference. If the entry is just a staging area and not used for tuscan grilling, caveman cooking, etc. stainless steel will probably be fine for flooring the entry. I think that the decision for that may also be shallow vrs. deep entries. A shallow entry can be easily reached across to tend in this way. A deep entry like mine would be a little more difficult to work. Also, I like the head room in the entry to work the grill as opposed to reaching through the smaller entry.

just sayin'

[NCMan]

I guess I misread/misunderstood what Randy was asking. I thought he was referring to just a strip of stainless steel to separate the hearth from the vent floor, as I've seen done a few times on here by others. Going back now, he did say "vent floor" and I guess that's what he has in mind (?) The entire landing, Randy? I do know a fellow w/an oven that used stainless for his door and it warped and cupped so badly that he finally got rid of it and designed a new one, as it no longer sealed the oven opening to his satisfaction. Not sure what thickness he used, though.

[RandyJ]

So what do I do for the heat break on the floor. I was going to do IFB covered with stainless steel. I put a lot in to the insulation and don't want to screw this last pice up. But I do want to get it done kinda soon. Thanks for the help.

Randy

[Gulf]

All I did was place 1" insulating gasket in that joint. I ran two strips across it. That left about a 1/4" deep and 1/8th" to 3/16th" wide gap at the top. I allowed that to fill with fine ash. It's a real quick solution but, it works . Please disregard that ugly Rutland caulk around the arch heat break. It took me about a half day to clean up that mistake .

[RandyJ]

Where did you find the insulating gasket? That is a interesting idea. I guess I could get some more of the ceramic rope I used in the heat break and leave a 1\4" gap to fill in with ash. Does that seam like a decent idea.

Randy

[Gulf]

Randy,
I got the flat gasket at a stove and fireplace store. But, Ace Hardware sells Rutland products. They may have the 1" but, I found this 3/4" flat tape on their site. It is free pickup at the store, if they don't have it in stock. I have ordered some Weber grill parts from them and it only takes a few days for it to arrive at the store. My entry floor bricks are turned straight across the entry. But, they are free floating, just like the dome floor, with a slight gap around the edges. If you design your entry floor like that, the gasket can be added later.