42" build in McPherson KS

[slschoming]

Looking awesome! Quick question, are you not concerned about the firebrick being exposed to the elements during the winter? Like, it it rains, and the fire brick drinks up all the water, then freezes, couldn't it crack a brick? (Sorry to instill fear)

Yeah, I think I will drape some plastic over the front face this winter, and hopefully before next winter I will have my roof built

[mintee]

Looking awesome! Quick question, are you not concerned about the firebrick being exposed to the elements during the winter? Like, it it rains, and the fire brick drinks up all the water, then freezes, couldn't it crack a brick? (Sorry to instill fear)

[slschoming]

Made about 30 pies yesterday evening. My wife made scones this morning and I've got some bread going right now. It's incredible what you can do with just one fire.

It's also pretty awesome that while the inside of the oven walls are over 1000 F, the outside stucco layer is cool to the touch.

[slschoming]

The temperature is changing and the leaves are falling. I was hoping to find a day warm enough to finish the stucco but it's not looking promising.

[slschoming]

I just checked the weather and it's looking like my nice days are coming to a close for a few months. Are there any issues with waiting 3-5 months between the brown and finish layers? Our lows are in the 40s now, but starting Thursday it looks like they will be consistently in the 30s and below.

[slschoming]

To save time, instead of doing the recommended 3 costs, I only do one coat of around 15 mm thickness with the added AR fibres, and sponge finish this layer. Cover for a week to hold the moisture in this layer. Then, after several firings (if moisture is still present it can cause blistering) I then use a thinned 100% acrylic render which can be painted on. This smooths out any tooling marks and creates a waterproof finish.
There are lots of different approaches so don’t have to follow my method.

I've done two layers with no fibers added already. It is wet and covered, but the wind was so strong while I was applying it that it was drying out quickly. It developed a couple hairline cracks before I rehydrated and tarped it. At this point I think my best bet it to incorporate fibers into my finish coat. It doesn't have to be pretty, I am only going for structure and waterproofing with the stucco layer, I will be adding a brick veneer around the whole dome and applying a brick seal when the last layer of stucco dries.

[david s]

To save time, instead of doing the recommended 3 coats, I only do one coat of around 15 mm thickness with the added AR fibres, and sponge finish this layer. Cover for a week to hold the moisture in this layer. Then, after several firings (if moisture is still present it can cause blistering) I then use a thinned 100% acrylic render which can be painted on. This smooths out any tooling marks and creates a waterproof finish.
There are lots of different approaches so don’t have to follow my method.

[slschoming]

The fibers a not very big. If you have an old window screen, sieve a hand full through it.

I don't have a screen to try this with, but I am fairly sure it doesn't have any... Quikrete has a base coat that is reinforced with fibers, and one that is not. I couldn't find the fiber reinforced variety in any nearby stores so I went with the plain old stucco mix.

https://www.quikrete.com/productline...reinforced.asp vs https://www.quikrete.com/productline...wnbasecoat.asp

I think I better go with the Quikwall for my finish layer to be safe.

[Gulf]

The fibers a not very big. If you have an old window screen, sieve a hand full through it.

[slschoming]

No, the premix should have fibers in it that add a lot of strength. But, do complete all 3 coats.

The premix that I bought (QUIKRETE Scratch and Brown Base Coat Stucco) doesn't seem to have any fibers. Neither does the finish coat. However, I bought some QUIKWALL Surface Bonding Cement last year that I was sort of thinking to put on my cinderblock walls. Quikwall has fibers and they say it can be used as a finish coat. Lowe's website says that it is used to waterproof farm water storage tanks as well.

Maybe I should use this as my finish coat instead for the fibers and extra waterproofing?

[slschoming]

No, the premix should have fibers in it that add a lot of strength. But, do complete all 3 coats.

Ok, will do! Thanks Gulf!

[Gulf]

....Do you think I should wrap this coat in the hardware cloth.......?

No, the premix should have fibers in it that add a lot of strength. But, do complete all 3 coats.

[slschoming]

Between layers I used an acrylic fortifier bonding agent. It was also used to replace a lot of the water in each layer.

I wet down the scratch coat and then brushed on some fortifier/bonding agent before applying the brown coat.

I think that you are hanging stucco over chicken wire.

Yes, the only wire I used was chicken wire. I do have some hardware cloth I could use... Do you think I should wrap this coat in the hardware cloth and do one more brown coat over that before the finish coat for added strength? I might run low on real estate in a couple places, but I think I can make up for that by cutting the brick veneers a little thinner in those few spots if I have to..

[Gulf]

I did three layers, but not like the stucco schedule. The mesh that I used was spaced from the vermicrete. I skipped the usual scratch coat and smoothed each layer.. Between layers I used an acrylic fortifier bonding agent. It was also used to replace a lot of the water in each layer. Though, I used a stucco mix, (with some added portland) my stucco layer is more like a ferocrete.

.....It feels strong after the scratch and brown layers. Does the finish layer provide anything more than just a little more mass?.....

I really can't say for sure. All I can relate is what I did on mesh spaced over vermicrete. I think that you are hanging stucco over chicken wire. I would go the finish coat if I were you.

Also, the tarp will be ok. Just keep it covered to protect it from the sun and drying breezes. It needs the moisture to cure properly. But, you don't need to keep wetting it if you keep it covered.

[slschoming]

david s I fought the cling wrap in the wind, but I lost the battle. I hydrated it the best I could and covered it with a tarp. Should I continue misting it for the next week or so?