Crumbling Oven Floor

[Maniacye]

Hello Forno Bravo Community,

Long time follower, first time poster.

I am experiencing some deterioration on my brick oven floor (see 1st pic). This just started happening in the past 6 months and is getting worse. Second pic was taken 18 months ago and floor stilled fine.

The base of the oven is made of two 4.5" layers of fire brick (see 4th pic). Bottom layer is the ceiling of the oven below. The sit on steel T-bars supported by the masonry

Is this repairable??

Can provide much more detail and many more photos.

Thanks,
K

[david s]

If your floor bricks have been laid loose then they will be easy to remove and replace. If they’ve been mortared in, much more difficult. If it were my oven I’d be removing only the spalled bricks and flipping them over.

[Maniaceye]

Thanks David S.

Pretty sure I mortered them in.

Is there any way I could parge with refractory mortar?

[david s]

You could try, but I’m pretty confident it wouldn’t be successful.

[Maniacye]

Hi Again David,

I managed to get the top layer of bricks out, but they are not reusable. Unfortunately, they are reclaimed bricks and not the standard size. They are 8.5 x 4 x 2.5.

See image below.

They way I see it, i have two options,

1. Pour a base of castable refractory cement and fill the void
2. use 1.25" rigid foam to make up the height difference and use 1.25" new brick and cut them to fit the void - not my first choice, but i don't know if it is the best option

What do you think? Is there another possibility I could consider?

Thanks,
Kevin

[Chach]

Hi Again David,

I managed to get the top layer of bricks out, but they are not reusable. Unfortunately, they are reclaimed bricks and not the standard size. They are 8.5 x 4 x 2.5.

See image below.

They way I see it, i have two options,

1. Pour a base of castable refractory cement and fill the void
2. use 1.25" rigid foam to make up the height difference and use 1.25" new brick and cut them to fit the void - not my first choice, but i don't know if it is the best option

What do you think? Is there another possibility I could consider?

Thanks,
Kevin

Can you use the new bricks and cut to fit? Standard bricks are 9"x4.5"x2.5" You trim them down they should fit right in there.

Ricky

[Maniacye]

Hey Ricky,


Thanks for the response.

The full size (2.5") firebricks aren't easy to find in my area and to get them shipped in is a bit costly when compared to a couple or 3 bags of refractory cement.

And to be honest, if i ever cut a brick again, it would be too soon! But it looks like it might be in my future!

Thanks,
Kevin