42” dome underway in Canada. 1st build, already overwhelmed but can’t stop now.

[Squirt Reynolds]

Hey all,

ok, we’ll here we go. Midway through a build I started a couple weeks ago. I’ll post progress but fair warning, good enough is perfect for me on the farm so it may not be ideal, but it’s how it’s gotta be done. Ain’t nobody got time for perfect. so bear with me and be kind please.

I genuinely need help with this build but can’t get it other than your guys so please help when you can and keep it simple… Im not as smart as I look.

So, hearth has been cast and is ready.

think I’m going for the bricks etc next week, and may try to do the floor with 12x12 pcs vs the standard, I use to work at the supplier so get it all for cost, but figure it’ll be easier to install.
Herringbone style for sure regardless of what i end up…

will be building an IT tool for the dome. And not doing a soldier course first,

thanks in advance,

[Squirt Reynolds]

[UtahBeehiver]

Go to the Newbie Section under Treasure Archives, here are several well documented builds. Don't forge ahead by the seat of your pants without searching this blog or asking questions. Much easier to make adjustments on paper.

[Squirt Reynolds]

Go to the Newbie Section under Treasure Archives, here are several well documented builds. Don't forge ahead by the seat of your pants without searching this blog or asking questions. Much easier to make adjustments on paper.

For sure. Thanks for the input. I’ve been doing that for a month or so but to me without a “solid” plan, it feels chaotic.
just finished floor template and getting materials Monday.

[NCMan]

Best of luck to you. Ask away w/any questions. Lots of experienced builders here.

[Squirt Reynolds]

Best of luck to you. Ask away w/any questions. Lots of experienced builders here.

Thanks.
#1 how do you find your arch curve? i have one guy say to use a string and a pc of wood to hang from. It wasn’t clear so… thought I’d ask.
#2 do I use the dust from my initial FB cuts under my floor brick but above my fireboard/vermiculite concrete base layer? Some say to motor it in some say lay in dust/sand so some sort…
#3 any quick tips as to best way to avoid the dreaded droop / beaver… for a beginner?
#4 if hearth is done, how much do I have to be concerned about moisture wicking?

thanks

[Squirt Reynolds]

Go to the Newbie Section under Treasure Archives, here are several well documented builds. Don't forge ahead by the seat of your pants without searching this blog or asking questions. Much easier to make adjustments on paper.

Forgive me.why do I not see a sticky labeled treasure archives in the newbie section… ?

[Squirt Reynolds]

Insulating layer above the hearth.
I have 1 “ of fireboard. Can I add a couple inches of verm/cement on top? I’d need a barrier between them for moisture?
or do I return the board and just do the vermiculite?

[Gulf]

I would remove the board, elevate on ceramic tiles and pour the vermicrete. Then, place the board directly on top of the vermicrete. That way you have the best insulator closest to the cooking floor. No barriers between the two insulation layers. However, you would need to place window screen mesh and then a landscape fabric on top of tiles to keep the vermicrete from filling the channels and plugging the weep holes.

EDIT: Link back to previous question from another thread.

[Squirt Reynolds]

I would remove the board, elevate on ceramic tiles and pour the vermicrete. Then, place the board directly on top of the vermicrete. That way you have the best insulator closest to the cooking floor. No barriers between the two insulation layers. However, you would need to place window screen mesh and then a landscape fabric on top of tiles to keep the vermicrete from filling the channels and plugging the weep holes.

EDIT: Link back to previous question from another thread.

Thank you for taking the time to respond.
So I should drill a few holes into the hearth for moisture? How many and how big? 1/2”?
that a big ordeal for me, especially considering not knowing where the rebar etc is. How important is the weeping holes? 1-10?

[MarkJerling]

Doing weepholes is a really good idea. Then, the broken tile layer to give the moisture an easy pathway to get to the weepholes.
I did not do weepholes through the slab, only out around the edges and I wish I had done it different as it would have made moisture management easier.

[Squirt Reynolds]

Doing weepholes is a really good idea. Then, the broken tile layer to give the moisture an easy pathway to get to the weepholes.
I did not do weepholes through the slab, only out around the edges and I wish I had done it different as it would have made moisture management easier.

Understood. thank you.
Ok I’ll drill a few 3/8 holes. Lay some ceramic tile (did I read upside down? Do I glue em to hearth?)
then Window screen and some garden fabric. Then some vermiculite cement and then some board. Then some sand or whatever to level the floor bricks,,. That about right?

[MarkJerling]

I'm not sure if the tiles must be upside down or not. Others may know. Most seem to use some sand to level the floor bricks. I used a thicker layer of sand than most as I wanted to make sure that I can replace the floor with thicker floor bricks in future. So far, the floor has performed well and is still perfectly level.

[Gulf]

(did I read upside down? Do I glue em to hearth?)

You saw that in the link I provided above in post #9. No, it is not necessary to lay the the tiles upside down. Due to the rounded shape of the tile face edges and the mesh backing we just reasoned that there would be more contact area supporting the insulation. Also, no matter the orientation, the tiles do not need to be glued down. Once the insulation is in place, they wont move around.

[Mr.Pizza3]

If you are making the home brew mix a good way to set your tile is to do a 1:1 fire clay and masons sand mixture and water it down like normal thinset for laying floor tile then you can set and level the bricks as best as possible to remove lippage (bricks are far from perfect so do your best )

this worked good for me though some
of the smaller edge bricks won’t hold that well so practice caution

for the vermiculite so can do anywhere from a 5:1 to a 10:1 ratio vermic - make sure you dry mix first then slowly add the water it should hold together decently but be drier then you’d think

pictures attached show my floor and my vermicrete

I did a 8-9 : 1 ratio and it was about 5.5 inches thick due to my fork choice