Brick counts

[james]

I have been thinking about the brick and mortar counts in the Pompeii Oven eBook, and wanted to see how accurate our Materials Lists are. So I need your help. Can you scan back through your notes (or memory) and tell us a close brick and mortar count and the size of your oven.

Thanks!

The Pompeii Oven eBook calls for the following:

42"/110cm
65 bricks for the floor
135 bricks for the dome
30 bricks for the vent
150-200lbs mortar

36"/90cm
60 bricks for the floor
120 bricks for the dome
30 bricks for the vent
130-180bls mortar

Thanks all!
James

[Les]

Re: Brick counts

James - I recall buying 275 bricks for my 42 inch (may be off because of old timers). I tossed a ton of scrap because of the cuts.

Les...

[Gromit]

Re: Brick counts

I am not really answering the question since I have built no oven; however, I have dusted off my high-school geometry. The surface area of a hemisphere is r^2*2*pi.

36" =~ 2,036 SQIN =~ 91 bricks for dome
42" =~ 2,771 SQIN =~ 123 bricks

If one is tapering the bricks, then use the surface area of the outer dome to arrive at the maximum number of bricks that could be used:

45" =~ 3,181 SQIN =~ 142 bricks
51" =~ 4,086 SQIN =~ 181 bricks

If you use more bricks than that, then they are ending up somewhere else besides the dome!

I am very interested in the REAL answer to this question, because I will begin my own oven soon.

-David

[Jed]

Re: Brick counts

Hey All,

Seams to me that I brought home 175 fire brick. There were maybe 8 left over after the build, and I used some red brick building the vent... On a 36 inch Pompeii.


JED

[bimbo]

Re: Brick counts

give me a couple of weeks and i should be able to give you an answer

[egalecki]

Re: Brick counts

I remember buying 200 firebrick for my 36, and I have maybe 5 or 6 whole ones left. I did reuse a lot of my offcuts for wedges, etc. I hate to waste.

[Modthyrth]

Re: Brick counts

I built a 42" dome, as basic as you can get--lintels, no angle cuts.
I bought 225 firebricks (brought 224 home, they miscounted by 1),
used 24 for the firepit,
and have 11 left over.

So it looks like the oven took 189 bricks.

I think the estimates in the plans would have worked perfectly for me, if I hadn't stolen the 24 bricks for the firepit.

[TonyBatty]

Re: Brick counts

I still have to complete the small chimney and front arch but I expect to use all of the 200 bricks bricks I ordered for my 42" Pompeii

[Ken524]

Re: Brick counts

42" Pompeii - All bricks custom cut/tapered
295 Medium Duty firebricks
2.5 bags of HeatStop 50 (50 lbs bags)

[james]

Re: Brick counts

Thanks Ken,
Do you have a theory on why you went to a higher brick count than some other builders?

Also, if anyone else has mortar counts, that would be helpful as well.

Thanks!
James

[Modthyrth]

Re: Brick counts

Two full bags of refractory mortar (I used Thermal Ceramics brand), and I did homebrew for the rest. Three bags would have covered my needs, I'm pretty sure.

[james]

Re: Brick counts

I'm guessing that's 3x50lb. Perfect. Thanks.
James

[Modthyrth]

Re: Brick counts

Oops--salient detail. Yes, 50lb bags.

[Ken524]

Re: Brick counts

Thanks Ken,
Do you have a theory on why you went to a higher brick count than some other builders?

Yes... Les and I were within 20 bricks and we both custom cut each brick. Custom cutting/tapering definitely requires more bricks.

[peterdin]

Re: Brick counts

for 80 cm (internal diameter oven)
120 firebricks for floor and dome, bought 14 extra, so in total 134 fire bricks.

Used up 3 1/4 bags (25Kg) fire mortar.