Dave's Northern Virginia Build

[Dino_Pizza]

Re: Dave's Northern Virginia Build

Yup, I've already experienced having to re-fire at the all-night pizza fests.

You're right: just add a bit more wood. After it's fully cured and insulated, it surprises you how much/big of a fire you can get going in there. It'll just suck it up and release it all night. Enjoy the building process, it's quite a ride! -Dino

[DaveW]

now I've done it!

I think I will pull up my floor. I was in a hurry to set the floor bricks and did a lousy job of getting them level. So I decided to grind the floor smooth with a grinder. The only diamond wheel I could find at Home Depot was a 7 inch one with the cutters tangent to the wheel. For whatever reason the grinder chipped the bricks and opened up the gaps allowing the dust to fall in.

When I think of all the work ahead of me I just can't bear to have a floor in this state. So, tomorrow I will likely rip out the bricks and try again.

An adventure it is.

Dave

[glindhout]

Re: Dave's Northern Virginia Build

Dave,

They don't really look all that bad... I'm wondering if the gaps will fill up with ash pretty quickly and leave you with a smooth floor? Or you could pour some fireclay back over the surface, and tap around with a rubber mallet to fill up the cracks. That's what I did to fill any small gaps.

Or since you have your bricks on edge, you could use a different grinder and see if you can get it smoother before ripping it all out!? I could mail you my diamond cup wheel if you want to give that a shot... let me know!

Greg

[Tscarborough]

Re: Dave's Northern Virginia Build

A note on brick, no matter what type. There is usually a 1/4" or less of true vitrified material before the soft inner portion of the brick begins. It is better to lay the floor in a mortar bed and get it right rather than to try and true it by grinding.

[DaveW]

Re: Dave's Northern Virginia Build

A note on brick, no matter what type. There is usually a 1/4" or less of true vitrified material before the soft inner portion of the brick begins. It is better to lay the floor in a mortar bed and get it right rather than to try and true it by grinding.

I did notice that the inner part of the brick seems more prone to giving up dust. I think I will chalk it up to experience and re-do it.

Greg,

thanks for the encouragement and the offer to send the disc but I think I want to take another shot at setting the floor.

If this one doesn't work I will break down and buy the large tiles from FB.

Dave

Dave

[Tscarborough]

Re: Dave's Northern Virginia Build

Just flip them over.

[DaveW]

Re: Dave's Northern Virginia Build

Just flip them over.

I hate to say it, but I didn't think of that. In theory, I wouldn't have to cut any more bricks if I flipped the whole thing over.

Dave

[Dino_Pizza]

Re: Dave's Northern Virginia Build

Great idea! Flip them and the fireclay water mix should make it level. Dave, that was one scary mother *#!@er of a grinding wheel you showed in the picture. It would be hard for anyone keep a deft touch with that. You should find yourself a standard, smaller 4" masonry grinding wheel cuz it it'll be useful in so many places later on. And as I said, just grind whatever catches (if anything does) on a pizza peel. As Tscarborough said, it is best keep the finish on the bricks in tact with their harder, fired finish if you can. Especially on a floor you're likely to drag cast iron casserole cookware across and everything else we do to these things.
Also, Gregs got a good point. From your pics, the actual brick gaps look normal and they will fill up with ash. It's OK for spaces between bricks, the oven floor expands and needs gaps to move in to. If there are irregular chips occasionally in the gaps from the cutting wheel, they could be fine if nothing catches on them. Good luck, Dino

[DaveW]

Re: Dave's Northern Virginia Build

The floor bricks are out. I'll make a template to see if they will fit back in on the flip side or if I have to fine tune a bit.

I also added a few more bricks to the Joe inspired "Double Wide" entry and I'll cut the notch in the floor for the reveal this time.

Thanks for all the support on this SNAFU

Dave

P.S. What size notched trowel should I use for the floor mix? I went with 1/2x1/2 the first time and it seemed to work ok, I am pretty sure pebbles in the sand were the problem.

[DaveW]

Re: Dave's Northern Virginia Build

The Floor is back in! It has been awhile but I just couldn't get this strange image out of my head (photo two)......

[Dino_Pizza]

Re: Dave's Northern Virginia Build

Now that's quite a level oven floor! Did you have to grind anything or did the 1/2" screeding trowel float it enough?

The double wall does look cool too. -Dino

[DaveW]

Re: Dave's Northern Virginia Build

Thanks Dino,
Per recommendation by a friend I used a 1/4 inch notched trowel instead. I told him "But that won't give me as much room for adjustment." to which he replied "exactly, less room to screw it up"

No grinding so far.

I got the second chain in today and a few more bricks for the arch. If I can find the time tomorrow, I will work some more.
Dave

[DaveW]

Re: Dave's Northern Virginia Build

Between rain showers I made some progress today. My wife says my smaller keystone is slightly off center. Hopefully it won't bother her once I add the red brick decorative arch in front (third arch is the charm-I hope). I also tapered the the bricks in the third chain which saved a lot of expensive mortar.
Dave

[DaveW]

Re: Dave's Northern Virginia Build

I find myself bonding with my oven. Just like me it is ugly on the outside, prettier on the inside...

[nissanneill]

Re: Dave's Northern Virginia Build

Dave,
a little subtle advice mate after looking at your picture.
Stagger your brick joints in a stretcher bond pattern will give you a much stronger dome with less chance of long straight weakening cracks.
You can achieve this by cutting the odd brick and retaining the preferred 50% overlap of the underlying mortar joint.

Cheers.

Neill