sand under firebricks?

[emsoven]

Re: sand under firebricks?

i used a layer of sand over my vermiculite floor cheep and works fine my floor is as flat as as my drive way there is no real need to use clay

[Poetryart]

Re: sand under firebricks?

I'm installing the soldier course first thing in the morning, question: do I put it ON TOP of the hearth, or outside of it? In reading the various posts, I'm really confused, do I worry about expansion of the hearth floor cracking my dome, or, if it sits on top, will everything move independently? I borrowed a wet saw and am ready to go. Please help! Thanks!

[cobblerdave]

Re: sand under firebricks?

Gudday
Don't be.... you can do it either way and yu'll still get the slip between the dome and hearth. When I did mine the thinking was the first course sat at the side of the hearth so you were able the change hearthbricks if needed. Guess what no one seems to need to change hearthbricks so current practice is the dome sits on the hearth. Makes for less cutting of the hearth brick so thats good

Regards Dave

[Poetryart]

Re: sand under firebricks?

Excellent! I'll get to work.
Next question: What happens if, after the dome is in, we surround the outside of the dome hearth with concrete to make the concrete under the hearth level with the dome floor? We haven't removed the wood form from pouring the hearth yet and could easily add to it. This would make everything nice and neat and easier for the decorative stone application. We're planning to stucco the dome after the fb blanket. There's a layer of concrete between the fb blanket and the stucco, too? Right? Hope this makes sense. :

[Poetryart]

Re: sand under firebricks?

Oh, one more thing, tell me if this is a dumb idea... I want to make a unique flue, but it won't be ready for a few months. Can I put a simple metal flue in and then just build the new one to slip around it? I'm a sculptor and can't do anything the ordinary way.... Wouldn't it be fun to make it a dragon blowing smoke or a gargoyle.? Or a woman's head and the smoke comes out her ears? Ha ha. I'd make out of terra cotta and glaze and fire it. Any suggestions on what it could be?

[mrchipster]

Re: sand under firebricks?

Oh, one more thing, tell me if this is a dumb idea... I want to make a unique flue, but it won't be ready for a few months. Can I put a simple metal flue in and then just build the new one to slip around it? I'm a sculptor and can't do anything the ordinary way.... Wouldn't it be fun to make it a dragon blowing smoke or a gargoyle.? Or a woman's head and the smoke comes out her ears? Ha ha. I'd make out of terra cotta and glaze and fire it. Any suggestions on what it could be?

Sounds like a great idea.

As long as the inner flue is stainless this should not be a problem. I would not have the inner flue contact the outer decorative flue unless the inner is double wall. The stainless might expand and crack your outer decorative flue. If you did want to have some contact for positioning and stability I would have 3 contact points going in from the decorative so the stainless could flex but not exert undue pressure.

I like the dragon, or some other serpent like creature trying to escape the oven. The ears would have to be quite large to deal with the volume of smoke.

Chip

[mrchipster]

Re: sand under firebricks?

Excellent! I'll get to work.
Next question: What happens if, after the dome is in, we surround the outside of the dome hearth with concrete to make the concrete under the hearth level with the dome floor?

If you are doing an Igloo style you might be creating a swimming pool for water to pond in thus wetting your insulation, and making it hard to dry out after each rain.

If you are building a House over the oven it is not a problem. but you will need to have the entry slope away from the oven so water does not get into the insulation layer, You will need to do this with either style enclosure.

Chip

[Poetryart]

Re: sand under firebricks?

Makes sense, thanks! Hadn't thought of having something " crawling" out of the oven, that could be a hoot! Thanks for the inspiration.

[mrchipster]

Re: sand under firebricks?

Makes sense, thanks! Hadn't thought of having something " crawling" out of the oven, that could be a hoot! Thanks for the inspiration.

You must post a photo when you decide, I need to see this...

Again Great idea.

Chip

[cobblerdave]

Re: sand under firebricks?

Gudday
Slope away from the oven sounds like good sense to me. Do your final top to the slab after you have finished the insulation and stucco on the dome.
You had better post some photo on that chimney that does sound great!
Perhaps a piece of ceramic insulation around a lenght of stainless pipe will provide the expandtion you'll need. Its simple and you'll have the ceramic blanket, it wouldn't need to be a fullpiece off cuts would do
Regards Dave

[david s]

Re: sand under firebricks?

Excellent! I'll get to work.
Next question: What happens if, after the dome is in, we surround the outside of the dome hearth with concrete to make the concrete under the hearth level with the dome floor? We haven't removed the wood form from pouring the hearth yet and could easily add to it. This would make everything nice and neat and easier for the decorative stone application. We're planning to stucco the dome after the fb blanket. There's a layer of concrete between the fb blanket and the stucco, too? Right? Hope this makes sense. :

You can do this, but you should insulate between the edges of your floor and the concrete you pour up to it. While you are about it ,slope the concrete away from the dome slightly to discourage water penetrating under the dome.

[Poetryart]

Re: sand under firebricks?

I'm glad you all like the flue idea! It's going to be fun! Yes, the slope for the concrete is exactly what I was thinking, and in that order. Thanks for the advice! Unfortunately, I didn't get to start on the dome today, as I had bought the wrong saw blade, so I worked on a big sculpture instead. What would happen if I purchase a diamond blade for my chop saw and/ or the miter saw instead of using the wet saw my friend loaned me? The problem with their saw is that I have no manual for it and am afraid of breaking it when I change out the blade, etc. And it's only a 7 inch blade, which means I'll have to rotate bricks to cut all the way thru. My husband is concerned about the dust from a dry saw, but... We have respirators with filters so I'm really not too worried. He'd appreciate some reassurance and I guess I need confirmation that i'm not risking my health on this. I also have an angle grinder. What would you recommend? Thanks! -Shelley
Okay, so a creature crawling out of the dome, what other ideas do y'all have? Could be anything, I normally do portraits and catholic church sculptures...something smoke related...
Cobblerdave, do you really make shoes? How cool is that! serious dream of mine!! Not to mention how much I could save if I didn't give all my extra cash to shoe collecting...sorry, ....girl thing...

[david s]

Re: sand under firebricks?

You can rig up a system to dribble water onto the blade with a tap, tank and tube. It works, others have done it.

[cobblerdave]

Re: sand under firebricks?

Gudday Poetryart
You don't have to explain the girl thing about shoes.. I run a repair shop so I spend my days talking to girls about there 2 favourite things ...shoes and handbags. Recon its the best job in the world. Get to go to parties with accountants and computer jocks next min I'm being asked questions about shoes by all these ladies...drives my wife nuts!
Yes I do make shoes I'm a bespoke maker so one offs only and I only make the ones I like for my favourite girl ...my wife.
My hands damaged at the moment so it will be a few months but the latest is a pr of electic blue converse, kitten heel and tin sheriff stars in place of converse patches...might be silver piping. Anyway paterns drafted so we'll just have o see how it goes.
Anyway like davids said best to have a wet saw as dry there is a lot of dust. Good you use a respirator not those silly masks.I did my oven with angle grinder and brick buslter and yes its do.able , you will not see the cuts anyway only the faces.

Regards Dave

[Poetryart]

Re: sand under firebricks?

Sorry about your hand, Dave, makes me a little more cautious for sure! Also, am really curious to see those shoes..!
So, I figured out the wet saw thing, cut a handful of bricks and now have a question for ya'll. When I laid the bricks out, there were a few places where the fb board was a little shy of the edge of the soldier course. To help balance them out, would it be a problem if I put a fire brick under the edge of the cooking floor to fill out the gap? This means that potentially there would be no insulation for about two or three inches in probably four different areas. I'm putting the soldiers on top of the cooking floor. Would the heat migrate down to the concrete base layer? I even took photos,but lol, no memory stick in the camera...sigh. I'll post photos tomorrow. I am doing a 36" oven, and really don't want to waste space by bringing in the diameter if I can help it. Thanks!