Different ways to insulate brick oven

[Iannucci]

Hi guys,

I just recently got to the point of finishing the fire brick for the dome of my oven. I have been reading up on different ways to insulate the dome itself and wanted to know if there was a way around using the recommended insulation blankets. I have leftover vermiculite and was thinking to simply cap the oven in about 2" of that. Just looking to be pointed in the right direction!

Thank you

[UtahBeehiver]

You can use 8-10 vcrete but you will need a min of 4" which is abt the same as 2" of ceramic blanket., Is the oven in an enclosure? If so you could do the 2" of vcrete and fill the enclosure with dry vermiculte or perlite of full enclosure with dry v or p, blocking of areas such as corners.

[Iannucci]

UtahBeehiver! hoping you'd reply... I've been trolling through these forums for a while. Followed a lot of your advice so far.

Yes, the oven is going to be fully enclosed so I will go ahead and put a minimum layer 2" vermiculite perlite over the oven then fill the remaining area with dry vermiculite.

Just to clarify what ratio do you recommend for the vcrete? and should I begin my curing fires before or after I add the layer of vcrete?

[UtahBeehiver]

Did you do vcrete for the floor insulation and what ratio (should of been 5 to1). For the dome, as mentioned 8 to 10 to 1, hard to handle any higher than 10. Leave an access point as the vermiculite will settle and you may need to add some more. I think Davids S suggest old plastic pop bottles in the 4 corners of the enclosure to take up space where dry v is not needed, some block off with scrap sheet rock but you have to make sure it fits well or the V slips through.

[Iannucci]

I did use it to insulate my flooring. I did about a 5:1 so glad that worked out!

That is a great idea to have access to the top of the oven. I'll take that into consideration when making the top.

I will be posting a build thread in the next couple of days to show what I have done so far!


Appreciate the help