insulation

[mrgweeto]

We are approaching the last 4 courses (see my album) and I have been reading about insulfrax and other blankets. Here is what we are planning on doing. We are going to slather on 1" of heat stop re.martar over the existing skim coat. We will have better than 6" of space between the walls and the dome and more on top. We are going to forgo the blanket and poor in vermiculite to about 2 inches from the top. We are then going to mix up a slightly moist port/verm batch and layer that on top. The thinking process is that it will stiffen up slightly and stiffen up the loose vermiculite below and once it is dry we will put the roof on. We are going to try and cure the oven prior to putting the roof on if we can ever get a long enough stretch of good weather. We will be tenting the dome everytime there is rain in the forcast. I don't think the oven will be any less efficient but I would like some feed back and what you think about the insulation idea?
G

[Les]

Re: insulation

I wouldn't add the portland to the vermiculite - just pour it in and call it good.

Les...

[mrgweeto]

Re: insulation

Thanks a lot Les. Think I will take your advice. It will save another step and a back or two.
G

[mrgweeto]

Re: insulation

Just dawned on me why we are going to use portland and verm on top. We are going to put a gable vent in because it gets very humid in CT and this will keep some air circulation when not in use and the port/verm layer will keep the loose stuff from flying around.

[texassourdough]

Re: insulation

I think you have the right answer. Just leave the vermiculite it loose. That will give you all sorts of flexibility if you ever need it!

Good Luck!
Jay

[mrgweeto]

Re: insulation

Thanks Jay. Will be working on it tonight. Just 4 more courses I believe. They are the most tedious as you know.
G

[Ken524]

Re: insulation

We are going to slather on 1" of heat stop re.martar over the existing skim coat.

G,

If you have the HeatStop already, you might as well use it. I would not pay for extra HeatStop to add an extra inch to the dome. My oven doesn't even have a skim coat and it stays hot for days.

If you are building the standard Pompeii, you are good to go on thermal mass. Insulation is far more important than mass at this point in the ball game (and it sounds like your insulation plan is fine).

[mrgweeto]

Re: insulation

Heat Stop is $50.00 and some of the dome could use a little more if for no other reason to give it a little more strength. Besides that's the easy part of the job. We are on our last 3-4 courses and boy does it take a lot longer. For one we are getting anxious and have to reel ourselves in so we don't do anything stupid but mainly because everything needs to be supported and yet we still need some room to work. The weather in CT is awful. Rain tonight, Tommorrow, Sun and then Mon-Thurs next week. Of course if the forcasters stay true to their game they will be wrong and we will have great weather. Can only hope. Should get to the top by the beginning of the week.
Thanks for the response,
G