New build in Adelaide - total rookie in need of help!

[dodgygrog]

Re: New build in Adelaide - total rookie in need of help!

Sorry for huge time delay, family stuff, procrastination and confusion got in my way. Decided to bite the bullet and get on with it!

My space is an upside-down house shape. It's got odd angles and lengths all over the place. Basically the back corner (upside-down house roof if you will) is 1100mm one side, 950 on the other side, the "walls" are 1000 one side and 800 the other, and 1400 from one side to the other.

Will build right up to the edge, using glue-mortar to fix the first layer of bricks under the 'vestibule' (entrance). Planning on doing a layer of vermiculite or perlite/concrete layer the same thickness of the bricks, applying this straight to the concrete slab (which sits on the retainer wall directly - so is thermal mass central if the perlite/vermiculite doesn't do its job).

After that will hunt for bricks/pavers to do the base and then the dome, but haven't settled on that yet, leaning towards firebrick paver base and 'pressed red' brick dome. Does this sound like a decent plan?

I know lots of people put an insulating board inbetween the perlite & concrete slab, how necessary is this? (hoping you'll say "not very").

[cobblerdave]

Re: New build in Adelaide - total rookie in need of help!

G'day
950mm will still give you room for a 700 mm oven if the entrance doesn't face that way you could go to 750 mm.
With insulation an except able level is 100mm of pearlite and cement (6 to 1) on the base or 50mm of insulation board. On the dome again 100mm of pearlite and cement (8 to 1) or 50 mm of ceramic blanket is the standard. Off course if you add more its a bonus rather than a have to .
A firebrick hearth for durability is well worth the extra bucks . A brick common dome will work though as there many ovens that use them.
Again like your first answers don't forget your waterproof layers, its double important that you put them in
Regards dave

[dodgygrog]

Re: New build in Adelaide - total rookie in need of help!

Cheers Cobb,

Waterproof layers? (as in plural?)

I'd presumed there was only one waterproof layer, the final render on top of the perlite/concrete insulation layer.

Also, how much perlite/vermiculite do you need for a base & top coat? I see it comes in 20 litre bags, how many bags would I need do you think?

Thanks heaps for your advice, will post up photos as soon as progress is made.

[cobblerdave]

Re: New build in Adelaide - total rookie in need of help!

G'day
Yes that's waterproofing layers plural . One underneath the concrete slab and one on top of that, underneath the insulation. Your building on ground , there is no margin of error, no stand.
As for the pearlite, forget the 20 litre bags you have to find the 100 litre ones. They should cost you $30 to $40 a bag. Check out agricultural suppliers, farmers Co-Op stores and hydroponic suppliers.
1 ltre should produce 100mm2 but add water and cement and the volume decreases as the particles slip together. Add 20 per cent to be safe.
Regards dave

[kstronach]

Re: New build in Adelaide - total rookie in need of help!

dont worry too much about how close to the fence you are, as a properly insulated oven there will be little to no heat out the outside of the igloo, unless its different in your warmer climate than to here in the uk! although you will need to leave enough room to be able work around the oven for applying the stucco or you'll find it a right pain!

keith

[david s]

Re: New build in Adelaide - total rookie in need of help!

I'm currently working on an oven that is tucked into a corner. That is twice as difficult to get the render/stucco down to the base. My solution here is to fill the back corner with vermicrete about 200 mm high and allow the oven to merge with the wall. Doing it this way prevents water and leaves from building up behind the oven. Forget this method if the fence is timber. Sorry the pic from my iPhone will not load onto this post, but it does work and looks pretty cool too.

[cobblerdave]

Re: New build in Adelaide - total rookie in need of help!

G'day
Davids, there's a rough way to reduce the size of a pic. Attach it to a text message and send it to youself, save it back into your albums and it will be of a size to post.
Maybe you could line the fence with compressed cement sheet and then do the V-Crete to that?
Regards dave

[nissanneill]

Re: New build in Adelaide - total rookie in need of help!

dodgygrog,
I built my Pompeii in a corner over a reinforced brick retaining wall and it is documented in my build notes and pics.
I would definitely not build it on timber sleepers as they will deteriorate over time, replace them with concrete or simply drill 8" (200mm) piers down behind them, put in some reinforcing rods and fill with concrete. Remember to follow the FB plans and thoroughly insulate, you will not regret the effort nor expense!

Cheers.

Neill

[n8huntsman]

Re: New build in Adelaide - total rookie in need of help!

Here is a pic of the stand that I ended up building in my corner.

[david s]

Re: New build in Adelaide - total rookie in need of help!

Most local councils in our country want anything kept at least 1.5 m away from any boundary fence. If a dispute with a neighbour ensues they may bring up this infringement in support of an argument for resiting or removal. You should check your local council regulations before proceeding.

[Greenman]

Re: New build in Adelaide - total rookie in need of help!

Those radius blocks (if that is what they are called) make for a very tidy base, particularly in a confined space. I would use them if I went again.

Looking good but I support what david s suggests regarding the local council. The regulations can bite hard if they come against you.

[cobblerdave]

Re: New build in Adelaide - total rookie in need of help!

G'day
Restrictions are restrictions, you can still apply for an easement of any restrictions . Then you have the piece of paper in the future .
Houses can be built to 1 mtre of the boundry of a block with a fire rated wall. Depends on the council.
Doesn't cost to ask. And most councils are quite easy to deal with. Basically if you adding value to you residence your adding value to the rates they can charge you.
If your on a smaller block why not ask for an easement to a ruling for a larger block?
Regards dave

[david s]

Re: New build in Adelaide - total rookie in need of help!

I'm currently working on an oven that is tucked into a corner. That is twice as difficult to get the render/stucco down to the base. My solution here is to fill the back corner with vermicrete about 200 mm high and allow the oven to merge with the wall. Doing it this way prevents water and leaves from building up behind the oven. Forget this method if the fence is timber. Sorry the pic from my iPhone will not load onto this post, but it does work and looks pretty cool too.

Following the success of my corner build oven, which I've had to suspend work on because of rain, I decided to retrofit my own oven which I built hard up against a wall. Here are some pics which explain it. I will render over it, integrating the form to join oven with wall seamlessly.

[dodgygrog]

Re: New build in Adelaide - total rookie in need of help!

Hi guys, as always, I appreciate your input. There's been a huge delay, but hopefully I'm back in the game now. Will finish up my formwork for my base (Vermiculite/Concrete) tomorrow, ready to be poured I think this weekend coming. This layer is planned to be 8cm deep, hope that's deep enough? This will sit on the concrete base I've already poured, again about 8cm deep, with a black plastic sheet between the two.

After that I'm not sure if you lay a loose layer of sand, vermiculite or something else before laying the firebrick base? I'm not any sort of a concreter (read as: I've never done it before), so I don't really trust that my hard vermiculite/concrete layer will be flat enough to pave straight over.

I'll be pretty close to the wall, David S, but not as close as you, I'll have about a 10cm gap. I haven't checked with the council, will rely on the goodwill I have with my current neighbour at this stage and cross my fingers.

[cobblerdave]

Re: New build in Adelaide - total rookie in need of help!

G'day
Great to hear your progressing forward.
8 cm will do but if you could squeeze in 2 more cms that would be better.
Your right about the pearlite/cement mix, no one can get that smooth, the Brits call it the "Devils poridge". A mix of 50/50 sand fireclay will give you a smooth surface. Most folk use it dry it seems. Remember when laying the floor brick to touch the bricks together then drop into position. Prevents the sand building up between the bricks.
Regards dave