Hamilton/Niagara

[SuzukiSapper]

I have covered my oven with ceramic blanket and secured it with wire mesh.

Can somebody tell me a brand name of insulating/refractory cement that I can use to cover the insulation. Also, I want to have that dome shape as myy finished product so what can I use to weatherproof the oven?

In the Hamilton / Niagara area. Many thanks.

[SableSprings]

Re: Hamilton/Niagara

Nice looking door & oven! Curious about the lack of chimney...is this going to be installed with a separate firebox?

With 2"-3" of ceramic insulation, you shouldn't need additional insulation or refractory material over your wrapped/secured ceramic blanket. The main tasks remaining are just to cover and keep the blanket & oven dry while maintaining your WFO's good looks.

We used a commercial stucco base material over the mesh of an assembled Casa2G90, scored/roughened it, and after it dried we applied the final stucco coat with pigment added (pictures below). Our understanding from the sales people was that the base mix was intended to be a water resistant layer under the final stucco coating ( I'm not sure anything ultimately can be waterproof without maintenance...and water will always find a way in without a good roof ). The build was in Canada and although I know the dry sacks of stucco base & top coat were purchased at a store in B.C. (Kamloops or Vancouver), I don't remember the brand name. Check with either a Home Depot, Lowes, or a "cement related" business (selling concrete, stone, & brick installation products for contractors). The WFO pictured is used during the dry late spring & summer there and then covered with a tarp during the winter snow season to reduce water getting into the structure.

[SuzukiSapper]

Re: Hamilton/Niagara

Thanks for the reply. It is a Portuguese oven and the door is left slightly ajar while the fire is burning and the natural convection exhausts the smoke thru the top of the door. Once the oven is up to temp you can close the door and cook for hours. Part of the reason I want to cover the FB with insulating cement or refractory cement is to help retain the cooking heat longer. Thanks for the Stucco info.

I have seen "Acrylic Stucco" which is supposed to seal the exterior just not sure about when to apply as I want to make certain all the moisture is cured out of the oven first.

[SableSprings]

Re: Hamilton/Niagara

Part of the reason I want to cover the FB with insulating cement or refractory cement is to help retain the cooking heat longer. Thanks for the Stucco info.

I have seen "Acrylic Stucco" which is supposed to seal the exterior just not sure about when to apply as I want to make certain all the moisture is cured out of the oven first.

When your oven has 2"-3" (50-75mm) of ceramic board underneath the hearth bricks and 50-75mm of ceramic blanket wrapped around the dome, it's going to retain cooking heat for several days. We all say that the one thing you don't want to short your oven on is the insulation...that said, what you've got is pretty good! I don't know the refractory thickness of your interior oven walls, but I bet once the oven's heat saturated, it's going to stay hot a lot longer than you think.

RE: moisture & oven curing, some folks have put in a small vent in the outside stucco coating to let any retained moisture escape and left it there to allow for any future moisture to escape. The vent can be simple as a small piece of metal tubing with a cap or one angled slightly down to allow moisture to escape (and not drip in...).

Check out the sticky (link below) on oven curing...after the curing fires, most moisture has left your oven and insulation and the insulation blanket can be covered with stucco.

Firing Your Oven - Forno Bravo Forum: The Wood-Fired Oven Community

[SuzukiSapper]

Re: Hamilton/Niagara

Found my materials at Alphatherm Inc. in Markham, Ont they carry all things Refractory! They even stock a DIY Pizza Oven Kit. Speak to Elvis, he has not left the building! Very knowledgable regarding the products.

Anyway I built a steel frame table/stand and then formed it, placed 2" of refractory board insulation set my oven on it then pour a 4" concrete apron around it up to the slab oven base. I now had a substantial ledge from which to build up my refractory cement ---> Matrilite, pricey but awesome stuff very light weight, bonds well and has excellent insulative values. I thought it prudent at this point to "Cure" the inner refractory with 3 days of continuous small low fires for about 6 hours per day. I covered the chicken wire / insulation with Matrilite approx 1" thick. Let it dry for 2 days then applied a second layer approx 1" thick. Second coat wasn't adhering as well, used a spritzer bottle and lightly sprayed the first coat with a fine mist of water and BINGO! it went on really nice! Once this last layer is dry I have a pail of Acrylic Stucco mixed Sun Dried Tomato Red, and once that is dry and cured I have an excellent quality latex exterior paint in Poppy Red just to add one more level of defines versus moisture. Then on Kijiji I found a 10' x 10' Timber frame canopy to house what is now becoming my Outdoor Kitchen, WFO, BBQ, Rotisserie over 4' modified Santa Maria Grill.

[SuzukiSapper]

Re: Hamilton/Niagara

Couple more photos of Timber Frame and Santa Maria grill

[SuzukiSapper]

Re: Hamilton/Niagara

Stucco applied, waiting for it to dry! Now as I understand it because my oven has no Chimney I must leave the door ajar during firing for draft air / smoke evacuation???? Right??

[Greenman]

Re: Hamilton/Niagara

Stucco applied, waiting for it to dry! Now as I understand it because my oven has no Chimney I must leave the door ajar during firing for draft air / smoke evacuation???? Right??

Right, you need to allow air to enter at the bottom and the smoke to exit at the top of the door arch. Best done without a door in my opinion.

You are certainly moving along at pace.

[SuzukiSapper]

Re: Hamilton/Niagara

Thanks for the reply, I checked out your build photos, WOW! Please excuse me as I am brand new to all of this. You said not to use the door, I assume you mean while building and burning the heating fire? The door would be necessary during cooking, correct??

Also, my door is not insulated, it is approx 1/8 " thick steel and is divided so you can open/close the top and or bottom. There are 2 ports in the door for Rotisserie rods as well. I was thinking of cutting a draft slot at the bottom of the door.

Any thoughts or advice would be greatly appreciated.

[Greenman]

Re: Hamilton/Niagara

If you are cooking in the oven with a live fire then you don't need the door in place. While you have an active fire in the oven you need to let it breathe, air in, smoke out. Usually this is done by way of the flue between the inner and outer arches. With that arrangement you can have an insulated door ajar at the outer arch that allows some air in while the smoke exits via the flue and it also allows a 'blast door' to be used that allows a greater volume of air to enter at the bottom to feed the fire even more.

Without the flue you would be best maintaining a fire for cooking things that require high heat (pizza and the like) and leaving the door off. If you are roasting meats etc you could maintain a smaller fire and cook with the door off too. If you are roasting or baking in a preheated oven with the fire removed then you need to have a sealing door in place to retain the heat.

I am no expert about cooking in an oven without a flue and I am sure that there are folk on the forum that are that may be able to elaborate on this but that is the way I see things.

Hope it helps some.

[SuzukiSapper]

Re: Hamilton/Niagara

First weekend of firing the WFO. Easily reached 850 degrees and held temp at 300 degrees at 1pm the next day (13 hours) Added 2" of refractory board to the thin Metal door should maintain higher temps for longer durations! See pizza photos below! Belissimo!!

[theDarbster]

Re: Hamilton/Niagara

I realize that it's a bit late too answer your original question, but for future reference ANH Refractories in Smithville supply everything refractory. If there is any problem buying direct, you can buy through Stellar Canada Inc in Burlington. A little closer than Markham.

All the best

[twade]

Best price for fire bricks was Niagara Block on Montrose in Niagara Falls. The best price for insulation was ANH Refactories in Smithville. Others have also suggested Vesuvius in Welland but I found their quotes very high and in US dollars (current exchange is about 1.33 - Ouch!).