Brick Oven Build (Pic heavy)

[jonumberone]

I'm currently attempting to build a brick oven in my yard.
Currently 5 weeks in, and would say I'm 75% done with the project.
There's a lot of waiting for things to dry and cure in between steps, and the crazy heat has slowed me down too.
I'm halfway through the oven construction, which I'm hoping to finish this coming weekend, then I'll need to insulate and render the dome, and finish the stand.
Before this project, I never mixed a bag of cement, mortared a block, or laid a brick in my life, and I thought cinder blocks were for smashing storefront windows.
That said, I'm pretty satisfied with how things are coming along.

Here's some photos of the process:

Blank slate


I had to pour a foundation slab. After talking with some people that know what they're doing I poured a 6 inch slab on 6 inches of crushed and compacted stone. Reinforced the slab with 3/8 inch rebar on 6 inch centers.





After the slab cured for a week, I mortared and laid the block.





Once the mortar dried, the cores of the block needed to be filled with cement.
I ran 1/2 inch rebar through every other core to tie in to the suspended slab.



Next I had to form up and pour the suspended slab.



Added a second grid of 3/8 rebar to reinforce the slab.



Finished product



After another week of curing, and roughly 4 weeks total I was finally able to start the oven.

Started with 2 inch calcium silicate board to insulate the floor, then formed up and poured a 1 inch refractory castable base.





Next I mortared and laid the floor tiles.



And then, finally started work on the dome!







I haven't gotten much done since I took these pictures Sunday morning
Took Sunday to point the mortar joints, and scrub the brickwork clean, and this morning I laid the first of 2 arches across the opening of the oven.