This series has to be the de-facto on building a brick oven. The gentleman gave soooooo many hints, tips and techniques. He and his company deserve success and it was fantastic to watch. Yes, my wife has been nagging me and as we live in Taiwan and I am working out is it better to buy the kit + shipping cost or get everything myself here. In Taiwan, winter time would be better to build as in the summer it's normal for 35C temps outside so dealing with cement and curing times would be panic time not to mention the amount of factor 50 sunscreen I'd need. Awesome videos.
Ben, you clearly and effectively communicated so many important tips in these videos. I did take advantage of flashing my oven to keep out moisture and tiling before rendering. I could list a lot of other things I learned. I did not know about you when I purchased my kit in the us. I wish you the best of success!!! I’m at the state of first firing with my oven and I have greatly enjoyed the journey. A new phase is about to begin. My heartfelt thanks to you and the team.
I wish I can follow tutorials like yours all the time!!!!!! I can see how you're passionate, kind and very understandable about everything you share about your "magic"!!!! I watched all your videos about pizza ovens, they are gold!!!!! Thank you so much!!!!! I'm building one soon, you're definitely my encyclopaedia that I'll checking up for any questions or doubts!!!!! Thank you so much!!!! Very very well done!!!!!!!!!
And as a small thank you (when my wife’s not looking) I’m going to buy one of those andirons. 😊 can’t find them anywhere so might as well order from you guys.
Thanks so much. I built mine following your advise & expertise throughout all the process. Only difference I used ceramic blanket ( 2 layers if 1” each) instead of Perlite. The refractory layer of cement “seemed” to me too thin (I used a full 20kg pouch for the dome) so, I ended up putting a couple of layers of cement . I don’t for-see any trouble with the heat and the outer layers of cement. Am ready to start curing it this week... From the Land of the Maple Leave. Montreal, Canada.
Good job! I'm a little confused though - we use 2 layers of ceramic fibre blanket, THEN we follow up with the Perlite. You'll want that oputer shell to be quite thick just in case someone climbs on the dome!
Thanks a lot for making this great video… I was just wondering… in a very humid climate couldn’t this render prevent moisture that unavoidably gets absorbed from the inside from escaping? Thank you
Good question! It hasn't been a problem for us so far - water built up inside the oven will tend to find another way out as steam. Humidity doesn't really create much moisture in your brickwork, it's more rain falling on the exposed oven floor that leads to water building up in the oven.
Mine will be out in the open. Temps range from 20 F to 105 F here with monsoon rains in summer, humidity is quite low also (central Arizona). Should I cover it with a tarp when not in use or when we are gone for prolonged periods?
Hello there thanks for the video, question I have a 1800 brick oven. I covered the bricks inside the oven with clay because it was little peaces of clay falling from the dome inside. Can I paint the oven inside with water base paint.
We definitely wouldn't recommend you do that sorry - you would be best off pulling it apart and starting again, I'm not aware of any material that will solve that issue for you unfortunately.
Is it okay to use the acrylic roll on render here in Canada where it can get down to -40c and heavy snow and of course summer rains? Is the acrylic render then sold here as stucco or is it an acrylic paint? Love all your videos😊🥂👍
You can use the roll-on render, but unfortuantely in your environment you will need to build the oven such that it's is completely protected from the weather at all times; ie. under a roof, or built onto a structure. Check out the article we've put goether on this question: www.thefirebrickco.com/blog/2022/08/06/protecting-your-oven-from-the-weather/
I would definitely do that, then you have a nice waterproof membrane down before the tiles go on - similar to the flexible 'tanking' coating that is put onto batroom walls and floors before tiling them
Hi have moved house recently. It got outside oven. But it’s completely wet . I think the water comes through the chimney when it was raining . Is there anything I could do. Please kindly help. Thanks
Great question - this is something that we want to do a whole new video about! There are a few things you can do straight away. First thing is to go through the full Curing Fires process (th-cam.com/video/5cb3aAkU5R8/w-d-xo.html) to get the oven fully dry again. The next step is to keep it that way, and there are a few things you could do around that. If rain is coming in through the flue you could try removing the flue and storing it elsewhere, and just putting the chimney cowling on the flue 'stub'. You could also put a cover over the oven when you're not using it, or build a structure over the oven to keep rain from landing on it. It's a frustrating thing about Wood Fired Ovens - they're all built with materials that are porous, so they soak up water very readily. If you use the oven every couple of weeks then it won't get a chance to get waterlogged, but if it sits for a month or two in the rain it can end up holding a lot of water, which in a warm climate is just frustrating, but in a really cold climate can result in significant damage to the oven when that water freezes.
Hey Ben, thank you for your great series. I enjoyed every minute of it and it helped me a lot with building my first oven. I am still in the curing process and already noticed some small hairline cracks on the arch and the dome. Thanks to your other video it seems that these cracks are normal and there is nothing to worry about. But I have a question about covering these cracks to keep the oven waterproof. Can I just use the roll on render to fix the cracks or do I need to secure them with anything else in advance? Thanks for your help and keep up the great work.. Greets, Kai
Hi Kari! You are spot on, these cracks aren't something that should worry you at all, they're just part of owning a Wood Fired Oven. Go for it with the roll-on render - this is exactly why we use it, because it will seal and bridge those cracks that you're seeing there. Providing the crack is less than 1.5mm across I would advise you to use the roll-on straight over it.
@@TheFireBrickCo Hey Ben, that sounds great! Thank you for your fast response. I already bought the render and will use it on the oven after a few full firings. There is another thing that happend during the fifth curing fire yesterday. After the 3 hour curing process I saw water dripping from a small hairline crack in the front of the concrete stand. Is this dripping a normal sign? Thanks and best regards, Kai
Hi Ben Thanks for all the info. Is the roll on render you’re using a fine top coat? Is that why you mention that it still isn’t water proof? Would you think that regular exterior paint would work to seal it? Thanks again
Hi! The roll-on render is a final coat, it's effectively an elastomeric membrane coating. The roll-on coating is waterproof in that water won't penetrate through it, so water won't pass through that layer and get into the dome. That said, there are plenty of other places that water can get into the oven, such as right through the oven mouth. This is why we stress that if you're in a cold climate that experiences full freezing conditions that you can't rely on this coating to keep the oven dry, and that a cover or structure over the oven is needed to keep it dry at all times.
Hi Ben I have used your acrylic render on my oven. Now I have some outside dome cracks, not all the way in. How do you repair these, grind out or apply another acrylic coat? Crack about 2mm, enough to see the gray colour inside
Hi Washington! Send us an email to sales@melbournefirebricks.com.au and we will be happy to help! Another nice thick coat of roll-on render will fill those cracks in and bridge them for future movement.
Hi, I want to put a layer of standard render to smooth out the surface before applying the white roll on render - Do I need to do any smaller curing fires for this thin layer of standard render? (I’ve finished the 6 curing fires for the oven as I couldn’t wait to get cooking!) Side note - your kits and these videos are amazing, thoroughly enjoyed the process of building the oven and so so pleased with the end result👍🏼
Hi Tom! You wouldn't have to do more firings, but you would need to allow that layer to set fully and dry out prior to applying the roll-on membrane. Another way of smoothing the perlite render is to get some coarse sandpaper and sand the surface back, you'll be surprised how smooth you can get it that way!
@@TheFireBrickCo What grit sandpaper would you recommend starting and finishing with? Thanks for the videos too Ben (and team)! They've been absolutely fantastic and central to the rebuild I'm doing at the moment!
have you ever had very small hairline cracks when you do the stucco. ? how should I fix. was thinking a skim coat over the whole oven to smooth it all out.
Definitely - we always get some small cracks in the perlite render after all the curing fires are done. The roll-on render fills the cracks in really well, so I don't normally bother with a skim coat, however it wouldn't hurt. Just make sure the skim coat is full dried before you apply the roll-on render.
Love all your videos. Can I have just made an outdoor oven. Is it a problem if it rains on my oven after I have cured it and it’s yet to be sealed? Do I need to start the process again as I’m sure rain would of soaked through the finished render
Hi Darren, if you get rain on the render before it's sealed then yes, it will soak in and need to be fired up again to remove the moisture. You don't have to start again from day 1, but you would need to make sure you have it completely dry as our roll-on render is water based and is highly susceptible to water in the render that it's being applied to!
Do people seal the exposed front fire bricks with stone sealer so the soot can be cleaned off easily and water won’t soak in? Or do they need to be unsurfaced?
Thank you for the great Video! Tried to check but seems couldn’t find such roller on render from Bunnings web. Can you please share the render product link? Thank you!
Acrylic will seal it but as Ben says you have to make sure the moisture is purged from the oven first. The oven doesn’t “need” moisture, it’s just there from the build/weather if not sealed... Ben correct me if I’m wrong here!
@@TheFireBrickCo ok thanks for that, I’m planning on tiling the dome after curing process is complete and was thinking of sealing with bondcrete before that. Is it really necessary to add a roll on render before that
@@TheFireBrickCo I'm guessing the question was "if I build this in the summer, can I still use it during the cold winter months"? I'm also curious, is there special precautions when heating the oven from let's say -10°C? Love the videos by the way, you guys are awesome!
any reference of acrylic render ready-to-apply anyone recommend? something you can buy at Bunnings, Delux, Resene, etc... i looked at Sika Blackseal product, would that work too?
I haven't seen the Sika product (but now I will have to go and check it out!) - Bunnings sell a product called Dulux Render Refresh that would be perfect
HA! I sure do - I think I want to make sure I have answered as many questions in the videos as possible, so I go into a lot of detail. Feel free to mute me 😂
This series has to be the de-facto on building a brick oven.
The gentleman gave soooooo many hints, tips and techniques.
He and his company deserve success and it was fantastic to watch.
Yes, my wife has been nagging me and as we live in Taiwan and I am working out is it better to buy the kit + shipping cost or get everything myself here.
In Taiwan, winter time would be better to build as in the summer it's normal for 35C temps outside so dealing with cement and curing times would be panic time not to mention the amount of factor 50 sunscreen I'd need.
Awesome videos.
Aw shucks, thanks Ian!
Ben, you clearly and effectively communicated so many important tips in these videos. I did take advantage of flashing my oven to keep out moisture and tiling before rendering. I could list a lot of other things I learned. I did not know about you when I purchased my kit in the us. I wish you the best of success!!! I’m at the state of first firing with my oven and I have greatly enjoyed the journey. A new phase is about to begin. My heartfelt thanks to you and the team.
That is my pleasure! Glad you've enjoyed the videos!
I wish I can follow tutorials like yours all the time!!!!!! I can see how you're passionate, kind and very understandable about everything you share about your "magic"!!!! I watched all your videos about pizza ovens, they are gold!!!!! Thank you so much!!!!! I'm building one soon, you're definitely my encyclopaedia that I'll checking up for any questions or doubts!!!!! Thank you so much!!!! Very very well done!!!!!!!!!
You are most welcome, thankyou for the encouragement!
Mate I didn’t buy one of your ovens but have followed your general advice and up to this step.
Really appreciate your work.
And as a small thank you (when my wife’s not looking) I’m going to buy one of those andirons. 😊 can’t find them anywhere so might as well order from you guys.
When it is time to buy my oven, I will definitely use your company due to these excellent videos
Awesome! Thank you!
@@TheFireBrickCo just not sure about the size....is the precast big enough for say a whole lamb?
Here here
excellent work , these tutorials very informative , thanks for sharing , best wishes to be the best company in building ovens .
Thank you!!
Thanks so much. I built mine following your advise & expertise throughout all the process.
Only difference I used ceramic blanket ( 2 layers if 1” each) instead of Perlite. The refractory layer of cement “seemed” to me too thin (I used a full 20kg pouch for the dome) so, I ended up putting a couple of layers of cement . I don’t for-see any trouble with the heat and the outer layers of cement.
Am ready to start curing it this week...
From the Land of the Maple Leave. Montreal, Canada.
Good job! I'm a little confused though - we use 2 layers of ceramic fibre blanket, THEN we follow up with the Perlite. You'll want that oputer shell to be quite thick just in case someone climbs on the dome!
Great series! Ready to do this!
Awesome!!
Thanks a lot for making this great video… I was just wondering… in a very humid climate couldn’t this render prevent moisture that unavoidably gets absorbed from the inside from escaping?
Thank you
Good question! It hasn't been a problem for us so far - water built up inside the oven will tend to find another way out as steam. Humidity doesn't really create much moisture in your brickwork, it's more rain falling on the exposed oven floor that leads to water building up in the oven.
Mine will be out in the open. Temps range from 20 F to 105 F here with monsoon rains in summer, humidity is quite low also (central Arizona). Should I cover it with a tarp when not in use or when we are gone for prolonged periods?
Hi Robert! Some great questions - give us a call on 562 512 0214 and we will be happy to go through that with you.
Great video, Do you have to bag render, or can i just use the acrylic paint render straight over the perlite
I usually go straight over the perlite, I like the texture!
Hello there thanks for the video, question I have a 1800 brick oven. I covered the bricks inside the oven with clay because it was little peaces of clay falling from the dome inside. Can I paint the oven inside with water base paint.
We definitely wouldn't recommend you do that sorry - you would be best off pulling it apart and starting again, I'm not aware of any material that will solve that issue for you unfortunately.
Is it okay to use the acrylic roll on render here in Canada where it can get down to -40c and heavy snow and of course summer rains? Is the acrylic render then sold here as stucco or is it an acrylic paint? Love all your videos😊🥂👍
You can use the roll-on render, but unfortuantely in your environment you will need to build the oven such that it's is completely protected from the weather at all times; ie. under a roof, or built onto a structure. Check out the article we've put goether on this question: www.thefirebrickco.com/blog/2022/08/06/protecting-your-oven-from-the-weather/
If you were to tile the dome, would it still make sense to do this acrylic step before tiling?
I would definitely do that, then you have a nice waterproof membrane down before the tiles go on - similar to the flexible 'tanking' coating that is put onto batroom walls and floors before tiling them
Hi have moved house recently. It got outside oven. But it’s completely wet . I think the water comes through the chimney when it was raining . Is there anything I could do. Please kindly help. Thanks
Great question - this is something that we want to do a whole new video about! There are a few things you can do straight away. First thing is to go through the full Curing Fires process (th-cam.com/video/5cb3aAkU5R8/w-d-xo.html) to get the oven fully dry again. The next step is to keep it that way, and there are a few things you could do around that. If rain is coming in through the flue you could try removing the flue and storing it elsewhere, and just putting the chimney cowling on the flue 'stub'. You could also put a cover over the oven when you're not using it, or build a structure over the oven to keep rain from landing on it.
It's a frustrating thing about Wood Fired Ovens - they're all built with materials that are porous, so they soak up water very readily. If you use the oven every couple of weeks then it won't get a chance to get waterlogged, but if it sits for a month or two in the rain it can end up holding a lot of water, which in a warm climate is just frustrating, but in a really cold climate can result in significant damage to the oven when that water freezes.
Hey Ben, thank you for your great series. I enjoyed every minute of it and it helped me a lot with building my first oven. I am still in the curing process and already noticed some small hairline cracks on the arch and the dome. Thanks to your other video it seems that these cracks are normal and there is nothing to worry about. But I have a question about covering these cracks to keep the oven waterproof. Can I just use the roll on render to fix the cracks or do I need to secure them with anything else in advance? Thanks for your help and keep up the great work..
Greets, Kai
Hi Kari! You are spot on, these cracks aren't something that should worry you at all, they're just part of owning a Wood Fired Oven. Go for it with the roll-on render - this is exactly why we use it, because it will seal and bridge those cracks that you're seeing there. Providing the crack is less than 1.5mm across I would advise you to use the roll-on straight over it.
@@TheFireBrickCo Hey Ben, that sounds great! Thank you for your fast response. I already bought the render and will use it on the oven after a few full firings.
There is another thing that happend during the fifth curing fire yesterday. After the 3 hour curing process I saw water dripping from a small hairline crack in the front of the concrete stand. Is this dripping a normal sign?
Thanks and best regards,
Kai
Excelente travajo 👌🙋♂️👏🇵🇦
Thanks Luis!
Hi Ben
Thanks for all the info.
Is the roll on render you’re using a fine top coat?
Is that why you mention that it still isn’t water proof?
Would you think that regular exterior paint would work to seal it?
Thanks again
Hi! The roll-on render is a final coat, it's effectively an elastomeric membrane coating. The roll-on coating is waterproof in that water won't penetrate through it, so water won't pass through that layer and get into the dome. That said, there are plenty of other places that water can get into the oven, such as right through the oven mouth. This is why we stress that if you're in a cold climate that experiences full freezing conditions that you can't rely on this coating to keep the oven dry, and that a cover or structure over the oven is needed to keep it dry at all times.
Hi Ben I have used your acrylic render on my oven. Now I have some outside dome cracks, not all the way in. How do you repair these, grind out or apply another acrylic coat? Crack about 2mm, enough to see the gray colour inside
Hi Washington! Send us an email to sales@melbournefirebricks.com.au and we will be happy to help! Another nice thick coat of roll-on render will fill those cracks in and bridge them for future movement.
Hi, I want to put a layer of standard render to smooth out the surface before applying the white roll on render - Do I need to do any smaller curing fires for this thin layer of standard render? (I’ve finished the 6 curing fires for the oven as I couldn’t wait to get cooking!)
Side note - your kits and these videos are amazing, thoroughly enjoyed the process of building the oven and so so pleased with the end result👍🏼
Hi Tom! You wouldn't have to do more firings, but you would need to allow that layer to set fully and dry out prior to applying the roll-on membrane. Another way of smoothing the perlite render is to get some coarse sandpaper and sand the surface back, you'll be surprised how smooth you can get it that way!
@@TheFireBrickCo What grit sandpaper would you recommend starting and finishing with? Thanks for the videos too Ben (and team)! They've been absolutely fantastic and central to the rebuild I'm doing at the moment!
have you ever had very small hairline cracks when you do the stucco. ? how should I fix. was thinking a skim coat over the whole oven to smooth it all out.
Definitely - we always get some small cracks in the perlite render after all the curing fires are done. The roll-on render fills the cracks in really well, so I don't normally bother with a skim coat, however it wouldn't hurt. Just make sure the skim coat is full dried before you apply the roll-on render.
Can you paint the flute gallery satin black before completing the curing fires and sealing the dome ?
It's not recommended as it can still be holding water from the building process.
Love all your videos. Can I have just made an outdoor oven. Is it a problem if it rains on my oven after I have cured it and it’s yet to be sealed? Do I need to start the process again as I’m sure rain would of soaked through the finished render
Hi Darren, if you get rain on the render before it's sealed then yes, it will soak in and need to be fired up again to remove the moisture. You don't have to start again from day 1, but you would need to make sure you have it completely dry as our roll-on render is water based and is highly susceptible to water in the render that it's being applied to!
Do people seal the exposed front fire bricks with stone sealer so the soot can be cleaned off easily and water won’t soak in? Or do they need to be unsurfaced?
We don't recommend using chemicals like that inside the oven as you may eventually cook on or near that surface.
Hi Ben
Your render on the Perlite, lime,sand and cement. You mind sharing the ratio for the dome render ?
Hi Hennie! Check out the written instructions available on our website, you'll find them in there
Exellent info.
Glad it was helpful!
Hi Ben
Can I mosaics at later time on top of acrylic sealant?
You certainly can!
Thank you for the great Video!
Tried to check but seems couldn’t find such roller on render from Bunnings web. Can you please share the render product link?
Thank you!
Hmmm it might be called something different, Dulux make a product called Acratex which is very similar.
Hey Ben, can the oven be used between the coats?
I would recommend focussing on getting the roll-on complete, as you would have to let the oven cool down in order to apply the next layer
isnt an acrylic going to seal moisture into the oven? isnt it supposed to be breathable?
Acrylic will seal it but as Ben says you have to make sure the moisture is purged from the oven first. The oven doesn’t “need” moisture, it’s just there from the build/weather if not sealed... Ben correct me if I’m wrong here!
You're spot on, we want to drive all of the moisture out prior to applying the rollon render.
Hi would bondcrete be a viable alternative?
Unfortunately not, you really need a full membrane coating. The bondcrete wouldn't be enough to fill in all of the pores in the perlite render
@@TheFireBrickCo ok thanks for that, I’m planning on tiling the dome after curing process is complete and was thinking of sealing with bondcrete before that. Is it really necessary to add a roll on render before that
Great video
Can you do pizza oven in winter time or not ?
Thanks
Thankyou! You can't build if the temperature is going to drop below freezing as that would adversely affect the mortar.
@@TheFireBrickCo I'm guessing the question was "if I build this in the summer, can I still use it during the cold winter months"?
I'm also curious, is there special precautions when heating the oven from let's say -10°C?
Love the videos by the way, you guys are awesome!
Do you sell the roll in render? Im in sydney.
Sure! Jump onto our online store: www.melbournefirebricks.shop
An you put mosaic tile over the acrylic render
You sure can!
any reference of acrylic render ready-to-apply anyone recommend? something you can buy at Bunnings, Delux, Resene, etc...
i looked at Sika Blackseal product, would that work too?
I haven't seen the Sika product (but now I will have to go and check it out!) - Bunnings sell a product called Dulux Render Refresh that would be perfect
@@TheFireBrickCo that fort method is amazing BTW, glad I found that video!
What do you say at 4.28
"So we've got our PreCast Flue Gallery coated"
I really enjoyed the techniques you used - but boy do you talk a lot.
HA! I sure do - I think I want to make sure I have answered as many questions in the videos as possible, so I go into a lot of detail. Feel free to mute me 😂