bbq / outdoor oven

[DanDIY]

I am planning on building a bbq and outdoor wood fired oven.

my plan is to cast a slab which I will then place on brick supports to form the cooking hearth. I was then planning on casting a tunnel type structure which I would sit down on top of the hearth to form the roof and walls of the cooking chamber. Finally the whole thing would be clad or possibly tiled over with some mosaic style ceramic tiles.
I was planning on reinforcing both of my cast concrete sections.

The main reason behind this construction method is that if I can cast it all I think it will be cheaper and quicker than sourcing refractory brick to build the dome.

My concerns are that I do not know if concrete will be up to the job....will it crack in the heat? Ideally I would like to find a heat resistant concrete mix that has some degree of refractory properties. Is it possible to mix such a concrete and does the above sound feasible?

I have found this refractory concrete will it work?

Cheers,
Dan

 

[oilman]

I think crushed firebricks, or crushed soft brickss, but I'd worry about river gravel. I haven't a reason for worrying except I don't fancy the idea of the stones splitting. It is titled "Heat resisting concrete", this is a bit different from firebricks.

The floor of the oven will be relatively cool, the top bricks will not.

I think casting may be an interesting exercise, but I wonder why commercial constructions are made using firebricks. Could it be casting gives problems?

 

[DanDIY]

My brother has just ripped out a load of storage heaters from a customers house. He was going to bin the lot, but we are thinking the bricks in them might be of use for this project. The way a storage heater and the way one of these ovens works is pretty similar.....
Any thoughts.....