The Fresh Loaf  News & Information for Amateur Bakers and
Artisan Bread Enthusiasts     • Pin It davidjm's picture
Secrets to successful Clay Oven Usage  I'm still relatively new
to this, but I haven't seen the information below in other
places.  I welcome your comments and suggestions from your
experiences as well.  They will benefit the whole community!
First, go ahead and buy the book by Kiko Denzer "Build your own
earth ovens" ( $15)  Insulated Hearth Subfloor:  In Kiko's book,
he recommends using plain sand as a subfloor for the hearth. 
That is the cheapest way to do it, but for $50 more, you can
have an insulated subfloor that will hold heat much better than
sand.  Build a form the size of the top of you base at least 2"
thick.  Buy a bag of Portland cement and 2 big bags of
vermiculite from a plant nursery.  Mix the two at a 5:1 ratio
(vermiculite:Portland) dry.  Then add water and mix until you
get an oatmeal consistency.  Pour into the form.  Smooth out the
top.  Make sure it's level!  Let dry fo