Mortaring fire brick floor

I am building a Mattone Barile oven I’m at the point of laying the firebrick on the sand. Do I mortar the joints when I am done. In section 7 of the instructions it says “DO NOT MORTAR fire bricks” then it says “Do that in step 48” but there is no step 48. What do I do?

Hi,

I asked the same question earlier this year. The upshot: no worries, but definitely no mortar.

Here’s a link to the earlier response:

Step 48 is missing

Good luck with your build!

Don’t mortar!! You’ll be building on the edge. They won’t move.

Got sand in between some of the joints on the oven floor is that a big deal?

Not at all -

If you have an air compressor, just blow the joints before firing your oven for the first time.

If you don’t have a compressor - Just sweep out as much sand as possible and then blast the hearth fire brick joints w/ a can of compressed air (those keyboard duster type cans of air).

Basically - you just want to make sure your pizza isn’t EXTRA crunchy…