Adding CalSil Insulation Boards - Wood-Fired Oven Hearth - Under Cooking Floor - July 2024

A couple days ago, I posted details of how I am using sheets of tile (flipped upside down) to create a little drainage pattern that sits on top of the poured concrete hearth of our wood-fired pizza oven.  On top of that tile goes - first - insulation.  Then, the floor and dome.  There are a number of ways to do insulation, but over the past few years, the FornoBravo community has seemed to coalesce around the use of Calcium Silicate Insulation Boards as the *best* insulation.  I found some online - sold locally in Southeast Wisconsin - at a decent price.  I bought 54 square feet of 2" thick boards.  I've opted to go with a double layer - 4" of CalSil boards.  That's the recommendation for the 'best insulation' you can use. 

Why insulation? To keep the heat *in* the oven.  In this case, it is about creating a barrier between the cooking floor and the concrete hearth.  From what I understand...if NOT for the insulation, the concrete hearth would act as a 'heatsink' and would absorb - or pull out - all of the heat from the floor. 

Now, with 4" of CalSil boards, the floor will retain the heat - hopefully for a day or longer.  

Below is a look at the insulation cut and placed onto the hearth.  

Next up?  Setting the floor.  And, then building the dome.